The Prayer of the Afflicted 1 UST Yahweh, please listen to me when I pray to you; yes, please be attentive as I cry out to you! BSB BSB: A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come before You.
2 UST When distressing things happen to me, please do not ignore me! Listen to me, and answer me quickly as soon as I call out to you! BSB BSB: Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call.
3 UST Please hurry because my life is ending as quickly as smoke that disappears; my body feels like a fire is burning it. BSB BSB: For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers.
4 UST I feel as though I am withering away like grass that the sun has scorched. You see, I do not even remember to eat any food. BSB BSB: My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread.
5 UST I groan aloud so much that my bones protrude under my skin. BSB BSB: Through my loud groaning my skin hangs on my bones.
6 UST I am{ lonely and despised} like an owl in the desert; I have become like a screech owl in the ruins{ of a town}. BSB BSB: I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.
7 UST I lie awake{ at night}; I am like a lonely bird sitting on a housetop. BSB BSB: I lie awake; I am like a lone bird on a housetop.
8 UST During the whole of each day my enemies insult me. Those who make fun of me use my name when they curse people, saying,“May you be like him.” BSB BSB: All day long my enemies taunt me; they ridicule me and curse me.
9 UST It feels as though you have picked me up and thrown me away! Because you are so very angry with me, my food tastes like ashes and my tears fall into my drink. BSB BSB: For I have eaten ashes like bread and mixed my drink with tears
11 UST My time to remain alive is{ coming to an end} like an evening shadow{ that will soon be gone}. I have withered as grass withers{ in the hot sun}. BSB BSB: My days are like lengthening shadows, and I wither away like grass.
12 UST But Yahweh, you will rule forever on your royal throne; people of all times will talk about you. BSB BSB: But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; Your renown endures to all generations.
13 UST You yourself will now act and be merciful to the people of Jerusalem; you will do this because it is now the time that you have set for you to be kind to them. BSB BSB: You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor—the appointed time has come.
14 UST It is true that we who serve you love everything about Jerusalem. BSB BSB: For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust.
15 UST Yahweh, someday the people of all nations will revere you, and all the kings on the earth will recognize how very glorious you are. BSB BSB: So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory.
16 UST You see, it is Yahweh who builds Jerusalem; he will appear{ there} gloriously. BSB BSB: For the LORD will rebuild Zion; He has appeared in His glory.
17 UST Yahweh listens to the prayers of{ his} people who are homeless. He does not ignore them when they pray for him to help them. BSB BSB: He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
18 UST I will write these things down so that people in future years will know{ what he has done},{ in order that} people who are not born yet will praise Yahweh. BSB BSB: Let this be written for the generation to come, so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.
19 UST { They will describe} how Yahweh looked down from his holy place in heaven and saw{ what was happening on} the earth. BSB BSB: For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth
20 UST Yahweh looked down in order to help the groaning prisoners. He looked down in order to set free the people whom their enemies were about to kill. BSB BSB: to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
21 UST As a result, people in Jerusalem will tell what Yahweh has done and praise him for it. BSB BSB: that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion and praise Him in Jerusalem,
22 UST This will happen when many peoples, including those from other kingdoms, gather to worship Yahweh together. BSB BSB: when peoples and kingdoms assemble to serve the LORD.
23 UST { But now} he has caused me to become weak while I am still young;{ I think that} I will not remain alive very long. BSB BSB: He has broken my strength on the way; He has cut short my days.
24 UST I say{ to you},“My God, do not let me die when I am only half- way through my lifetime! In contrast, you live forever! BSB BSB: I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Your years go on through all generations.
26 UST As for the earth and the heavens, they will disappear, but as for you, you will remain. All of it will wear out as clothes wear out. You will get rid of them as people get rid of old clothes, and they will no longer exist. BSB BSB: They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on.
27 UST But you are Yahweh; you will always be. BSB BSB: But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.
28 UST The children of those who worship you will live safely{ in Jerusalem}, and you will protect their descendants as they live in your presence.” BSB BSB: The children of Your servants will dwell securely, and their descendants will be established before You.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.