Isaiah 64

A Prayer for God’s Power

1 If only You would rend the heavens and come down,

so that mountains would quake at Your presence,

2 as fire kindles the brushwood

and causes the water to boil,

to make Your name known to Your enemies,

so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

3 When You did awesome works that we did not expect,

You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.

4 From ancient times no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides You,

who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

^a

5 You welcome those who gladly do right,

who remember Your ways.

Surely You were angry, for we sinned.

How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?

6 Each of us has become like something unclean,

and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;

^bwe all wither like a leaf,

and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

7 No one calls on Your name

or strives to take hold of You.

For You have hidden Your face from us

and delivered us into the hand ^cof our iniquity.

8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father;

we are the clay, and You are the potter;

we are all the work of Your hand.

9 Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure;

do not remember our iniquity forever.

Oh, look upon us, we pray;

we are all Your people!

10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness.

Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.

11 Our holy and beautiful temple,

where our fathers praised You,

has been burned with fire,

and all that was dear to us lies in ruins.

12 After all this, O LORD,

will You restrain Yourself?

Will You keep silent

and afflict us beyond measure?