Do Not Hide Your Face From Me

1A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

2Hide not thy face from me in the day of my distress: incline thine ear unto me; in the day when I call answer me speedily.

3For my days consume away like smoke, and my bones are burned as a firebrand.

4My heart is smitten like grass, and withered; for I forget to eat my bread.

5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my flesh.

6I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.

7I watch, and am become like a sparrow that is alone upon the housetop.

8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; they that are mad against me do curse by me.

9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.

10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast taken me up, and cast me away.

11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

12But thou, O LORD, shalt abide for ever; and thy memorial unto all generations.

13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for it is time to have pity upon her, yea, the set time is come.

14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity upon her dust.

15So the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory:

16For the LORD hath built up Zion, he hath appeared in his glory;

17He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, and hath not despised their prayer.

18This shall be written for the generation to come: and a people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

19For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

20To hear the sighing of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

21That men may declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

22When the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

26They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.