| 1 O God, have you rejected us forever? Why vent your anger on the sheep of your own fold? | |
| 2 Remember the people you have formed of old, the tribe you have redeemed as your inheritance. Remember Mount Zion where you once lived. | |
| 3 Climb and visit these hopeless ruins, the enemy has ravaged everything in the sanctuary. | |
| 4 Your foes have roared triumphantly in the holy place, and set up their banner of victory. | |
| 5 Like lumbermen felling trees, | |
| 6 they smashed the carved paneling with hatchets, hammers and axes. | |
| 7 They defiled your sanctuary and set aflame the dwelling place of your name. | |
| 8 They said in fury, “Let us destroy them all.” They razed to the ground all the shrines of God in the land. | |
| 9 With no signs and no prophets, no one can tell how long this will last. | |
| 10 How long, O God, will the foe blaspheme? How long will the enemy revile your name? | |
| 11 Why do you hold back your right hand? Why keep your hand hidden? | |
| 12 Are you not O God, my king since birth, you who bring salvation to the land? | |
| 13 You split the sea in two by your power; you broke the monsters’ heads in the water; | |
| 14 you crushed the heads of Leviathan and fed him to the dolphins. | |
| 15 You opened up rivers and springs and dried up ever-flowing streams. | |
| 16 You own the day as well as the night; you have set the course of the sun and the light. | |
| 17 You fixed the earth’s borders, you created summer and winter. | |
| 18 Remember, O Lord, how the lawless scoff at your name, a party of fools cast you off. | |
| 19 Do not betray your turtledove to the beast, do not forget forever the life of your poor. | |
| 20 See how they keep your covenant in the dark caves of the land. | |
| 21 Do not let the oppressed be put to shame; may the poor and needy praise your name. | |
| 22 Arise, O God, and defend your cause, see how the thoughtless laugh at you all day long. | |
| 23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the continuous uproar of your enemies. | |
