1I wish you would open up your heavens
and come down to us!
I wish the mountains would tremble
when you show your power!
2Be like a fire that causes twigs to burn.
It also makes water boil.
So come down and make yourself known to your enemies.
Cause the nations to shake with fear
when they see your power!
3Long ago you did some wonderful things we didn’t expect.
You came down, and the mountains trembled
when you showed your power.
4No one’s ears have ever heard of a God like you.
No one’s eyes have ever seen a God who is greater than you.
No God but you acts for the good
of those who trust in him.
5You come to help those who enjoy doing what is right.
You help those who thank you for teaching them how to live.
But when we continued to disobey you,
you became angry with us.
So how can we be saved?
6All of us have become like someone who is “unclean.”
All the good things we do are like dirty rags to you.
All of us are like leaves that have dried up.
Our sins sweep us away like the wind.
7No one prays to you.
No one asks you for help.
You have turned your face away from us.
You have let us feel the effects of our sins.
8Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay. You are the potter.
Your hands made all of us.
9Don’t be so angry with us, Lord.
Don’t remember our sins anymore.
Please have mercy on us.
All of us belong to you.
10Your sacred cities have become a desert.
Even Zion is a desert.
Jerusalem is a dry and empty place.
11Our people of long ago used to praise you in our holy and glorious temple.
But now it has been burned down.
Everything we treasured has been destroyed.
12Lord, won’t you help us even after everything that’s happened?
Will you keep silent and punish us more than we can stand?
1Det ville få folkeslagene til at skælve af angst og fjenderne til at frygte dit herlige navn, som når ild sætter kvas i brand og bringer vand i kog. 2For du gjorde engang undere, vi ikke ventede, og bjergene skælvede, da du viste dig. 3Intet øre har hørt, og intet øje har set en gud som dig, for du griber ind og hjælper dem, som sætter deres lid til dig. 4Du hjælper dem, som med glæde gør din vilje og følger dine veje.
Men vi syndede imod dig, og du blev vred. Evig og altid har vi været onde og ulydige.64,4 Teksten er uklar. 5Vi blev alle urene af synd. Selv det bedste, vi gjorde, var kun beskidte handlinger. Vi blev som visne blade, der blev fejet bort af vores synd som af vinden. 6Ingen bad dig om hjælp eller holdt sig nær til dig. Derfor vendte du dig bort og overlod os til den straf, vi fortjente.
7Men Herre, du er stadig vores Far! Vi er leret, og dine hænder har formet os. Vi er dit værk. 8Vær ikke alt for vred på os, Herre. Husk ikke for evigt på vores synd. Vi er jo dit udvalgte folk.
9Se, dine hellige byer er blevet jævnet med jorden, Zion ligner en øde ørken, Jerusalem ligger i ruiner. 10Vores hellige og prægtige tempel, hvor vores forfædre lovpriste dig, er brændt ned til grunden. Det sted, vi elskede over alt andet, er nu kun en ruinhob. 11Vil du stadig ikke gribe ind, Herre? Vil du stiltiende se på, at vi bliver straffet så hårdt?”
