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, beside thee, [what] he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

5

Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, [those that] remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

6

But 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 for ever: 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?