New King James Version NKJV
New Living Translation NLT
1 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.
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LORD, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea!
2 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.
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Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you.
3 For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth.
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For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals.
4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread.
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My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite.
5 Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin.
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Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin and bones.
6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.
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I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.
7 I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
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I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.
8 My enemies reproach me all day long, Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
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My enemies taunt me day after day. They mock and curse me.
9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping,
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I eat ashes for food. My tears run down into my drink
10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
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because of your anger and wrath. For you have picked me up and thrown me out.
11 My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass.
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My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows. I am withering away like grass.
12 But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
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But you, O LORD, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.
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You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem — and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help.
14 For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust.
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For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets.
15 So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
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Then the nations will tremble before the LORD . The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.
16 For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory.
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For the LORD will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory.
17 He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer.
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He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas.
18 This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
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Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the LORD .
19 For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
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Tell them the LORD looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven
20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To release those appointed to death,
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to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die.
21 To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem,
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And so the LORD ’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem,
22 When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
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when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the LORD .
23 He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.
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He broke my strength in midlife, cutting short my days.
24 I said, "O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations.
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But I cried to him, “O my God, who lives forever, don’t take my life while I am so young!
25 Of old You laid the foundation 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 made the heavens with your hands.
26 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.
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They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them.
27 But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.
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But you are always the same; you will live forever.
28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You."
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The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence.”