1Oh that you would rend the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might flow down at your presence. 2As when the melting fire burns, the fire causes the waters to boil, to make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence! 3When you did terrible things which we looked not for, you came down, the mountains flowed down at your presence. 4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, besides you, what he has prepared for him that waits for him. 5You meet him that rejoices and works righteousness, those that remember you in your ways: behold, you are angry; for we have sinned: in those ways 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 calls upon your name, that stirs up himself to take hold of you: for you have hid your face from us, and have consumed us, because of our iniquities. 8But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand. 9Be not exceedingly angry, O LORD, neither remember iniquity forever: behold, see, we beseech you, we are all your people. 10Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. 11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. 12Will you restrain yourself for these things, O LORD? will you hold your peace, and afflict us very severely?