Chapter 64

Oh that thou wouldest rend¹ the heavens, that thou wouldest come down,¹ that the mountains might flow down⁸ at thy presence,

As [when] the melting fire burneth,² the fire causeth the waters to boil,⁴ to make thy name known⁵³ to thine adversaries, [that] the nations may tremble⁴ at thy presence!

When thou didst² terrible things¹² [which] we looked¹⁷ not for, thou camest down,¹ the mountains flowed down⁸ at thy presence.

For since the beginning of the world [men] have not heard,¹ nor perceived by the ear,⁵² neither hath the eye seen,¹ O God, beside thee, [what] he hath prepared⁴ for him that waiteth¹⁸ for him.

Thou meetest¹ him that rejoiceth⁵ and worketh⁶ righteousness, [those that] remember⁴ thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth;¹ for we have sinned:⁴ in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.¹¹

But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade^{4 1101 55} as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.⁴

And [there is] none that calleth⁶ upon thy name, that stirreth up¹¹⁴ himself to take hold⁵³ of thee: for thou hast hid⁵² thy face from us, and hast consumed⁴ us, because of our iniquities.

But now, O LORD, thou [art] our father; we [are] the clay, and thou our potter;⁶ and we all [are] the work of thy hand.

Be not wroth⁴ very sore, O LORD, neither remember⁴ iniquity for ever: behold, see,⁵⁴ we beseech thee, we [are] all thy people.

Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised¹⁴ thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Wilt thou refrain¹⁰¹ thyself for these [things], O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace,⁴ and afflict¹⁷ us very sore?