Isaiah 64:1–12

Prayer for Mercy and Help

1 1Oh, that You would rend the heavens and acome down,

That the mountains might bquake at Your presence—

2 1As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—

To make Your name known to Your adversaries,

That the anations may tremble at Your presence!

3 When You did aawesome things which we did not expect,

You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.

4 For from days of old athey have not heard or perceived by ear,

Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,

Who acts in behalf of the one who bwaits for Him.

5 You ameet him who rejoices in bdoing righteousness,

Who cremembers You in Your ways.

Behold, dYou were angry, for we sinned,

We continued in them a long time;

And shall we be saved?

6 For all of us have become like one who is aunclean,

And all our brighteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

And all of us cwither like a leaf,

And our diniquities, like the wind, take us away.

7 There is ano one who calls on Your name,

Who arouses himself to take hold of You;

For You have bhidden Your face from us

And have 1delivered us into the power of our iniquities.

8 But now, O Lord, aYou are our Father,

We are the bclay, and You our potter;

And all of us are the cwork of Your hand.

9 Do not be aangry beyond measure, O Lord,

bNor remember iniquity forever;

Behold, look now, all of us are cYour people.

10 Your aholy cities have become a bwilderness,

Zion has become a wilderness,

Jerusalem a desolation.

11 Our holy and beautiful ahouse,

Where our fathers praised You,

Has been burned by fire;

And ball our precious things have become a ruin.

12 Will You arestrain Yourself at these things, O Lord?

Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?