The Prayer of the Afflicted A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. 1Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You. 2Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call. 3For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers. 4My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread. 5Through my loud groaning 6I am like a desert owl, 7I lie awake; I am like a lone bird on a housetop. 8All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me. 9For I have eaten ashes like bread 10because of Your indignation and wrath, for You have picked me up and cast me aside. 11My days are like lengthening shadows, 12But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; Your renown endures to all generations. 13You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor— 14For Your servants delight in her stones 15So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory. 16For the LORD will rebuild Zion; 17He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer. 18Let this be written for the generation to come, so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD. 19For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth 20to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death, 21that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion 22when peoples and kingdoms assemble 23He has broken my strength on the way; 24I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Your years go on through all generations. 25In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, 27But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.a 28The children of Your servants will dwell securely, and their descendants will be established before You.” The Berean Bible (www.Berean.Bible) Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Free downloads and licensing available. See also the Berean Literal Bible and Berean Interlinear Bible. OpenBible.com |