King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
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A prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to thee!
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 thy face from me in the day of my distress! Incline thy 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 smitten like grass, and 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 cleave 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 vulture 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 bird 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 thy indignation and anger; for thou hast taken me up and thrown me away.
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 thou, O LORD, art enthroned for ever; thy name endures to 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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Thou wilt 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 thy 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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The nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
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For the LORD will build up Zion, he will appear in his glory;
17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
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he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their supplication.
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 unborn 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 men 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 mid-course; 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 hence in the midst of my days, thou 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 thou didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy 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 thou dost endure; they will all wear out like a garment. Thou changest them like raiment, and they pass away;
27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
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but thou art the same, and thy 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 thy servants shall dwell secure; their posterity shall be established before thee.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.