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¹ HEAR my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.² Turn not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily.³ For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are whitened as if they were burned.⁴ My heart is smitten and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread.⁵ Because of the voice of my groaning, my bones cleave to my skin.⁶ I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.⁷ I am shaken and alone like a sparrow upon the house tops.⁸ Mine enemies reproach me all the day; those who once praised me are now sworn against me.⁹ I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,¹⁰ Because of thine indignation and thy wrath; for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.¹¹ My days are like a shadow that declines; and I am withered like grass.

¹² But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever, and thy remembrance to all generations.¹³ Arise and have mercy upon Zion; for it is time to have mercy upon her.¹⁴ For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof.¹⁵ So the heathen shall worship the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.¹⁶ When the LORD builds up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.¹⁷ He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.¹⁸ This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people who shall be created shall praise the LORD.¹⁹ For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth,²⁰ To hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those that are appointed to death,²¹ To declare the name of the LORD in Zion and his praises in Jerusalem,²² When the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

²³ For they have weakened my strength on earth; they warned me of the shortage of my days.²⁴ O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days; thy years are throughout all generations.²⁵ Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands.²⁶ They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture, they shall fade.²⁷ But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.²⁸ The children of thy servants shall continue and their descendants shall be established before thee.