King James Version KJV
English Standard Version ESV
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
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Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you!
2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
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Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!
3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
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For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
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My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread.
5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
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Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
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I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl of the waste places;
7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
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I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
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All the day my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
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For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink,
10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
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because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
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My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
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But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
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You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come.
14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
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For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust.
15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
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Nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
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For the LORD builds up Zion; he appears in his glory;
17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
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he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
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Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
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that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
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to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,
21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
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that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
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when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
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He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days.
24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
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"O my God,"I say, "take me not away in the midst of my days-- you whose years endure throughout all generations!"
25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy 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 shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
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They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
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but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
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The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.