1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens , that thou wouldest come down , that the mountains might flow down at thy presence , 2As when the melting fire burneth , the fire causeth the waters to boil , to make thy name known to thine adversaries , that the nations may tremble at thy presence ! 3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down , the mountains flowed down at thy presence . 4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard , nor perceived by the ear , neither hath the eye seen , O God , beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
The Reality of Sin
5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness , those that remember thee in thy ways : behold, thou art wroth ; for we have sinned : in those is continuance , and we shall be saved . 6But we are all as an unclean thing , and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags ; and we all do fade as a leaf ; and our iniquities , like the wind , have taken us away . 7And there is none that calleth upon thy name , that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities .
God's Sovereignty and Mercy
8But now, O LORD , thou art our father ; we are the clay , and thou our potter ; and we all are the work of thy hand . 9Be not wroth very sore , O LORD , neither remember iniquity for ever : behold, see , we beseech thee, we are all thy people . 10Thy holy cities are a wilderness , Zion is a wilderness , Jerusalem a desolation . 11Our holy and our beautiful house , where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire : and all our pleasant things are laid waste . 12Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things , O LORD ? wilt thou hold thy peace , and afflict us very sore ?