The Prayer of the Afflicted

1A Prayer of one afflicted, when he grows weak and pours out his complaint before YHWH.

1 O YHWH, may You hear my prayer

and may my cry come to You!

2Do not hide Your face from me,

in the day of distress for me!

Incline to me Your ear;

on the day that I call may You hurry and answer me!

3For my days come to an end like smoke,

and my bones like a burning wick have been charred.

4My heart has been struck like the grass and has withered,

so that I forget to eat my bread.

5From the voice of my groaning,

my bone has clung to my flesh.

6I am like a vulture of the desert;

I have become like an owl of the wasteland.

7I stay awake,

and I am like a bird alone on the housetop.

8All the day my enemies the taunt me;

those shouting boastfully swear against me.

9For I have eaten ashes like bread,

and my drink I have mingled with weeping,

10from the face of Your anger and Your wrath,

for You have lifted me up and cast me away.

11My days are like a shadow stretching out;

and I, like the grass, wither away.

12But You, O YHWH, dwell forever,

and Your memorial to generation and generation.

13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion—

for the time to show her favor, indeed,

the appointed time, has come.

14How Your servants take delight in her stones—

even her dust they favor!

15And the nations will fear the name of YHWH,

and all the kings of the earth Your glory.

16For YHWH has built up Zion;

He has appeared in His glory.

17He has turned toward the prayer of the destitute,

and He will not despise their prayer.

18This will be written for the generation to come,

and a people yet to be created will praise YAH.

19For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary,

YHWH looked out from the heavens to the earth,

20to hear the groaning of the prisoner,

to release the sons of death;

21to declare in Zion the name of YHWH,

and His praise in Jerusalem,

22in the gathering of the peoples together—and the kingdoms—

to serve YHWH.

23He has broken my strength on the way;

He has shortened my days.

24I said, “O my God, do not take me up in the midst of my days;

Your years are generation to generations.

25Before time You founded the earth,

and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

26They will perish, but You will stand;

and all of them will wear out like a garment—

like clothing, You will pass them on,

and they will pass away.

27And You are the same,

and Your years will not end.†

28The sons of Your servants will settle down,

and their seed will be established before Your face.”