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

An Instruction of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast off for ever? Thine anger smoketh against the flock of Thy 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 Thy company. Thou didst purchase of old, Thou didst redeem the rod of Thy inheritance, This mount Zion -- Thou didst dwell in it.

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.

Lift up Thy steps to the perpetual desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in 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.

Roared have thine adversaries, In the midst of Thy meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.

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

He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood -- axes.

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

And now, its carvings together With axe and hatchet they break down,

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

They have sent into fire Thy sanctuary, to the earth they polluted the tabernacle of Thy 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 hearts, `Let us oppress them together,' They did burn 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.

Our ensigns we have not seen, There is no more a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.

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

Till when, O God, doth an adversary reproach? Doth an enemy despise thy name for ever?

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

Why dost Thou turn back Thy hand, Even Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom remove.

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

And God my king of old, Working salvation 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.

Thou hast broken by Thy strength a sea-, Thou hast shivered Heads of dragons by the waters,

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

Thou hast broken the heads of leviathan, Thou makest him food, For the people of the dry places.

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

Thou hast cleaved a fountain and a stream, Thou hast dried up perennial flowings.

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

Thine the day, also Thine the night, Thou hast prepared a light giver -- the sun.

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

Thou hast set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter Thou hast formed them.

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

Remember this -- an enemy reproached Jehovah, And a foolish people have despised Thy 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.

Give not up to a company, The soul of Thy turtle-dove, The company of Thy poor ones forget not for ever.

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

Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of 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 turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Thy 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, plead Thy plea, Remember Thy reproach from a fool all the day.

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

Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, The noise of Thy withstanders is going up continually!