1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens!
That You would come down!
# That the mountains might shake at Yourpresence—
2 As fire burns brushwood,
As fire causes water to boil—
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
Thatthe nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 WhenYou did awesome thingsforwhichwe did not look,
You came down,
The mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world
# Menhave not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Whoremembers You in Your ways.
You are indeed angry, for we have sinned—
# In these ways we continue;
And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an uncleanthing,
# And allour righteousnessesarelike filthy rags;
# We allfade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
7 Andthereisno one who calls on Your name,
Who stirs himself up to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have consumed us because of our iniquities.
8 But now, OLord,
Youareour Father;
# Wearethe clay, and You ourpotter;
And all wearethe work of Your hand.
9 Do not be furious, OLord,
Nor remember iniquity forever;
Indeed, please look—we allareYour people!
10 Your holy cities are a wilderness,
Zion is a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful temple,
Where our fathers praised You,
Is burned up with fire;
# And allour pleasant things are laid waste.
12 Will You restrain Yourself because of thesethings,OLord?
# Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?