Chapter 101

  The prayer of the poor man, when he was anxious, and poured out his supplication before the Lord.  

  Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to thee.  

  Turn not away thy face from me: in the day when I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me speedily.  

  For my days are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.  

  I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.  

  Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.  

  I am become like to a pelican of the wilderness: I am like a night raven in the house.  

  I have watched, and am become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.  

  All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.  

  For I did eat ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.  

  Because of thy anger and indignation: for having lifted me up thou hast thrown me down.  

  My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.  

  But thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and thy memorial to all generations.  

  Thou shalt arise and have mercy on Sion: for it is time to have mercy on it, for the time is come.  

  For the stones thereof have pleased thy servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.  

  And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.  

  For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.  

  He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.  

  Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:  

  Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.  

  That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the children of the slain:  

  That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;  

  When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.  

  He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.  

  Call me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are unto generation and generation.  

  In the beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: end the heavens are the works of thy hands.  

  They shall perish but thou remainest: and all of them shall grow old like a garment: And as a vesture thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed.  

  But thou art always the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.  

  The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.