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

O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

2 R emember 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.

Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance; And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.

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

Turn Your footsteps toward the perpetual ruins; The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary.

4 T hose 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.

Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place; They have set up their own standards for signs.

5 T hey acted like men taking up axes against a group of trees.

It seems as if one had lifted up His axe in a forest of trees.

6 A ll of its fine work has been broken with axes and sticks.

And now all its carved work They smash with hatchet and hammers.

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

They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.

8 T hey 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.

They said in their heart, “Let us completely subdue them.” They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 W e 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.

We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet, Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

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

How long, O God, will the adversary revile, And the enemy spurn Your name forever?

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

Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? From within Your bosom, destroy them!

12 G od is still my King from long ago. He does saving works upon the earth.

Yet God is my king from of old, Who works deeds of deliverance in the midst of the earth.

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

You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

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

You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.

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

You broke open springs and torrents; You dried up ever-flowing streams.

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

Yours is the day, Yours also is the night; You have prepared the light and the sun.

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

You have established all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter.

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

Remember this, O Lord, that the enemy has reviled, And a foolish people has spurned Your name.

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

Do not deliver the soul of Your turtledove to the wild beast; Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.

20 T hink about Your agreement. For the dark places of the land are full of fighting.

Consider the covenant; For the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.

21 D o 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.

Let not the oppressed return dishonored; Let the afflicted and needy praise Your name.

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

Arise, O God, and plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You all day long.

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

Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, The uproar of those who rise against You which ascends continually.