New International Version NIV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you.
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Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry 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 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 vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.
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For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.
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My heart is stricken and withered like grass; I am too wasted to eat my bread.
5 In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.
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Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my skin.
6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.
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I am like an owl of the wilderness, like a little owl of the waste places.
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 the 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 my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears
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For I eat ashes like bread, and mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
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because of your indignation and anger; for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside.
11 My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
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My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
12 But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.
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But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever; your name endures to all generations.
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 rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to favor it; the appointed time has come.
14 For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.
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For your servants hold its stones dear, and have pity on its 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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The nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth your glory.
16 For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.
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For the Lord will build up Zion; he will appear in his glory.
17 He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.
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He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their prayer.
18 Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may 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 “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed 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 groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”
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to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die;
21 So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
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so that the name of the Lord may be declared in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem,
22 when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD.
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when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
23 In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days.
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He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days.
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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"O my God," I say, "do not take me away at the midpoint of my life, you whose years endure throughout all generations."
25 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
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Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
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 perish, but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You change them like clothing, and they pass away;
27 But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
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but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”
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The children of your servants shall live secure; their offspring shall be established in your presence.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.