1  Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, 2 As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!* the melting…: Heb. the fire of meltings 3  When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. 4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.† seen…: or, seen a God beside thee, which doeth so for him, etc 5  Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.‡ consumed: Heb. melted§ because: Heb. by the hand 8  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

9 ¶ Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. 10  Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. 11  Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. 12  Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?