1 O God, why have you utterly disowned us? ♦︎
Why does your anger burn
against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation that you purchased of old, ♦︎
the tribe you redeemed for your own possession,
and Mount Zion where you dwelt.
3 Hasten your steps towards the endless ruins, ♦︎
where the enemy has laid waste all your sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries roared in the place of your worship; ♦︎
they set up their banners as tokens of victory.
5 Like men brandishing axes on high in a thicket of trees, ♦︎
all her carved work they smashed down with hatchet and hammer.
6 They set fire to your holy place; ♦︎
they defiled the dwelling place of your name
and razed it to the ground.
7 They said in their heart, Let us make havoc of them altogether, ♦︎
and they burned down all the sanctuaries of God in the land.
8 There are no signs to see, not one prophet left, ♦︎
not one among us who knows how long.
9 How long, O God, will the adversary scoff? ♦︎
Shall the enemy blaspheme your name for ever?
10 Why have you withheld your hand ♦︎
and hidden your right hand in your bosom?
11 Yet God is my king from of old, ♦︎
who did deeds of salvation in the midst of the earth.
12 It was you that divided the sea by your might ♦︎
and shattered the heads of the dragons on the waters;
13 You alone crushed the heads of Leviathan ♦︎
and gave him to the beasts of the desert for food.
14 You cleft the rock for fountain and flood; ♦︎
you dried up ever-flowing rivers.
15 Yours is the day, yours also the night; ♦︎
you established the moon and the sun.
16 You set all the bounds of the earth; ♦︎
you fashioned both summer and winter.
17 Remember now, Lord, how the enemy scoffed, ♦︎
how a foolish people despised your name.
18 Do not give to wild beasts the soul of your turtle dove; ♦︎
forget not the lives of your poor for ever.
19 Look upon your creation,
for the earth is full of darkness, ♦︎
full of the haunts of violence.
20 Let not the oppressed turn away ashamed, ♦︎
but let the poor and needy praise your name.
21 Arise, O God, maintain your own cause; ♦︎
remember how fools revile you all the day long.
22 Forget not the clamour of your adversaries, ♦︎
the tumult of your enemies that ascends continually.
1 In Judah God is known; ♦︎
his name is great in Israel.
2 At Salem is his tabernacle, ♦︎
and his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There broke he the flashing arrows of the bow, ♦︎
the shield, the sword and the weapons of war.
4 In the light of splendour you appeared, ♦︎
glorious from the eternal mountains.
5 The boastful were plundered; they have slept their sleep; ♦︎
none of the warriors can lift their hand.
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, ♦︎
both horse and chariot fell stunned.
7 Terrible are you in majesty: ♦︎
who can stand before your face when you are angry?
8 You caused your judgement to be heard from heaven; ♦︎
the earth trembled and was still,
9 When God arose to judgement, ♦︎
to save all the meek upon earth.
10 You crushed the wrath of the peoples ♦︎
and bridled the wrathful remnant.
11 Make a vow to the Lord your God and keep it; ♦︎
let all who are round about him bring gifts
to him that is worthy to be feared.
12 He breaks down the spirit of princes ♦︎
and strikes terror in the kings of the earth.