³ For my days vanish like smoke;^(E)
    my bones^(F) burn like glowing embers.
⁴ My heart is blighted and withered like grass;^(G)
    I forget to eat my food.^(H)
5 In my distress I groan aloud^(I)
    and am reduced to skin and bones.
⁶ I am like a desert owl,^(J)
    like an owl among the ruins.
⁷ I lie awake;^(K) I have become
    like a bird alone^(L) on a roof.
⁸ All day long my enemies^(M) taunt me;^(N)
    those who rail against me use my name as a curse.^(O)
9 For I eat ashes^(P) as my food
    and mingle my drink with tears^(Q)
10 because of your great wrath,^(R)
    for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
¹¹ My days are like the evening shadow;^(S)
    I wither^(T) away like grass.

¹² But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;^(U)
    your renown endures^(V) through all generations.^(W)
13 You will arise^(X) and have compassion^(Y) on Zion,
    for it is time^(Z) to show favor^(AA) to her;
    the appointed time^(AB) has come.
¹⁴ For her stones are dear to your servants;
    her very dust moves them to pity.
¹⁵ The nations will fear^(AC) the name of the Lord,
    all the kings^(AD) of the earth will revere your glory.
¹⁶ For the Lord will rebuild Zion^(AE)
    and appear in his glory.^(AF)
17 He will respond to the prayer^(AG) of the destitute;
    he will not despise their plea.

¹⁸ Let this be written^(AH) for a future generation,
    that a people not yet created^(AI) may praise the Lord:
¹⁹ “The Lord looked down^(AJ) from his sanctuary on high,
    from heaven he viewed the earth,
²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoners^(AK)
    and release those condemned to death.”
²¹ So the name of the Lord will be declared^(AL) in Zion
    and his praise^(AM) in Jerusalem
²² when the peoples and the kingdoms
    assemble to worship^(AN) the Lord.

²³ In the course of my life^[b] he broke my strength;
    he cut short my days.^(AO)
24 So I said:
“Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days;
    your years go on^(AP) through all generations.
²⁵ In the beginning^(AQ) you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens^(AR) are the work of your hands.^(AS)
26 They will perish,^(AT) but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
    and they will be discarded.
²⁷ But you remain the same,^(AU)
    and your years will never end.^(AV)
28 The children of your servants^(AW) will live in your presence;
    their descendants^(AX) will be established before you.”

Praise the Lord from the heavens;^(B)
    praise him in the heights above.
² Praise him, all his angels;^(C)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.^(D)
3 Praise him, sun^(E) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens^(F)
    and you waters above the skies.^(G)

⁵ Let them praise the name^(H) of the Lord,
    for at his command^(I) they were created,
⁶ and he established them for ever and ever—
    he issued a decree^(J) that will never pass away.

⁷ Praise the Lord^(K) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures^(L) and all ocean depths,^(M)
8 lightning and hail,^(N) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,^(O)
9 you mountains and all hills,^(P)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
¹⁰ wild animals^(Q) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
¹¹ kings^(R) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
¹² young men and women,
    old men and children.

¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord,^(S)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor^(T) is above the earth and the heavens.^(U)
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,^[b](V)
    the praise^(W) of all his faithful servants,^(X)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.^(Y)

Praise the Lord.

⁴ “I will make mere youths their officials;
    children will rule over them.”^(K)

⁵ People will oppress each other—
    man against man, neighbor against neighbor.^(L)
The young will rise up against the old,
    the nobody against the honored.

⁶ A man will seize one of his brothers
    in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
    take charge of this heap of ruins!”
⁷ But in that day^(M) he will cry out,
    “I have no remedy.^(N)
I have no food^(O) or clothing in my house;
    do not make me the leader of the people.”^(P)

⁸ Jerusalem staggers,
    Judah is falling;^(Q)
their words^(R) and deeds^(S) are against the Lord,
    defying^(T) his glorious presence.
⁹ The look on their faces testifies^(U) against them;
    they parade their sin like Sodom;^(V)
    they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
    They have brought disaster^(W) upon themselves.

¹⁰ Tell the righteous it will be well^(X) with them,
    for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.^(Y)
11 Woe to the wicked!^(Z)
    Disaster^(AA) is upon them!
They will be paid back^(AB)
    for what their hands have done.^(AC)

¹² Youths^(AD) oppress my people,
    women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;^(AE)
    they turn you from the path.

¹³ The Lord takes his place in court;^(AF)
    he rises to judge^(AG) the people.
¹⁴ The Lord enters into judgment^(AH)
    against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
    the plunder^(AI) from the poor^(AJ) is in your houses.
¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing my people^(AK)
    and grinding^(AL) the faces of the poor?”^(AM)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.^(AN)

¹⁶ The Lord says,
    “The women of Zion^(AO) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,^(AP)
    flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
    with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
¹⁷ Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
    the Lord will make their scalps bald.^(AQ)”

²⁴ Instead of fragrance^(BA) there will be a stench;^(BB)
    instead of a sash,^(BC) a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;^(BD)
    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;^(BE)
    instead of beauty,^(BF) branding.^(BG)
25 Your men will fall by the sword,^(BH)
    your warriors in battle.^(BI)
26 The gates^(BJ) of Zion will lament and mourn;^(BK)
    destitute,^(BL) she will sit on the ground.^(BM)

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
⁴³ until I make your enemies
    a footstool for your feet.”’^[a](C)