1Gebet eines tief Gebeugten, der schwach ist und vor Jahwe seine Sorge ausschüttet.2Jahwe, hör mein Gebet! / Mein Schreien dringe zu dir!3Verbirg dein Gesicht nicht vor mir, wenn ich in Bedrängnis bin! / Neige dich herab und höre mich an! / Jetzt rufe ich, erhöre mich doch bald!4Meine Tage gehen auf in Rauch, / mein Körper glüht, als ob es in mir brennt.5Wie Gras versengt und verdorrt ist mein Herz, / denn das Essen habe ich vergessen.6Mein lautes Stöhnen hat mich ausgezehrt. / Nur Haut und Knochen bin ich noch.7Ich gleiche einem Pelikan, der in der Wüste steht, / der Eule, die in den Ruinen haust.8Ich liege wach und fühle mich / wie ein einsamer Vogel auf einem Dach.9Den ganzen Tag verhöhnen meine Feinde mich. / Spötter nutzen meinen Namen zum Fluch.10Asche ist mein Brot geworden, / und mein Trank ist mit Tränen gemischt,11denn es traf mich dein furchtbarer Zorn. / Du hast mich gepackt und zu Boden geschmettert.12Wie Schatten dehnen meine Tage sich aus / und ich verdorre wie Gras.13Doch du bleibst in Ewigkeit, Jahwe, / an dich denkt jede Generation.14Du wendest dich Zion voller Barmherzigkeit zu, / denn es ist Zeit, ihm gnädig zu sein, die Stunde ist da.15Denn deine Diener haben seine Steine lieb / und trauern über den Schutt.16Dann fürchten die Völker den Namen Jahwes, / die Herrscher der Erde deine Herrlichkeit,17denn dann hat Jahwe Zion wieder aufgebaut, / hat sich gezeigt in Herrlichkeit,18hat die Gebete der Verlassenen gehört / und ihre Bitten nicht verschmäht.19Dies sei geschrieben für die kommende Generation. / Dann wird Jahwe von einem Volk gelobt, das noch erschaffen wird.20Gewiss schaute Jahwe herab aus heiliger Höhe, / vom Himmel hat er auf die Erde geblickt.21Da hört er das Stöhnen der Gefangenen / und rettet sie vor dem sicheren Tod.22So wird man in der Zionsstadt seinen Namen verkünden / und in Jerusalem sein Lob.23Völker werden sich dann versammeln, / und die Königreiche kommen zum Dienst Jahwes.24Auf dem Weg brach er meine Kraft, / er hat mein Leben verkürzt.25Ich sagte: „Mein Gott, nimm mich nicht in der Lebensmitte schon weg!“ / Du überdauerst die Generationen.26Einst hast du die Erde gegründet / und der Himmel ist das Werk deiner Hand.27Sie werden vergehen, du aber bleibst, / sie werden zerfallen wie ein altes Kleid. / Du wechselst sie wie ein Gewand, und sie schwinden dahin.28Du aber bleibst wie du bist, / und deine Jahre enden nie.[1] (Hebr 1,10)29Die Kinder deiner Diener werden in Sicherheit wohnen / und ihre Nachkommen gedeihen vor dir.
A prayer of a suffering person who has become weak. They pour out their problems to the Lord.
