Commentary on Psalms - Volume 5

A Prayer for the afflicted when he shall be shut up, and shall pour out his meditation before Jehovah

1O Jehovah! hear my prayer, And let my cry to thee come.

2Hide not thy face from me in the day of my afflictions; Incline to me thy ear; In the day when I cry, make haste, answer me.

3For consumed like smoke are ³⁶⁷ my days, And my bones as a hearth are burnt up.

4Smitten like grass, and withered is my heart, Because I have forgotten to eat my bread.

5By reason of the voice of my groaning, Cleave do my bones to my flesh.

6I am become like a pelican of the desert, I am become as an owl of the solitudes;

7I have watched and am as the sparrow Which is solitary upon the roof of the house.

8Daily reproach me do my enemies; And those who are mad against me, by me have sworn.

9For ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping ³⁶⁸ I have mingled.

10Because of thy indignation and thy wrath; For thou hast lifted me up and cast me down.

11My days are as a shadow which declineth; And as grass I am dried up.

12And thou, O Jehovah! for ever shalt dwell, And thy memorial from generation to generation.

13Thou thyself shalt arise, thou shalt have mercy upon Zion; For it is time to compassionate her, For come is the appointed time.

14For take pleasure do thy servants in her stones, And upon her dust they will have compassion.

15And fear shall the Gentiles the name of Jehovah, And all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath appeared in his glory.

17He hath regarded the prayer of the solitary, And hath not despised their prayer.

18This shall be written for the generation to come, And the people [to be] created shall praise him.

19For he hath looked from the high place of his holiness, Jehovah from the heavens upon the earth hath looked,

20To hear the groaning of the prisoners To release the sons of death;

21That declared in Zion may be the name of Jehovah, And his praise in Jerusalem;

22When gathered shall be the peoples together, And the kingdoms to serve Jehovah.

23He hath afflicted in the way my strength, He hath shortened my days.

24I said, O my God! take me not away in the midst of my days; For throughout generations of generations are thy years.

25Aforetime the earth thou hast founded; And the work of thy hands serve the heavens.

26They shall perish but thou shalt endure; And they all as a garment shall grow old; As a vesture thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed.

27But thou art always the same, And thy years shall not fail.

28The children of thy servants shall dwell, And their seed before thee shall be established.