New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you.
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Lord, listen to my prayer; let my cry for help come to you.
2 Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.
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Do not hide from me in my time of trouble. Pay attention to me. When I cry for help, answer me quickly.
3 For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.
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My life is passing away like smoke, and my bones are burned up with fire.
4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.
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My heart is like grass that has been cut and dried. I forget to eat.
5 In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.
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Because of my grief, my skin hangs on my bones.
6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.
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I am like a desert owl, like an owl living among the ruins.
7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.
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I lie awake. I am like a lonely bird on a housetop.
8 All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse.
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All day long enemies insult me; those who make fun of me use my name as a curse.
9 For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears
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I eat ashes for food, and my tears fall into my drinks.
10 because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
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Because of your great anger, you have picked me up and thrown me away.
11 My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
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My days are like a passing shadow; I am like dried grass.
12 But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.
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But, Lord, you rule forever, and your fame goes on and on.
13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.
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You will come and have mercy on Jerusalem, because the time has now come to be kind to her; the right time has come.
14 For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.
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Your servants love even her stones; they even care about her dust.
15 The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
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Nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings on earth will honor you.
16 For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.
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The Lord will rebuild Jerusalem; there his glory will be seen.
17 He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.
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He will answer the prayers of the needy; he will not reject their prayers.
18 Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
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Write these things for the future so that people who are not yet born will praise the Lord.
19 “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,
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The Lord looked down from his holy place above; from heaven he looked down at the earth.
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”
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He heard the moans of the prisoners, and he freed those sentenced to die.
21 So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
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The name of the Lord will be heard in Jerusalem; his praise will be heard there.
22 when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD.
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People will come together, and kingdoms will serve the Lord.
23 In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days.
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God has made me tired of living; he has cut short my life.
24 So I said: “Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.
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So I said, "My God, do not take me in the middle of my life. Your years go on and on.
25 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
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In the beginning you made the earth, and your hands made the skies.
26 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.
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They will be destroyed, but you will remain. They will all wear out like clothes. And, like clothes, you will change them and throw them away.
27 But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
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But you never change, and your life will never end.
28 The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”
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Our children will live in your presence, and their children will remain with you." Of David.