The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Message Bible MSG
1 A maskil of Asaf: Why have you rejected us forever, God, with your anger smoking against the sheep you once pastured?
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You walked off and left us, and never looked back. God, how could you do that? We're your very own sheep; how can you stomp off in anger?
2 Remember your community, which you acquired long ago, the tribe you redeemed to be your very own. Remember Mount Tziyon, where you came to live.
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Refresh your memory of us - you bought us a long time ago. Your most precious tribe - you paid a good price for us! Your very own Mount Zion - you actually lived here once!
3 Hurry your steps to these endless ruins, to the sanctuary devastated by the enemy.
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Come and visit the site of disaster, see how they've wrecked the sanctuary.
4 The roar of your foes filled your meeting-place; they raised their own banners as a sign of their conquest.
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While your people were at worship, your enemies barged in, brawling and scrawling graffiti.
5 The place seemed like a thicket of trees when lumbermen hack away with their axes.
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They set fire to the porch; axes swinging, they chopped up the woodwork,
6 With hatchet and hammer they banged away, smashing all the carved woodwork.
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Beat down the doors with sledgehammers, then split them into kindling.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire, tore down and profaned the abode of your name.
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They burned your holy place to the ground, violated the place of worship.
8 They said to themselves, "We will oppress them completely."They have burned down all God's meeting-places in the land.
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They said to themselves, "We'll wipe them all out," and burned down all the places of worship.
9 We see no signs, there is no prophet any more; none of us knows how long it will last.
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There's not a sign or symbol of God in sight, nor anyone to speak in his name, no one who knows what's going on.
10 How much longer, God, will the foe jeer at us? Will the enemy insult your name forever?
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How long, God, will barbarians blaspheme, enemies curse and get by with it?
11 Why do you hold back your hand? Draw your right hand from your coat, and finish them off!
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Why don't you do something? How long are you going to sit there with your hands folded in your lap?
12 God has been my king from earliest times, acting to save throughout all the earth.
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God is my King from the very start; he works salvation in the womb of the earth.
13 By your strength you split the sea in two, in the water you smashed sea monsters' heads,
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With one blow you split the sea in two, you made mincemeat of the dragon Tannin.
14 you crushed the heads of Livyatan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.
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You lopped off the heads of Leviathan, then served them up in a stew for the animals.
15 You cut channels for springs and streams, you dried up rivers that had never failed.
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With your finger you opened up springs and creeks, and dried up the wild floodwaters.
16 The day is yours, and the night is yours; it was you who established light and sun.
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You own the day, you own the night; you put stars and sun in place.
17 It was you who fixed all the limits of the earth, you made summer and winter.
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You laid out the four corners of earth, shaped the seasons of summer and winter.
18 Remember how the enemy scoffs at ADONAI, how a brutish people insults your name.
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Mark and remember, God, all the enemy taunts, each idiot desecration.
19 Don't hand over the soul of your dove to wild beasts, don't forget forever the life of your poor.
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Don't throw your lambs to the wolves; after all we've been through, don't forget us.
20 Look to the covenant, for the land's dark places are full of the haunts of violence.
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Remember your promises; the city is in darkness, the countryside violent.
21 Don't let the oppressed retreat in confusion; let the poor and needy praise your name.
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Don't leave the victims to rot in the street; make them a choir that sings your praises.
22 Arise, God, and defend your cause; remember how brutish men insult you all day.
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On your feet, O God - stand up for yourself! Do you hear what they're saying about you, all the vile obscenities?
23 Don't forget what your foes are saying, the ever-rising uproar of your adversaries.
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Don't tune out their malicious filth, the brawling invective that never lets up.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.