63:15 Look down from heaven and take notice,

from your holy, majestic palace!

Where are your zeal ¹  and power?

Do not hold back your tender compassion! ² 

63:16 For you are our father,

though Abraham does not know us

and Israel does not recognize us.

You, Lord, are our father;

you have been called our protector from ancient times. ³ 

63:17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray ⁴  from your ways, ⁵ 

and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? ⁶ 

Return for the sake of your servants,

the tribes of your inheritance!

63:18 For a short time your special ⁷  nation possessed a land, ⁸ 

but then our adversaries knocked down ⁹  your holy sanctuary.

63:19 We existed from ancient times, ¹⁰ 

but you did not rule over them,

they were not your subjects. ¹¹ 

64:1 ¹²  If only you would tear apart the sky ¹³  and come down!

The mountains would tremble ¹⁴  before you!

64:2 As when fire ignites dry wood,

or fire makes water boil,

let your adversaries know who you are, ¹⁵ 

and may the nations shake at your presence!

64:3 When you performed awesome deeds that took us by surprise, ¹⁶ 

you came down, and the mountains trembled ¹⁷  before you.

64:4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, ¹⁸ 

no eye has seen any God besides you,

who intervenes for those who wait for him.

64:5 You assist ¹⁹  those who delight in doing what is right, ²⁰ 

who observe your commandments. ²¹ 

Look, you were angry because we violated them continually.

How then can we be saved? ²² 

64:6 We are all like one who is unclean,

all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. ²³ 

We all wither like a leaf;

our sins carry us away like the wind.

64:7 No one invokes ²⁴  your name,

or makes an effort ²⁵  to take hold of you.

For you have rejected us ²⁶ 

and handed us over to our own sins. ²⁷ 

64:8 Yet, ²⁸  Lord, you are our father.

We are the clay, and you are our potter;

we are all the product of your labor. ²⁹ 

64:9 Lord, do not be too angry!

Do not hold our sins against us continually! ³⁰ 

Take a good look at your people, at all of us! ³¹ 

64:10 Your chosen ³²  cities have become a desert;

Zion has become a desert,

Jerusalem ³³  is a desolate ruin.

64:11 Our holy temple, our pride and joy, ³⁴ 

the place where our ancestors praised you,

has been burned with fire;

all our prized possessions have been destroyed. ³⁵ 

64:12 In light of all this, ³⁶  how can you still hold back, Lord?

How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?