1 Lord, hear my prayer. Listen to my cry for help. 2 Lord, don’t turn away from me when I have troubles. Listen to me. When I cry for help, quickly answer me. 3 My life is passing away like smoke. My life is like a fire slowly burning out. 4 My strength is gone— I am like dry, dying grass. I even forget to eat my food. 5 Because of my sadness, I am losing weight. 6 I am lonely like an owl living in the desert. I am alone like an owl living in old ruined buildings. 7 I can’t sleep. I am like a lonely bird on a roof. 8 My enemies always insult me. They make fun of me and curse me. 9 My great sadness is my only food. My tears fall into my drinks. 10 Why? Because you are angry at me, Lord. You lifted me up and then you threw me away. 11 My life is almost finished, like the long shadows at the end of the day. I am like dry and dying grass. 12 But Lord, you will live forever! Your name will continue forever and ever! 13 You will rise and comfort Zion. The time is coming when you will be kind to Zion. 14 Your servants love her ˻(Zion's)˼ stones. They love even the dust of that city! 15 People will worship the Lord’s name. God, all the kings on earth will honor you. 16 The Lord will build Zion again. People will again see her glory. 17 God will answer the prayers of the people he left alive. God will listen to their prayers. 18 Write these things for the future generation. And in the future, those people will praise the Lord. 19 The Lord will look down from his Holy Place above. The Lord will look down at the earth from heaven. 20 And he will hear the prisoner’s prayers. He will free the people who were condemned to die. 21 Then people in Zion will tell about the Lord. They will praise his name in Jerusalem. 22 Nations will be gathered together. Kingdoms will come to serve the Lord. 23 My strength failed me. My life is cut short. 24 So I said, “Don’t let me die while I am still young. God, you will live forever and ever! 25 Long ago, you made the world. You made the sky with your own hands! 26 The world and sky will end, but you will live forever! They will wear out like clothes. And, like clothes, you will change them. They will all be changed. 27 But you, God, never change. You will live forever! 28 We are your servants ˻today˼. Our children will live here. And even their descendants will be here to worship you.
