Book Four (Psalms 90-106) "Concerning Israel and the Nations of the Earth"

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.


1:   Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
2:   Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

3:   For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
4:   My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
5:   By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
6:   I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
7:   I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
8:   Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
9:   For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
10:   Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11:   My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

12:   But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

13:   Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
14:   For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

15:   So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16:   When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

17:   He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

18:   This shall be written for the generation to come:

and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

19:   For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

20:   To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

21:   To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

22:   When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23:   He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

24:   I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days:

thy years are throughout all generations.
25:   Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26:   They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
27:   But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28:   The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.