| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1The prayer of an oppressed man, as he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. O LORD, hear my prayer! Pay attention to my cry for help! | 1LORD, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! |
| 2Do not ignore me in my time of trouble! Listen to me! When I call out to you, quickly answer me! | 2Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you. |
| 3For my days go up in smoke, and my bones are charred like a fireplace. | 3For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals. |
| 4My heart is parched and withered like grass, for I am unable to eat food. | 4My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite. |
| 5Because of the anxiety that makes me groan, my bones protrude from my skin. | 5Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin and bones. |
| 6I am like an owl in the wilderness; I am like a screech owl among the ruins. | 6I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness. |
| 7I stay awake; I am like a solitary bird on a roof. | 7I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof. |
| 8All day long my enemies taunt me; those who mock me use my name in their curses. | 8My enemies taunt me day after day. They mock and curse me. |
| 9For I eat ashes as if they were bread, and mix my drink with my tears, | 9I eat ashes for food. My tears run down into my drink |
| 10because of your anger and raging fury. Indeed, you pick me up and throw me away. | 10because of your anger and wrath. For you have picked me up and thrown me out. |
| 11My days are coming to an end, and I am withered like grass. | 11My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows. I am withering away like grass. |
| 12But you, O LORD, rule forever, and your reputation endures. | 12But you, O LORD, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation. |
| 13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. For it is time to have mercy on her, for the appointed time has come. | 13You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem — and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help. |
| 14Indeed, your servants take delight in her stones, and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins. | 14For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets. |
| 15The nations will respect the reputation of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will respect his splendor, | 15Then the nations will tremble before the LORD. The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory. |
| 16when the LORD rebuilds Zion, and reveals his splendor, | 16For the LORD will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory. |
| 17when he responds to the prayer of the destitute, and does not reject their request. | 17He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas. |
| 18The account of his intervention will be recorded for future generations; people yet to be born will praise the LORD. | 18Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the LORD. |
| 19For he will look down from his sanctuary above; from heaven the LORD will look toward earth, | 19Tell them the LORD looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven |
| 20in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners, and to set free those condemned to die, | 20to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die. |
| 21so they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion, and praise him in Jerusalem, | 21And so the LORD’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, |
| 22when the nations gather together, and the kingdoms pay tribute to the LORD. | 22when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the LORD. |
| 23He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; he has cut short my days. | 23He broke my strength in midlife, cutting short my days. |
| 24I say, "O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life! You endure through all generations. | 24But I cried to him, “O my God, who lives forever, don’t take my life while I am so young! |
| 25In earlier times you established the earth; the skies are your handiwork. | 25Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. |
| 26They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear. | 26They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. |
| 27But you remain; your years do not come to an end. | 27But you are always the same; you will live forever. |
| 28The children of your servants will settle down here, and their descendants will live securely in your presence." | 28The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence.” |
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