1 Oh, that thou wouldest breake the heauens, and come downe, and that the mountaines might melt at thy presence! 2 As the melting fire burned, as the fire caused the waters to boyle, (that thou mightest declare thy Name to thy aduersaries) the people did tremble at thy presence. 3 When thou diddest terrible things, which we looked not for, thou camest downe, and the mountaines melted at thy presence. 4 For since the beginning of the world they haue not heard nor vnderstande with the eare, neither hath ye eye seene another God beside thee, which doeth so to him that waiteth for him. 5 Thou diddest meete him, that reioyced in thee, and did iustly: they remembred thee in thy wayes: beholde, thou art angrie, for we haue sinned: yet in them is continuance, and we shall be saued. 6 But we haue all bene as an vncleane thing, and all our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes, and we all doe fade like a leafe, and our iniquities like the winde haue taken vs away. 7 And there is none that calleth vpon thy Name, neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take holde of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from vs, and hast consumed vs because of our iniquities. 8 But now, O Lord, thou art our Father: we are the clay, and thou art our potter, and we all are the worke of thine hands. 9 Be not angry, O Lord, aboue measure, neither remember iniquitie for euer: lo, we beseech thee beholde, we are all thy people. 10 Thine holy cities lye waste: Zion is a wildernes, and Ierusalem a desart. 11 The House of our Sanctuarie and of our glorie, where our fathers praysed thee, is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are wasted. 12 Wilt thou holde thy selfe still at these things, O Lord? wilt thou holde thy peace and afflict vs aboue measure?
1 Why don't you tear the sky open and come down? The mountains would see you and shake with fear. 2 They would tremble like water boiling over a hot fire. Come and reveal your power to your enemies, and make the nations tremble at your presence! 3 There was a time when you came and did terrifying things that we did not expect; the mountains saw you and shook with fear. 4 No one has ever seen or heard of a God like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in him. 5 You welcome those who find joy in doing what is right, those who remember how you want them to live. You were angry with us, but we went on sinning; in spite of your great anger we have continued to do wrong since ancient times. 6 All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind. 7 No one turns to you in prayer; no one goes to you for help. You have hidden yourself from us and have abandoned us because of our sins.
8 But you are our father, Lord. We are like clay, and you are like the potter. You created us, 9 so do not be too angry with us or hold our sins against us forever. We are your people; be merciful to us. 10 Your sacred cities are like a desert; Jerusalem is a deserted ruin, 11 and our Temple, the sacred and beautiful place where our ancestors praised you, has been destroyed by fire. All the places we loved are in ruins. 12 Lord, are you unmoved by all this? Are you going to do nothing and make us suffer more than we can endure?