Prayer for Mercy and Help

1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down,
          That the mountains might quake at Your presence—

2 As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—
          To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
          That the nations may tremble at Your presence!

3 When You did awesome things which we did not expect,
          You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.

4 For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,
          Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,
          Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.

5 You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,
          Who remembers You in Your ways.
          Behold, You were angry, for we sinned,
          We continued in them a long time;
          And shall we be saved?

6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
          And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
          And all of us wither like a leaf,
          And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

7 There is no one who calls on Your name,
          Who arouses himself to take hold of You;
          For You have hidden Your face from us
          And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.

8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father,
          We are the clay, and You our potter;
          And all of us are the work of Your hand.

9 Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD,
          Nor remember iniquity forever;
          Behold, look now, all of us are Your people.

10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness,
          Zion has become a wilderness,
          Jerusalem a desolation.

11 Our holy and beautiful house,
          Where our fathers praised You,
          Has been burned by fire;
          And all our precious things have become a ruin.

12 Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O LORD?
          Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?