Isaiah 64

Prayer for Mercy and Help

11Oh, that You would tear open the heavens and 2come down, That the mountains would 3quake at Your presence--24As fire kindles brushwood, as fire causes water to boil-- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the 5nations may tremble at Your presence!3When You did 6awesome things which we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.4For from days of old 7they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of one who 8waits for Him.5You 9meet him who rejoices in 10doing righteousness, Who 11remembers You in Your ways. Behold, 12You were angry, for we sinned, We continued in 13our sins for a long time; Yet shall we be saved?6For all of us have become like one who is 14unclean, And all our 15righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us 16wither like a leaf, And our 17wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.7There is 18no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself to take hold of You; For You have 19hidden Your face from us And have 20surrendered us to the power of our wrongdoings.

8But now, Lord, 21You are our Father; We are the 22clay, and You our potter, And all of us are the 23work of Your hand.9Do not be 24angry beyond measure, Lord, 25Nor remember wrongdoing forever. Behold, please look, all of us are 26Your people.10Your 27holy cities have become a 28wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.11Our holy and beautiful 29house, Where our fathers praised You, Has been burned by fire; And 30all our precious things have become a ruin.12Will You 31restrain Yourself at these things, Lord? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?