A Prayer for Restoration

1Call to remembraunce (O Lorde) what we haue suffred, consider and see our confusion.

2Our inheritaunce is turned to the straungers, and our houses to the aliaunts.

3We are become carefull and fatherlesse, and our mothers are as the wydowes.

4We are fayne to drinke our owne water for money, and our owne wood must we buy for money.

5Our neckes are vnder persecution, we are weery and haue no rest.

6Aforetime we yeelded our selues to the Egyptians, and nowe to the Assyrians, onlye that we might haue bread inough.

7Our fathers (which nowe are gone) haue sinned, and we must beare their wickednesse.

8Seruauntes haue the rule of vs, and no man deliuereth vs out of their handes.

9We must get our liuing with the perill of our liues, because of the drouth of the wildernesse.

10Our skinne is as it had ben made blacke in an ouen, for very sore hunger.

11The wiues are rauished in Sion, and the maydens in the cities of Iuda.

12The princes are hanged vp with the hand of the enemies, they haue not spared the olde sage men.

13They haue taken young men to grinde, and the boyes fainted vnder the burthens of wood.

14The elders sit no more vnder the gates, and the young men vse no more playing of musicke.

15The ioy of our heart is gone, our melodious meeting is turned into mourning.

16The garlande of our head is fallen: alas that euer we sinned so sore.

17Therefore our heart is full of heauinesse, and our eyes dimme.

18Because of the hill of Sion that is destroyed: insomuch that the foxes runne vpon it.

19But thou O Lorde, that remaynest for euer, and thy seate worlde without ende:

20Wherefore wylt thou styll forget vs, and forsake vs so long?

21O Lord turne thou vs vnto thee, and so shall we be turned, renue our dayes as in olde tymes:

22But thou hast banished vs vtterly, and hast ben displeased at vs.