1 ¶ O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why does thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

O God, why have You turned away from us forever? Why does Your anger burn against the sheep in Your fields?

2 R emember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed, this Mount Zion, in which thou hast dwelt.

Remember Your people that You bought a long time ago. You made them free to be the family of Your promise, and Mount Zion, where You have lived.

3 L ift up thy feet unto the eternal desolations, unto every enemy who has done wickedly in the sanctuary.

Turn Your steps toward this place that has been destroyed forever. Those who hate You have destroyed all that is in the holy place.

4 T hine enemies have roared in the midst of thy assemblies; they set up their own banners for signs.

Those who hate You have called out in the center of Your meeting place. They have set up their flags to show that they have won.

5 R enowned, as one on the way to heaven, he who lifted up axes upon the thick trees for the work of the sanctuary.

They acted like men taking up axes against a group of trees.

6 B ut now they break down all the carved work thereof with axes and hammers.

All of its fine work has been broken with axes and sticks.

7 T hey have set fire to thy sanctuaries; they have defiled the tabernacle of thy name in the earth.

They have burned Your holy place to the dust. They have made dirty the house of Your name.

8 T hey said in their hearts, Let us destroy them at once; they have burned up all the meeting places of the people of God in the earth.

They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy all of these places!” They have burned all the meeting places where God was worshiped in the land.

9 W e no longer see our own banners; there is no longer any prophet: neither is there among us any that knows. How long shall this be?

We do not see any special things happening. There is no longer anyone who speaks for God. And none of us knows how long this will be.

10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

O God, how long will those who hate You laugh at the truth? Will they speak against Your name forever?

11 W hy dost thou withdraw thy hand, even thy right hand? Why dost thou hide it in thy bosom.

Why do You take Your hand away, even Your right hand? Put it out and destroy them!

12 ¶ For God is my King from of old, he who works saving health in the midst of the earth.

God is still my King from long ago. He does saving works upon the earth.

13 T hou didst divide the sea by thy strength; thou didst break the heads of the dragons in the waters.

You divided the sea by Your power. You broke the heads of the large dragons in the waters.

14 T hou didst break the heads of leviathan in pieces and didst give him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

You crushed the heads of the Leviathan. And You fed him to the animals of the desert.

15 T hou didst cleave the fountain and the river; thou didst dry up mighty rivers.

It was You Who opened up the earth for water to flow out. And You dried up rivers that flow forever.

16 T he day is thine, the night also is thine; thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

The day is Yours. And the night is Yours. You have set the light and the sun in their places.

17 T hou hast set all the borders of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter.

You have divided all the lands and seas and nations of the earth. You have made summer and winter.

18 ¶ Remember this, that the enemy has spoken against the LORD and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

Remember how those who hate You have laughed at the truth, O Lord. Foolish people have spoken against Your name.

19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the beasts; forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

Do not give the life of Your dove over to the wild animal. Do not forget the lives of Your troubled people forever.

20 H ave respect unto the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of violence.

Think about Your agreement. For the dark places of the land are full of fighting.

21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed; the poor and destitute shall praise thy name.

Do not let those who suffer under a bad power return without honor. Let those who suffer and those who are in need praise Your name.

22 A rise, O God, plead thine own cause; remember how the foolish man reproaches thee daily.

Rise up, O God. Stand up for Your rights. Remember how the foolish man speaks against You all day long.

23 F orget not the voices of thine enemies; the tumult of those that rise up against thee increases continually.

Do not forget the voice of those who hate You, the noise that comes without stopping from those who rise against You.