¶ A Prayer of² the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth³ out his complaint before the LORD. Hear⁴ my prayer, O LORD, and let my⁵ cry come unto thee.

Hide⁶ not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline⁷ thine ear unto me: in the day⁸ when I call answer me speedily.

For my days⁹ are consumed like smoke¹⁰, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

My heart¹¹ is smitten, and withered¹² like grass; so that¹³ I forget to eat my bread.

By reason of the voice¹⁴ of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin¹⁵.

I am like¹⁶ a pelican¹⁷ of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

I watch¹⁸, and am as a sparrow alone¹⁹ upon the house top.

Mine²⁰ enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad²¹ against me are sworn²² against me.

For I have²³ eaten ashes like bread, and mingled²⁴ my drink with weeping,

¶ Because²⁵ of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast²⁶ lifted me up, and cast me down.

My days²⁷ are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered²⁸ like grass.

¶ But thou,²⁹ O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance³⁰ unto all generations.

Thou³¹ shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set³² time, is come.

³³For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

³⁴So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

When³⁵ the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall³⁶ appear in his glory.

He will³⁷ regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise³⁸ their prayer.

This³⁹ shall be written for the generation to come: and the people⁴⁰ which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

For he⁴¹ hath looked down from the height⁴² of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

¶ To hear⁴³ the groaning of the prisoner; to loose⁴⁴ those that are appointed to⁴⁵ death;

⁴⁶To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

⁴⁷When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

¶ He weakened⁴⁸ my strength in the way; he shortened⁴⁹ my days.

I said⁵⁰, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years⁵¹ are throughout all generations.

⁵²Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

They shall⁵³ perish, but thou shalt endure⁵⁴: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

But thou art⁵⁵ the same, and thy years⁵⁶ shall have no end.

The children⁵⁷ of thy servants shall continue, and their seed⁵⁸ shall be established before thee.