21 Have mercy on me, my friends,a have mercy,

for God’s handb has struck me.c

22 Why do you persecute me as God does?

Will you never get enough of my flesh?

23 I wish that my words were written down,

that they were recorded on a scroll

24 or were inscribed in stone forever

by an iron stylus and lead!

25 But I know that my Redeemer lives,A,d

and at the end he will stand on the dust.e

26 Even after my skin has been destroyed,B

yet I will see God inC my flesh.f

27 I will see him myself;

my eyes will look at him, and not as a stranger.D

My heart longsE within me.g