1 Oh that you would tear the heavens,

that you would come down,

that the mountains might quake at your presence.

2 As when fire kindles the brushwood,

and the fire causes the water to boil;

make your name known to your adversaries,

that the nations may tremble at your presence!

3 When you did awesome things which we didn’t look for,

you came down, and the mountains quaked at your presence.

4 For from of old men have not heard,

nor perceived by the ear,

nor has the eye seen a God besides you,

who works for him who waits for him.

5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,

those who remember you in your ways.

Behold, you were angry, and we sinned.

We have been in sin for a long time.

Shall we be saved?

6 For we have all become like one who is unclean,

and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment.

We all fade like a leaf;

and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

7 There is no 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 by means of our iniquities.

8 But now, Jehovah, you are our Father.

We are the clay, and you our potter.

We all are the work of your hand.

9 Don’t be furious, Jehovah,

and don’t remember iniquity forever.

Look and see, we beg you,

we are all your people.

10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness.

Zion has become a wilderness,

Jerusalem a desolation.

11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised you,

is burned with fire;

and all our pleasant places are laid waste.

12 Will you hold yourself back for these things, Jehovah?

Will you keep silent, and punish us very severely?