Isaiah 26:16-18

16O Lord, they sought You in distress; They managed only a prayerful whisper When Your discipline was upon them.

17As a woman with child approaches the time to give birth, She is in pain and struggles and cries out in her labor, So we were before You, O Lord.

18We have been with child, we have twisted and struggled in labor; We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish salvation for the earth, Nor were inhabitants of the world born.