Do Not Hide Your Face from Me
A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is afaint and bpours out his complaint before the Lord.
cHear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry dcome to you!
2 aDo not hide your face from me
in bthe day of my distress!
cIncline your ear to me;
danswer me speedily ein the day when I call!
3 For my days apass away like smoke,
and my bbones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is astruck down like grass and bhas withered;
I cforget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning
my abones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like aa desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places;
7 I alie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who aderide me buse my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread
and amingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
for you have ataken me up and bthrown me down.
11 My days are like aan evening shadow;
I bwither away like grass.
12 But you, O Lord, are aenthroned forever;
you bare remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will aarise and have bpity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
cthe appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her astones dear
and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will afear the name of the Lord,
and all bthe kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the Lord abuilds up Zion;
he bappears in his glory;
17 he aregards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.
18 Let this be arecorded for ba generation to come,
so that ca people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
19 that he alooked down from his holy height;
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
20 to hear athe groans of the prisoners,
to set free bthose who were doomed to die,
21 that they may adeclare in Zion the name of the Lord,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when apeoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
23 He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he ahas shortened my days.
24 “O my God,” aI say, “take me not away
in the midst of my days—
byou whose years endure
throughout all generations!”
25 aOf old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and bthe heavens are the work of your hands.
26 aThey will perish, but byou will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27 but ayou are the same, and your years have no end.
28 aThe children of your servants bshall dwell secure;
ctheir offspring shall be established before you.