A Plea for Personal and National Help

102 A prayer of one afflicted, when he grows faint

and pours out his lament before Yahweh.a

1 O Yahweh, hear my prayer,

and let my cry for help come to you.

2 Do not hide your face from me

in the day of my trouble.

Incline your ear to me.

In the day I call, answer me quickly,

3 for my days vanish in smoke,

and my bones are charred like a hearth.

4 My heart is struck like grass and withers.

Indeed, I forget to eatb my bread.

5 Because of the sound of my groaning

my bonesc cling to my skin.d

6 I am like an owle of the wilderness;

I am like a little owl of the ruins.

7 I lie awake and I am

like a lone bird on a roof.

8 All the day my enemies reproach me;

those who mock me swear oaths against me.

9 Indeed, I eat ashes like bread

and mix my drink with tearsf

10 because of your indignation and anger,

for you have picked me up and thrown me away.

11 My days are like a lengthened shadow,

and I wither like grass.

12 But you, O Yahweh, abideg forever,

and your remembranceh ⌊from generation to generation⌋.i

13 You rise up and take pity on Zion,

because it is time to favor it,

for the appointed time has come.

14 Your servants take pleasure in her stones,

and show favor to its dust.

15 Then the nations will fear the name of Yahweh,

and all the kings of the earth your glory.

16 For Yahweh will rebuild Zion;

he will appear in his glory.

17 He will turn his attention to the prayer of the destitute

and will not despise their prayer.

18 Let this be written for the next generation,

so that a people yet to be created may praise Yah,j

19 that he looked down from his holy height.

Yahweh looked from heaven over the earth

20 to hear the groaning of the prisoner,

to liberate ⌊those destined to die⌋,k

21 so that theyl may make known in Zion the name of Yahweh,

and his praise in Jerusalem,

22 when the peoples assemble,

together withm kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

23 He has broken my strength along the way;

he has cut short my days.

24 I say, “My God, do not carry me off

from my life in the middle of my days.”

Your years continue throughout all generations.

25 Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

26 They will perish, but you will endure.

And like a garment they will all wear out,

you will replace them like clothing, and they will be set aside.

27 But you are the same,

and your years do not end.

28 The children of your servants will continue,

and their ⌊descendants⌋n will be established before you.