¹The prayer of an oppressed man, as he grows faint and pours out his lament before the Lord. O Lord, hear my prayer. Pay attention to my cry for help. ²Do not ignore me in my time of trouble. Listen to me. When I call out to you, quickly answer me.³For my days go up in smoke, and my bones are charred as in a fireplace. ⁴My heart is parched and withered like grass, for I am unable to eat food. ⁵Because of the anxiety that makes me groan, my bones protrude from my skin. ⁶I am like an owl in the wilderness; I am like a screech owl among the ruins. ⁷I stay awake; I am like a solitary bird on a roof. ⁸All day long my enemies taunt me; those who mock me use my name in their curses. ⁹For I eat ashes as if they were bread, and mix my drink with my tears, ¹⁰because of your anger and raging fury. Indeed, you pick me up and throw me away.¹¹My days are coming to an end, and I am withered like grass. ¹²But you, O Lord, rule forever, and your reputation endures. ¹³You will rise up and have compassion on Zion. For it is time to have mercy on her, for the appointed time has come. ¹⁴Indeed, your servants take delight in her stones and feel compassion for the dust of her ruins.¹⁵The nations will respect the reputation of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will respect his splendor ¹⁶when the Lord rebuilds Zion and reveals his splendor, ¹⁷when he responds to the prayer of the destitute and does not reject their request. ¹⁸The account of his intervention will be recorded for future generations; people yet to be born will praise the Lord. ¹⁹For he will look down from his sanctuary above; from heaven the Lord will look toward earth, ²⁰in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners and to set free those condemned to die, ²¹so they may proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and praise him in Jerusalem ²²when the nations gather together, and the kingdoms pay tribute to the Lord. ²³He has taken away my strength in the middle of life; he has cut short my days. ²⁴I say, “O my God, please do not take me away in the middle of my life. You endure through all generations.²⁵In earlier times you established the earth; the skies are your handiwork. ²⁶They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear. ²⁷But you remain; your years do not come to an end.²⁸The children of your servants will settle down here, and their descendants will live securely in your presence.”