New Living Translation NLT
New International Version NIV
1 LORD, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea!
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Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you.
2 Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you.
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Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.
3 For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals.
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For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.
4 My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite.
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My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.
5 Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin and bones.
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In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones.
6 I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.
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I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.
7 I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.
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I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.
8 My enemies taunt me day after day. They mock and curse me.
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All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse.
9 I eat ashes for food. My tears run down into my drink
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For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears
10 because of your anger and wrath. For you have picked me up and thrown me out.
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because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
11 My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows. I am withering away like grass.
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My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
12 But you, O LORD, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation.
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But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.
13 You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem — and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help.
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You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.
14 For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets.
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For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.
15 Then the nations will tremble before the LORD . The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.
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The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
16 For the LORD will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory.
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For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.
17 He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas.
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He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.
18 Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the LORD .
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Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
19 Tell them the LORD looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven
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“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die.
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to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”
21 And so the LORD ’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem,
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So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
22 when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the LORD .
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when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD.
23 He broke my strength in midlife, cutting short my days.
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In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days.
24 But I cried to him, “O my God, who lives forever, don’t take my life while I am so young!
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So I said: “Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.
25 Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.
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In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them.
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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.
27 But you are always the same; you will live forever.
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But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
28 The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence.”
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The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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.