Do Not Hide Your Face from Me

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

1 1Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry 2come to you!
2 3Do not hide your face from me in 4the day of my distress! 5Incline your ear to me; 6answer me speedily 7in the day when I call!
3 For my days 8pass away like smoke, and my 9bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is 10struck down like grass and 11has withered; I 12forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning my 13bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like 14a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owla of the waste places;
7 I 15lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me; those who 16deride me 17use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread and 18mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger; for you have 19taken me up and 20thrown me down.
11 My days are like 21an evening shadow; I 22wither away like grass.
12 But you, O LORD, are 23enthroned forever; you 24are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will 25arise and have 26pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; 27the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her 28stones dear and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will 29fear the name of the LORD, and all 30the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the LORD 31builds up Zion; he 32appears in his glory;
17 he 33regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.
18 Let this be 34recorded for 35a generation to come, so that 36a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
19 that he 37looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
20 to hear 38the groans of the prisoners, to set free 39those who were doomed to die,
21 that they may 40declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when 41peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
23 He has broken my strength in midcourse; he 42has shortened my days.
24 "O my God,"43I say, "take me not away in the midst of my days-- 44you whose years endure throughout all generations!"
25 45Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and 46the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 47They will perish, but 48you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27 but 49you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 50The children of your servants 51shall dwell secure; 52their offspring shall be established before you.