Psalms

A contemplation by Asaph.

1God, why have you rejected us forever?Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

2Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old,which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance: Mount Zion, in which you have lived.

3Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins,all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.

4Your adversaries have roared in the middle of your assembly.They have set up their standards as signs.

5They behaved like men wielding axes,cutting through a thicket of trees.

6Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers.

7They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling place of your Name.

8They said in their heart, “We will crush them completely.”They have burned up all the places in the land where God was worshiped.

9We see no miraculous signs.There is no longer any prophet, neither is there among us anyone who knows how long.

10How long, God, shall the adversary reproach?Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

11Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand?Take it from your chest and consume them!

12Yet God is my King of old,working salvation throughout the earth.

13You divided the sea by your strength.You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

14You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces.You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.

15You opened up spring and stream.You dried up mighty rivers.

16The day is yours, the night is also yours.You have prepared the light and the sun.

17You have set all the boundaries of the earth.You have made summer and winter.

18Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, LORD.Foolish people have blasphemed your name.

19Don’t deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts.Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.

20Honor your covenant,for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.

21Don’t let the oppressed return ashamed.Let the poor and needy praise your name.

22Arise, God! Plead your own cause.Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.

23Don’t forget the voice of your adversaries.The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.

A Maskil of Asaph.

1Why have You rejected us forever, O God?Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

2Remember Your congregation,which You purchased long agoand redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance—Mount Zion, where You dwell.

3Turn Your steps to the everlasting ruins,to everything in the sanctuary the enemy has destroyed.

4Your foes have roared within Your meeting place;they have unfurled their banners as signs,

5like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees

6and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks.

7They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;they have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.

8They said in their hearts,“We will crush them completely.”They burned down every placewhere God met us in the land.

9There are no signs for us to see.There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last.

10How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You?Will the foe revile Your name forever?

11Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand?Stretch it out to destroy them!

12Yet God is my King from ancient times,working salvation on the earth.

13You divided the sea by Your strength;You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;

14You crushed the heads of Leviathan;You fed him to the creatures of the desert.

15You broke open the fountain and the flood;You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.

16The day is Yours, and also the night;You established the moonand the sun.

17You set all the boundaries of the earth;You made the summer and winter.

18Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD,how a foolish people has spurned Your name.

19Do not deliver the soul of Your dove to beasts;do not forget the lives of Your afflicted forever.

20Consider Your covenant,for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.

21Do not let the oppressed retreat in shame;may the poor and needy praise Your name.

22Rise up, O God; defend Your cause!Remember how the fool mocks You all day long.

23Do not disregard the clamor of Your adversaries,the uproar of Your enemies that ascends continually.