1 A Prayer of the poor [in spirit], when he is overwhelmed, and pours out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
2 Hide 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 burned as [in] a hearth.
4 My heart is smitten and withered like grass so that I forget to eat my bread.
5 By reason 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 watch and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
8 My enemies reproach me all the day, [and] those that are mad against me are sworn against me.
9 For 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 unto all generations.
13 Thou shalt arise [and] have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, the set time, is come.
14 For thy servants love her stones and have compassion on the dust thereof.
15 So the Gentiles shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory
16 because the LORD shall have built up Zion, and he shall be seen in his glory.
17 He shall have regarded the prayer of those who are [alone and] destitute and not despised their prayer.
18 This shall be written for the generation to come, and the people who shall be created shall praise JAH.
19 For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from the heavens the LORD beheld the earth
20 to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death,
21 that they might declare the name of the LORD in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem,
22 when the people are gathered together [as one] and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
24 I said, O my God, do not cut me off in the midst of my days; thy years [are] from generation to generation.
25 Of old thou hast 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 thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed:
27 But thou [art] the same, and thy years shall have no end.
28 The sons of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.: