(A prayer for someone who hurts and needs to ask the Lord for help.)

A Prayer in Time of Trouble

1I pray to you, Lord!

Please listen.

2Don't hide from me

in my time of trouble.

Pay attention to my prayer

and quickly give an answer.

3My days disappear like smoke,

and my bones are burning

as though in a furnace.

4I am wasting away like grass,

and my appetite is gone.

5My groaning never stops,

and my bones can be seen

through my skin.

6I am like a lonely owl

in the desert

7or a restless sparrow

alone on a roof.

8My enemies insult me all day,

and they use my name

for a curse word.

9Instead of food,

I have ashes to eat

and tears to drink,

10because you are furious

and have thrown me aside.

11My life fades like a shadow

at the end of day

and withers like grass.

12Our Lord, you are King forever

and will always be famous.

13You will show pity to Zion

because the time has come.

14We, your servants,

love each stone in the city,

and we are sad to see them

lying in the dirt.

15Our Lord, the nations

will honor you,

and all kings on earth

will praise your glory.

16You will rebuild

the city of Zion.

Your glory will be seen,

17and the prayers of the homeless

will be answered.

18Future generations must also

praise the Lord,

so write this for them:

19“From his holy temple,

the Lord looked down

at the earth.

20He listened to the groans

of prisoners,

and he rescued everyone

who was doomed to die.”

21All Jerusalem should praise

you, our Lord,

22when people from every nation

meet to worship you.

23I should still be strong,

but you, Lord, have made

an old person of me.

24You will live forever!

Years mean nothing to you.

Don't cut my life in half!

25 In the beginning, Lord,

you laid the earth's foundation

and created the heavens.

26They will all disappear

and wear out like clothes.

You change them,

as you would a coat,

but you last forever.

27You are always the same.

You are God for all time.

28Every generation of those

who serve you

will live in your presence.