Jerusalem’s Prayer for God’s Loving-Kindness
5 O Lord, remember what has happened to us. Look, and see our shame! 2 The land we received from You has been given over to strangers. Our homes have been given to people from other lands. 3 We have lost our fathers. Our mothers are like those who have lost their husbands. 4 We have to pay for our drinking water, and we must buy our wood. 5 Those who come after us are at our necks. We are tired and cannot rest. 6 We have put out our hands to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread. 7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more, and we have suffered for their sins. 8 Servants rule over us. There is no one to save us from their hand. 9 We put our lives in danger to get our bread, because of the sword in the desert. 10 Our skin has become as hot as fire because of the burning heat of hunger. 11 They have taken and sinned against the women in Zion, and the young women who have never had a man in the cities of Judah. 12 Rulers were hung by their hands. Leaders were not respected. 13 Young men worked to grind the grain, and boys fell under loads of wood. 14 The old men have left the city gate. Young men have stopped playing their music. 15 The joy of our hearts has come to an end. Our dancing has been turned into sorrow. 16 The crown has fallen from our head. It is bad for us, for we have sinned! 17 Because of this our heart is weak. Because of these things our eyes are weak. 18 Mount Zion lies in waste, so foxes run all over it.
19 O Lord, You rule forever. Your throne will last for all people-to-come. 20 Why do You forget us forever? Why do You leave us alone for so long? 21 Return us to You, O Lord. Bring us back. Make our days as they were before. 22 Or have You turned away from us forever? Is there no end to Your anger?