1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence,

2as when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence.

4For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him.

5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou wast wroth, and we sinned: in them have we been of long time; and shall we be saved?

6For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hidden thy face from us, and hast consumed us by means of our iniquities.

8But now, O Jehovah, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

9Be not wroth very sore, O Jehovah, neither remember iniquity forever: behold, look, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

10Thy holy cities are become a wilderness, Zion is become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned with fire; and all our pleasant places are laid waste.

12Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Jehovah? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?