1LORD, hear my prayer. Listen to my cry for help.2Don’t turn your face away from me when I’m in trouble. Pay attention to me. When I call out for help, answer me quickly.3My days are disappearing like smoke. My body burns like glowing coals.4My strength has dried up like grass. I even forget to eat my food.5I groan out loud because of my suffering. I’m nothing but skin and bones.6I’m like a desert owl. I’m like an owl among destroyed buildings.7I can’t sleep. I’ve become like a bird alone on a roof.8All day long my enemies laugh at me. Those who make fun of me use my name as a curse.9I eat ashes as my food. My tears fall into what I’m drinking.10You were very angry with me. So you picked me up and threw me away.11The days of my life are like an evening shadow. I dry up like grass.12But LORD, you are seated on your throne for ever. Your fame will continue for all time to come.13You will rise up and show deep concern for Zion. The time has come for you to help Zion.14The stones of your destroyed city are priceless to us. Even its dust brings deep concern to us.15The nations will worship the LORD. All the kings on earth will respect his glorious power.16The LORD will build Zion again. He will appear in his glory.17He will answer the prayer of those who don’t have anything. He won’t say no to their cry for help.18Let this be written down for those born after us. Then people who are not yet born can praise the LORD.19Here is what should be written. ‘The LORD looked down from his temple in heaven. From heaven he viewed the earth.20He heard the groans of the prisoners. He set free those who were sentenced to death.’21So people will talk about him in Zion. They will praise him in Jerusalem.22Nations and kingdoms will gather there to worship the LORD.23When I was still young, he took away my strength. He wasn’t going to let me live much longer.24So I said, ‘My God, don’t let me die in the middle of my life. You will live for all time to come.25In the beginning you made the earth secure. You placed it on its foundations. Your hands created the heavens.26They will pass away. But you will remain. They will all wear out like a piece of clothing. You will make them like clothes that are taken off and thrown away.27But you remain the same. Your years will never end.28Our children will live with you. Their sons and daughters will be safe in your care.’
1A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you! (2Mo 2,23; 1Sam 9,16; Ps 18,6; Ps 39,12; Ps 61,2; Ps 142,2)2Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call! (Ps 18,6; Ps 27,9; Ps 31,2; Ps 56,9; Ps 69,17)3For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. (Hi 30,30; Ps 31,10; Ps 37,20; Kla 1,13; Jak 4,14)4My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread. (1Sam 1,7; 2Sam 12,17; 1Kön 21,4; Hi 33,20; Ps 37,2; Ps 121,6; Jes 40,7; Jak 1,10)5Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh. (Hi 19,20)6I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl[1] of the waste places; (Hi 30,29; Jes 34,11; Zef 2,14)7I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop. (Ps 77,4)8All the day my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. (Jes 65,15; Jer 29,22; Apg 26,11)9For I eat ashes like bread and mingle tears with my drink, (Ps 42,3)10because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down. (Ps 51,11; Hes 3,12; Hes 3,14)11My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass. (Hi 8,9; Ps 102,4; Ps 109,23; Ps 144,4)12But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations. (2Mo 3,15; Ps 9,7; Ps 102,26; Ps 135,13)13You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come. (Ps 68,1; Ps 75,2; Jes 40,2; Jes 60,10; Jer 29,10; Dan 9,2; Sach 1,12)14For your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust. (Neh 4,2; Kla 4,1)15Nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory. (1Kön 8,43; Ps 138,4; Jes 59,19; Jes 60,3)16For the Lord builds up Zion; he appears in his glory; (Ps 147,2; Jes 60,1)17he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. (Neh 1,6; Neh 1,11)18Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: (5Mo 31,19; Ps 22,31; Ps 48,13; Ps 78,4; Ps 78,6; Jes 43,21; Röm 15,4; 1Kor 10,1)19that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, (Ps 11,4)20to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, (Ps 79,11)21that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise, (Ps 22,22)22when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord. (Ps 22,27; Jes 45,14)23He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days. (Ps 89,45)24“O my God,” I say, “take me not away in the midst of my days— you whose years endure throughout all generations!” (Hi 36,26; Ps 90,2; Jes 38,10; Hab 1,12)25Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (1Mo 1,1; 1Mo 2,1; Ps 96,5; Hebr 1,10)26They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, (Ps 102,12; Jes 34,4; Jes 51,6; Mt 24,35; Hebr 1,11; 2Petr 3,7; 2Petr 3,10; 2Petr 3,12; Offb 20,11; Offb 21,1)27but you are the same, and your years have no end. (Jes 41,4; Jes 48,12; Mal 3,6; Hebr 13,8; Jak 1,17)28The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you. (Ps 37,29; Ps 69,36; Ps 112,2)