Revised Standard Version RSV
New International Version NIV
1 A Maskil of Asaph. O God, why dost thou cast us off for ever? Why does thy anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
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O God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast gotten of old, which thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of thy heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where thou hast dwelt.
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Remember the nation you purchased long ago, the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed— Mount Zion, where you dwelt.
3 Direct thy steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!
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Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.
4 Thy foes have roared in the midst of thy holy place; they set up their own signs for signs.
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Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; they set up their standards as signs.
5 At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.
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They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees.
6 And then all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
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They smashed all the carved paneling with their axes and hatchets.
7 They set thy sanctuary on fire; to the ground they desecrated the dwelling place of thy name.
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They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.
8 They said to themselves, "We will utterly subdue them"; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
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They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!” They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.
9 We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
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We are given no signs from God; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile thy name for ever?
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How long will the enemy mock you, God? Will the foe revile your name forever?
11 Why dost thou hold back thy hand, why dost thou keep thy right hand in thy bosom?
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Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
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But God is my King from long ago; he brings salvation on the earth.
13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy might; thou didst break the heads of the dragons on the waters.
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It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.
14 Thou didst crush the heads of Leviathan, thou didst give him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
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It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.
15 Thou didst cleave open springs and brooks; thou didst dry up ever-flowing streams.
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It was you who opened up springs and streams; you dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
16 Thine is the day, thine also the night; thou hast established the luminaries and the sun.
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The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon.
17 Thou hast fixed all the bounds of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter.
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It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.
18 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and an impious people reviles thy name.
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Remember how the enemy has mocked you, LORD, how foolish people have reviled your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of thy dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of thy poor for ever.
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Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.
20 Have regard for thy covenant; for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
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Have regard for your covenant, because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
21 Let not the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise thy name.
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Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Arise, O God, plead thy cause; remember how the impious scoff at thee all the day!
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Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long.
23 Do not forget the clamor of thy foes, the uproar of thy adversaries which goes up continually!
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Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.