1
Oh, that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
2
As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!
3
When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down; the mountains flowed down at thy presence.
4
For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
5
Thou meetest him that worketh righteousness and rejoiceth him that remembereth thee in thy ways; in righteousness there is continuance, and such shall be saved.
6
But we have sinned; we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
7
And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities.
8
But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
9
Be not wroth very sore, O Lord; neither remember iniquity forever; behold; see, we beseech thee; we are all thy people.
10
Thy holy cities are a wilderness; Zion is a wilderness; Jerusalem, a desolation.
11
Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire; and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12
Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? Wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore?