GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep in your care?
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A Contemplation of Asaph. O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation. Long ago you made it your own. You bought this tribe to be your possession. This tribe is Mount Zion, where you have made your home.
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Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed-- This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
3 Turn your steps toward these pathetic ruins. The enemy has destroyed everything in the holy temple.
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Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
4 Your opponents have roared inside your meeting place. They have set up their own emblems as symbols.
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Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; They set up their banners for signs.
5 Starting from its entrance, they hacked away like a woodcutter in a forest.
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They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees.
6 They smashed all its carved paneling with axes and hatchets.
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And now they break down its carved work, all at once, With axes and hammers.
7 They burned your holy place to the ground. They dishonored the place where you live among us.
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They have set fire to Your sanctuary; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, "We will crush them." They burned every meeting place of God in the land.
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They said in their hearts, "Let us destroy them altogether." They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We no longer see miraculous signs. There are no prophets anymore. No one knows how long this will last.
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We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, will the enemy insult us? Will the enemy despise you forever?
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O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, especially your right hand? Take your hands out of your pockets. Destroy your enemies!
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Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
12 And yet, from long ago God has been my king, the one who has been victorious throughout the earth.
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For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You stirred up the sea with your own strength. You smashed the heads of sea monsters in the water.
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You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave them to the creatures of the desert for food.
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You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 You opened the springs and brooks. You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
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You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day and the night are yours. You set the moon and the sun in their places.
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The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You determined all the boundaries of the earth. You created summer and winter.
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You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter.
18 Remember how the enemy insulted you, O LORD. Remember how an entire nation of godless fools despised your name.
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Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
19 Do not hand over the soul of your dove to wild animals. Do not forget the life of your oppressed people forever.
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Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20 Consider your promise because every dark corner of the land is filled with violence.
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Have respect to the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
21 Do not let oppressed people come back in disgrace. Let weak and needy people praise your name.
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Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
22 Arise, O God! Fight for your own cause! Remember how godless fools insult you all day long.
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Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
23 Do not forget the shouting of your opponents. Do not forget the uproar made by those who attack you.
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Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.