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v1
Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
v2
Remember your congregation that you bought long ago, when you redeemed the tribe of your inheritance. Remember Mount Zion ^[Literally “the mountain of Zion”] where you have dwelt.
v3
Lift your steps to the perpetual ruins, to all that the enemy has ruined in the sanctuary.
v4
Your enemies have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they have set up their signs for signs.
v5
They are ^[Hebrew “He is”] known to be like those who wield ^[Literally “lift up”] axes in a thicket of trees.
v6
And now ^[According to the reading tradition (Qere)] its ^[That is, the temple’s] carved works altogether they have smashed with axe and hammer.
v7
They have set fire to your sanctuary. They have defiled to the ground, the dwelling place for your name.
v8
They have said in their heart, “We will completely ^[Hebrew “altogether”] oppress them.” They burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
v9
We do not see our signs, and there is no longer a prophet. No one with us knows how long.
v10
How long, O God, will the adversary taunt? Will the enemy treat your name with contempt forever?
v11
Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your bosom; ^[According to the reading tradition (Qere)] destroy them!
v12
But God has been my king from long ago, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
v13
You split open the sea by your strength; You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
v14
You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food to the desert dwelling creatures.
v15
You split open spring and wadi. ^[A seasonal stream that is often dry] You dried up ever-flowing rivers.
v16
Yours is the day, yours is the night also. You established light and the sun.
v17
You defined ^[Or “set”] all the boundaries of the earth; Summer and winter—you formed them.
v18
O Yahweh, remember this: the enemy taunts, and foolish people treat your name with contempt.
v19
Do not give to beasts the life of your dove; do not ever forget the life of your afflicted ones.
v20
Have regard for the covenant, because the dark places of the land are full of the haunts of violence.
v21
Do not let the oppressed turn back humiliated; let the poor and needy praise your name.
v22
Rise up, O God, plead your cause; remember the reproaching of you by the foolish all day long. ^[Literally “all the day”]
v23
Do not forget the sound of your adversaries, the roar of those rising up against you ascending continually.