Read the Bible

¹ Lord, hear my prayer.
    Listen to my cry for help.
² Don't turn away from me when I have troubles.
    Listen to me, and answer me quickly when I cry for help.
³ My life is passing away like smoke.
    My life is like a fire slowly burning out.
⁴ My strength is gone—
    I am like dry, dying grass.
    I even forget to eat.
⁵ Because of my sadness, I am losing so much weight
    that my skin hangs from my bones.
⁶ I am lonely, like an owl living in the desert,
    like an owl living among old ruined buildings.
⁷ I cannot sleep.
    I am like a lonely bird on the roof.
⁸ My enemies insult me all the time.
    They make fun of me and use me as an example in their curses.
⁹ My great sadness is my only food.
    My tears fall into my drink.
¹⁰ You were angry with me,
    so you picked me up and threw me away.

¹¹ My life is almost finished, like the long shadows at the end of the day.
    I am like dry and dying grass.
¹² But you, Lord, will rule as king forever!
    Your name will continue forever and ever!
¹³ You will rise up and comfort Zion.
    The time has come for you to be kind to Zion.
¹⁴ Your servants love her stones.
    They love even the dust of that city!
¹⁵ The nations will worship the Lord's name.
    All the kings on earth will honor you.
¹⁶ The Lord will rebuild Zion,
    and people will again see her glory.
¹⁷ He will listen to the prayers of those in poverty.
    He will not ignore them.
¹⁸ Write these things for future generations,
    so that they will praise the Lord.
¹⁹ The Lord will look down from his Holy Place above.
    He will look down at the earth from heaven.
²⁰ And he will hear the prisoner's prayers.
    He will free those who were condemned to die.
²¹ Then people in Zion will tell about the Lord.
    They will praise his name in Jerusalem
²² when nations gather together
    and kingdoms come to serve the Lord.

²³ My strength failed me.
    My life is cut short.
²⁴ So I said, "Don't let me die while I am still young.
    God, you will live forever and ever!
²⁵ Long ago, you made the world.
    You made the sky with your own hands!
²⁶ The earth and sky will end,
    but you will live forever!
They will wear out like clothes,
    and like clothes, you will change them.
²⁷ But you never change.
    You will live forever!
²⁸ We are your servants today.
    Our children will live here,
    and their descendants will come here to worship you."