1 “Oh, if you had split open the heavens and come down! The mountains would have shaken at your presence,

2 as when fire kindles the brushwood, or the fire makes water boil.

Oh, that your name would be known by your adversaries, that the nations would tremble at your presence!

3 Previously, when you did marvelous things that we had not expected, you came down, and the mountains trembled at your presence.

4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived,

nor eye seen any God besides you, who does things for him who waits for him.

5 You come to help those who rejoice in doing what is right, those who call to mind your ways and obey them.

You were angry when we sinned. In your ways we will always be rescued.

6 For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag.

We have all withered like leaves; our iniquities, like the wind, carry us away.

7 There are none who calls on your name, who makes an effort to take hold of you.

For you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away in the hand of our iniquities.

8 Yet, Yahweh, you are our father;

we are the clay. You are our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.

9 Be not too angry, Yahweh, nor always call to mind against us our sins.

Please look at us all, your people.

10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness;

Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

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

has been destroyed by fire, and all that was so dear is in ruins.

12 How can you still hold back, Yahweh? How can you remain silent and continue to humiliate us?”