2 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—^(A)
2 a day of darkness and gloom,
    a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains,
    a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
    nor will be again after them
    in ages to come.^(B)

¹² Yet even now, says the Lord,
    return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;^(A)
13     rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,
    and relenting from punishment.^(B)
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent
    and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
    for the Lord your God?^(C)

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;^(D)
16     gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
    assemble the aged;
gather the children,
    even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
    and the bride her canopy.^(E)

¹⁷ Between the vestibule and the altar,
    let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.
Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
    and do not make your heritage a mockery,
    a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?’ ”^(F)

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.^(C)
4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
    and blameless when you pass judgment.^(D)
5 Indeed, I was born guilty,
    a sinner when my mother conceived me.^(E)

⁶ You desire truth in the inward being;^[a]
    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.^(F)
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.^(G)
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.^(H)
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.^(I)

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right^[b] spirit within me.^(J)
11 Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.^(K)
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing^[c] spirit.^(L)

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.^(M)
14 Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.^(N)

¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.^(O)
16 For you have no delight in sacrifice;
    if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.^(P)
17 The sacrifice acceptable to God^[d] is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.^(Q)