The Prayer of the Afflicted
A prayer of one who is afflicted, when he grows faint and pours out his lament before the LORD.
Hear my prayer, O LORD; Psa 18:6Psa 130:1-2Exo 2:23Psa 142:2-3Psa 61:2Psa 39:12Heb 5:7Luk 22:44
let my cry for help come before You.
Do not hide Your face from me Psa 69:17Psa 27:9Isa 8:17Psa 70:11Co 10:13Act 12:5-25Psa 104:29Psa 143:7
in my day of distress.
Incline Your ear to me;
answer me quickly when I call.
For my days vanish like smoke, Jas 4:14Lam 1:13Psa 31:10Job 30:30Psa 37:20Psa 22:14-15Lam 3:4Psa 119:83
and my bones burn like glowing embers.
My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; Isa 40:7Psa 37:21Sa 1:7-8Act 9:9Ezr 10:6Mat 26:37-38Psa 77:32Sa 12:17
I even forget to eat my bread.
Through my loud groaning Job 19:20Pro 17:22Lam 4:8Psa 32:3-4Psa 38:8-10Psa 6:8Psa 6:6
my flesh clings to my bones.
I am like a desert owl, Isa 38:14Zep 2:14Rev 18:2Isa 34:11-15Job 30:29-30Mic 1:8
like an owl among the ruins.
I lie awake; Psa 77:4Lam 3:28-30Mrk 14:33-37Deu 28:66-67Job 7:13-16Psa 130:6Psa 22:2Psa 38:11
I am like a lone bird on a housetop.
All day long my enemies taunt me; Act 26:11Act 23:12-35Isa 65:15Psa 69:9-10Act 7:54Psa 2:1Psa 31:11-13Psa 69:20
they ridicule me and curse me.
For I have eaten ashes like bread Psa 42:3Job 3:24Psa 80:5Isa 44:20Lam 3:15-16Lam 3:48-49Mic 1:10Mic 7:17
and mixed my drink with tears
because of Your indignation and wrath, Psa 38:32Co 4:9Lam 3:39-42Psa 147:6Psa 90:7-9Rom 3:191Sa 2:7-82Ch 25:8
for You have picked me up and cast me aside.
My days are like lengthening shadows, Job 14:2Psa 109:231Pe 1:24Psa 144:4Isa 40:6-8Jas 1:10Jas 4:14Ecc 6:12
and I wither away like grass.
But You, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; Psa 135:13Exo 3:15Heb 13:8Lam 5:19Psa 9:7Rev 1:17-18Isa 44:6Isa 60:15
Your renown endures to all generations.
You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, Gal 4:4Isa 40:2Isa 60:1Psa 44:26Zec 2:10-12Psa 69:35-362Pe 3:8Isa 60:10-14
for it is time to show her favor—
the appointed time has come.
For Your servants delight in her stones Neh 4:2Ezr 1:5Ezr 3:1-3Ezr 7:27Neh 1:3Neh 2:17Neh 2:3Neh 4:10
and take pity on her dust.
So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, 1Ki 8:43Psa 138:4Isa 60:3-22Psa 86:9Zec 8:20-23Psa 67:2-4Psa 68:31-32Psa 72:11
and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory.
For the LORD will rebuild Zion; Isa 60:1-2Jer 33:7Psa 147:2Zec 2:6-13Isa 14:26Isa 2:2-3Isa 60:7Isa 61:3
He has appeared in His glory.
He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; Neh 1:6Psa 22:24Jer 29:11-14Psa 72:12Psa 9:18Deu 32:36Deu 4:29Dan 9:3-21
He will not despise their prayer.
Let this be written for the generation to come, Psa 22:30-31Rom 15:4Isa 43:21Psa 78:4-61Pe 2:9-102Pe 1:15Eph 2:101Co 10:11
so that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.
For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; Deu 26:15Psa 14:21Ki 8:391Ki 8:432Ch 16:9Heb 8:1-2Heb 9:23-24Job 22:12
the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth
to hear a prisoner’s groaning, Psa 79:11Psa 146:7Exo 3:7Isa 61:1-32Ch 33:11-132Ki 13:22-23Eph 2:2-3Isa 14:17
to release those condemned to death,
that they may proclaim the name of the LORD in Zion Psa 22:221Pe 2:9Eph 3:21Isa 51:11Psa 51:14-15Psa 79:13Psa 9:13-14Eph 2:4-7
and praise Him in Jerusalem,
when peoples and kingdoms assemble Mat 24:14Zec 8:20-23Isa 49:22-23Isa 60:3-22Psa 22:27Psa 72:8-11Rom 15:19Gen 49:10
to serve the LORD.
He has broken my strength on the way; 1Ti 4:1-32Th 2:3-122Ti 3:1-17Job 21:21Psa 89:38-47Rev 11:2-19Rev 12:13-17
He has cut short my days.
I say: “O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days! Hab 1:12Psa 39:13Isa 38:10-22Psa 102:12Rev 1:8Job 36:26Psa 9:7Psa 90:1-2
Your years go on through all generations.
In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, Gen 1:1Exo 20:11Heb 1:10-12Jer 32:17Heb 3:3-4Gen 2:1Job 38:4-7Pro 8:23-36
and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
They will perish, but You remain; Isa 51:6Mat 24:35Luk 21:33Isa 34:4Rev 20:11Isa 66:22Psa 102:12Rev 21:1
they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing You will change them,
and they will be passed on.
But You remain the same, Heb 13:8Jas 1:17Mal 3:6Rev 1:8Job 36:26Psa 90:4Rev 1:17-18Jhn 8:58
and Your years will never end. 1
The children of Your servants will dwell securely, Psa 69:35-36Psa 45:16-17Psa 89:4Psa 90:16-17Isa 53:10Isa 59:20-21Isa 65:22Isa 66:22
and their descendants will be established before You.”