Prayer for Mercy and Help
64
1Oh, that You would rend the heavens and Acome down,
That the mountains might Bquake at Your presence
1As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the Anations may tremble at Your presence!
When You did Aawesome things which we did not expect,
You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.
For from days of old Athey have not heard or perceived by ear,
Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,
Who acts in behalf of the one who Bwaits for Him.
You Ameet him who rejoices in Bdoing righteousness,
Who Cremembers You in Your ways.
Behold, DYou were angry, for we sinned,
We continued in them a long time;
And shall we be saved?
For all of us have become like one who is Aunclean,
And all our Brighteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us Cwither like a leaf,
And our Diniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is Ano one who calls on Your name,
Who arouses himself to take hold of You;
For You have Bhidden Your face from us
And have 1delivered us into the power of our iniquities.
But now, O Lord, AYou are our Father,
We are the Bclay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the Cwork of Your hand.
Do not be Aangry beyond measure, O Lord,
BNor remember iniquity forever;
Behold, look now, all of us are CYour people.
10 Your Aholy cities have become a Bwilderness,
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful Ahouse,
Where our fathers praised You,
Has been burned by fire;
And Ball our precious things have become a ruin.
12 Will You Arestrain Yourself at these things, O Lord?
Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?
1 64:1 Ch 63:19b in Heb A 64:1 Ex 19:18; Ps 18:9; 144:5; Mic 1:3, 4; Hab 3:13 B 64:1 Judg 5:5; Ps 68:8; Nah 1:5 1 64:2 Ch 64:1 in Heb A 64:2 Ps 99:1; Jer 5:22; 33:9 A 64:3 Ps 65:5; 66:3, 5; 106:22 A 64:4 1 Cor 2:9 B 64:4 Is 25:9; 30:18; 40:31 A 64:5 Ex 20:24 B 64:5 Is 56:1 C 64:5 Is 26:13; 63:7 D 64:5 Is 12:1 A 64:6 Is 6:5 B 64:6 Is 46:12; 48:1 C 64:6 Ps 90:5, 6; Is 1:30 D 64:6 Is 50:1 A 64:7 Is 59:4; Ezek 22:30 B 64:7 Deut 31:18; Is 1:15; 54:8 1 64:7 Reading with the DSS and versions; M.T. melted A 64:8 Is 63:16 B 64:8 Is 29:16; 45:9 C 64:8 Ps 100:3; Is 60:21 A 64:9 Is 57:17; 60:10 B 64:9 Is 43:25; Mic 7:18 C 64:9 Ps 79:13; Is 63:8 A 64:10 Is 48:2; 52:1 B 64:10 Is 1:7; 6:11 A 64:11 2 Kin 25:9; Ps 74:5-7; Is 63:18 B 64:11 Lam 1:7, 10, 11 A 64:12 Ps 74:10, 11, 18, 19; Is 42:14; 63:15