GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 O LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry for help come to you.
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A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to You.
2 Do not hide your face from me when I am in trouble. Turn your ear toward me. Answer me quickly when I call.
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Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily.
3 My days disappear like smoke. My bones burn like hot coals.
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For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth.
4 My heart is beaten down and withered like grass because I have forgotten about eating.
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My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread.
5 I am nothing but skin and bones because of my loud groans.
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Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin.
6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl living in the ruins.
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I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.
7 I lie awake. I am like a lonely bird on a rooftop.
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I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
8 All day long my enemies insult me. Those who ridicule me use my name as a curse.
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My enemies reproach me all day long, Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
9 I eat ashes like bread and my tears are mixed with my drink
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For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping,
10 because of your hostility and anger, because you have picked me up and thrown me away.
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Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
11 My days are like a shadow that is getting longer, and I wither away like grass.
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My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass.
12 But you, O LORD, remain forever. You are remembered throughout every generation.
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But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
13 You will rise and have compassion on Zion, because it is time to grant a favor to it. Indeed, the appointed time has come.
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You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.
14 Your servants value Zion's stones, and they pity its rubble.
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For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust.
15 The nations will fear the LORD's name. All the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
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So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
16 When the LORD builds Zion, he will appear in his glory.
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For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory.
17 He will turn his attention to the prayers of those who have been abandoned. He will not despise their prayers.
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He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer.
18 This will be written down for a future generation so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
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This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
19 "The LORD looked down from his holy place high above. From heaven he looked at the earth.
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For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
20 He heard the groans of the prisoners and set free those who were condemned to death.
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To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To release those appointed to death,
21 The LORD's name is announced in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
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To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem,
22 when nations and kingdoms gather to worship the LORD."
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When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
23 He has weakened my strength along the way. He has reduced [the number of] my days.
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He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.
24 I said, "My God, don't take me now in the middle of my life. Your years [continue on] throughout every generation.
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I said, "O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations.
25 Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth. Even the heavens are the works of your hands.
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Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 They will come to an end, but you will still go on. They will all wear out like clothing. You will change them like clothes, and they will be thrown away.
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They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed.
27 But you remain the same, and your life will never end.
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But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.
28 The children of your servants will go on living [here]. Their descendants will be secure in your presence."
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The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You."