New International Version NIV
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
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<A Psalm. Of Asaph.> O God, the nations have come into your heritage; they have made your holy Temple unclean; they have made Jerusalem a mass of broken walls.
2 They have left the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.
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They have given the bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.
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Their blood has been flowing like water round about Jerusalem; there was no one to put them in their last resting-place.
4 We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.
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We are looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and made sport of by those who are round us.
5 How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
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How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? will your wrath go on burning like fire?
6 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name;
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Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.
7 for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.
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For they have taken Jacob for their meat, and made waste his house.
8 Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.
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Do not keep in mind against us the sins of our fathers; let your mercy come to us quickly, for we have been made very low.
9 Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.
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Give us help, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; take us out of danger and give us forgiveness for our sins, because of your name.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.
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Why may the nations say, Where is their God? Let payment for the blood of your servants be made openly among the nations before our eyes.
11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you; with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
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Let the cry of the prisoner come before you; with your strong arm make free the children of death;
12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
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And give punishment seven times over into the breast of our neighbours for the bitter words which they have said against you, O Lord.
13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim your praise.
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So we your people, and the sheep of your flock, will give you glory for ever: we will go on praising you through all generations.
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The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.