1Rip the heavens apart!

Come down, LORD;

make the mountains tremble.

2Be a spark that starts a fire

causing water to boil.64.2 Be…boil: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Then your enemies will know

who you are;

all nations will tremble

because you are nearby.

3Your fearsome deeds

have completely amazed us;

even the mountains shake

when you come down.

4You are the only God64.4: 1 Co 2.9.

ever seen or heard of

who works miracles

for his followers.

5You help all who gladly obey

and do what you want,

but sin makes you angry.

Only by your help

can we ever be saved.64.5 saved: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 5.

6We are unfit to worship you;

each of our good deeds

is merely a filthy rag.

We dry up like leaves;

our sins are storm winds

sweeping us away.

7No one worships in your name

or remains faithful.

You have turned your back on us

and let our sins melt us away.64.7 and let…away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

8You, LORD, are our Father.

We are nothing but clay,

but you are the potter

who moulded us.

9Don't be so furious

or keep our sins

in your thoughts for ever!

Remember that all of us

are your people.

10Every one of your towns

has turned into a desert,

especially Jerusalem.

11Zion's glorious and holy temple

where our ancestors praised you

has been destroyed by fire.

Our beautiful buildings

are now a pile of ruins.

12When you see these things,

how can you just sit there

and make us suffer more?