The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 <Maschil. Of Asaph.> Of God, why have you put us away from you for ever? why is the fire of your wrath smoking against the sheep who are your care?
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Why have you abandoned us like this, O God? Will you be angry with your own people forever?
2 Keep in mind your band of worshippers, for whom you gave payment in the days which are past, whom you took for yourself as the people of your heritage; even this mountain of Zion, which has been your resting-place.
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Remember your people, whom you chose for yourself long ago, whom you brought out of slavery to be your own tribe. Remember Mount Zion, where once you lived.
3 Go up and see the unending destruction; all the evil which your haters have done in the holy place;
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Walk over these total ruins; our enemies have destroyed everything in the Temple.
4 Sending out their voices like lions among your worshippers; they have put up their signs to be seen.
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Your enemies have shouted in triumph in your Temple; they have placed their flags there as signs of victory.
5 They are cutting down, like a man whose blade is lifted up against the thick trees.
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They looked like woodsmen cutting down trees with their axes.
6 Your doors are broken down with hammers and iron blades.
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They smashed all the wooden panels with their axes and sledge hammers.
7 They have put on fire your holy place; they have made the place of your name unclean, pulling it down to the earth.
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They wrecked your Temple and set it on fire; they desecrated the place where you are worshiped.
8 They have said in their hearts, Let us put an end to them all together; they have given over to the fire all God's places of worship in the land.
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They wanted to crush us completely; they burned down every holy place in the land.
9 We do not see our signs: there is no longer any prophet, or anyone among us to say how long.
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All our sacred symbols are gone; there are no prophets left, and no one knows how long this will last.
10 O God, how long will those who are against us say cruel things? will the hater go on looking down on your name for ever?
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How long, O God, will our enemies laugh at you? Will they insult your name forever?
11 Why are you keeping back your hand, and covering your right hand in your robe?
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Why have you refused to help us? Why do you keep your hands behind you?
12 For from the past God is my King, working salvation in the earth.
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But you have been our king from the beginning, O God; you have saved us many times.
13 The sea was parted in two by your strength; the heads of the great sea-beasts were broken.
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With your mighty strength you divided the sea and smashed the heads of the sea monsters;
14 The heads of the great snake were crushed by you; you gave them as food to the fishes of the sea.
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you crushed the heads of the monster Leviathan and fed his body to desert animals.
15 You made valleys for fountains and springs; you made the ever-flowing rivers dry.
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You made springs and fountains flow; you dried up large rivers.
16 The day is yours and the night is yours: you made the light and the sun.
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You created the day and the night; you set the sun and the moon in their places;
17 By you all the limits of the earth were fixed; you have made summer and winter.
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you set the limits of the earth; you made summer and winter.
18 Keep this in mind, O Lord, that your haters have said cruel things, and that your name has been looked down on by a people of evil behaviour.
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But remember, O Lord, that your enemies laugh at you, that they are godless and despise you.
19 O give not the soul of your dove to the hawk; let not the life of the poor go out of your memory for ever.
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Don't abandon your helpless people to their cruel enemies; don't forget your persecuted people!
20 Keep in mind your undertaking; for the dark places of the earth are full of pride and cruel acts.
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Remember the covenant you made with us. There is violence in every dark corner of the land.
21 O let not the crushed be turned back in shame; let the low man and the poor give praise to your name.
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Don't let the oppressed be put to shame; let those poor and needy people praise you.
22 Up! O God, be the judge of your cause; keep in mind the bitter things which the man of evil behaviour says against you every day.
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Rouse yourself, God, and defend your cause! Remember that godless people laugh at you all day long.
23 Keep in mind the voice of your haters; the outcry of those who come against you goes up every day.
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Don't forget the angry shouts of your enemies, the continuous noise made by your foes.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.