English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your 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 your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have 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 your 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 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting 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 They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.
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They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees.
6 And 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 your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.
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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 your name forever?
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How long will the enemy mock you, God? Will the foe revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!
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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 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters 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 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave 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 You split open springs and brooks; you dried 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 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
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The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon.
17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have 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 a foolish people reviles your 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 your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever.
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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 the 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 turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise your 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, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you 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 your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!
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Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
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.