1 A n Instruction of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast off for ever? Thine anger smoketh against the flock of Thy pasture.

Why, O God, hast thou cast off for ever? doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 R emember Thy company. Thou didst purchase of old, Thou didst redeem the rod of Thy inheritance, This mount Zion -- Thou didst dwell in it.

Remember thine assembly, which thou hast purchased of old, which thou hast redeemed the portion of thine inheritance, this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

3 L ift up Thy steps to the perpetual desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.

Lift up thy steps unto the perpetual desolations: everything in the sanctuary hath the enemy destroyed.

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

Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy place of assembly; they set up their signs signs.

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

was known as he could lift up axes in the thicket of trees;

6 A nd now, its carvings together With axe and hatchet they break down,

And now they break down its carved work altogether, with hatchets and hammers.

7 T hey have sent into fire Thy sanctuary, to the earth they polluted the tabernacle of Thy name,

They have set on fire thy sanctuary, they have profaned the habitation of thy name to the ground.

8 T hey said in their hearts, `Let us oppress them together,' They did burn all the meeting-places of God in the land.

They said in their heart, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all God's places of assembly in the land.

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

We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

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

How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy contemn thy name for ever?

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

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, and thy right hand? out of thy bosom: consume.

12 A nd God my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

But God is my king of old, accomplishing deliverances in the midst of the earth.

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

Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength; thou didst break the heads of the monsters on the waters:

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

Thou didst break in pieces the heads of leviathan, thou gavest him to be meat to those that people the desert.

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

Thou didst cleave fountain and torrent, thou driedst up ever-flowing rivers.

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

The day is thine, the night also is thine; thou hast prepared the moon and the sun:

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

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; summer and winter—thou didst form them.

18 R emember this -- an enemy reproached Jehovah, And a foolish people have despised Thy name.

Remember this, that an enemy hath reproached Jehovah, and a foolish people have contemned thy name.

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

Give not up the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast; forget not the troop of thine afflicted for ever.

20 L ook attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.

Have respect unto the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the dwellings of violence.

21 L et not the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Thy name,

Oh let not the oppressed one return ashamed; let the afflicted and needy praise thy name.

22 A rise, O God, plead Thy plea, Remember Thy reproach from a fool all the day.

Rise up, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee all the day;

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

Forget not the voice of thine adversaries: the tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually.