| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Why, God? Have you rejected us forever? Your anger is burning against the sheep of your pasture. | 1A well-written song by Asaph. Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture? |
| 2Remember your community, whom you purchased long ago, the tribe whom you redeemed for your possession. Remember Mount Zion, where you live. | 2Remember your people whom you acquired in ancient times, whom you rescued so they could be your very own nation, as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell! |
| 3Hurry! Look at the permanent ruins— every calamity the enemy brought upon the Holy Place. | 3Hurry and look at the permanent ruins, and all the damage the enemy has done to the temple! |
| 4Those who are opposing you roar where we were meeting with you; they unfurl their war banners as signs. | 4Your enemies roar in the middle of your sanctuary; they set up their battle flags. |
| 5As one blazes a trail through a forest with an ax, | 5They invade like lumberjacks swinging their axes in a thick forest. |
| 6now they're tearing down all its carved work with hatchets and hammers. | 6And now they are tearing down all its engravings with axes and crowbars. |
| 7They burned your sanctuary to the ground, desecrating your dwelling place. | 7They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrate your dwelling place by knocking it to the ground. |
| 8They say to themselves, "We'll crush them completely;" They burned down all the meeting places of God in the land. | 8They say to themselves, "We will oppress all of them." They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land. |
| 9We see no signs for us; there is no longer a prophet, and no one among us knows the future. | 9We do not see any signs of God's presence; there are no longer any prophets and we have no one to tell us how long this will last. |
| 10God, how long will the adversary scorn while the enemy despises your name endlessly? | 10How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults? Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever? |
| 11Why do you not withdraw your hand— your right hand—from your bosom and destroy them? | 11Why do you remain inactive? Intervene and destroy him! |
| 12But God is my king from ancient times, who brings acts of deliverance throughout the earth. | 12But God has been my king from ancient times, performing acts of deliverance on the earth. |
| 13You split the sea by your own power. You shattered the heads of sea monsters in the water. | 13You destroyed the sea by your strength; you shattered the heads of the sea monster in the water. |
| 14You crushed the heads of Leviathan. You set it as food for desert creatures. | 14You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you fed him to the people who live along the coast. |
| 15You opened both the spring and the river; you dried up flowing rivers. | 15You broke open the spring and the stream; you dried up perpetually flowing rivers. |
| 16Yours is the day, and yours is the night; you established the moon and the sun. | 16You established the cycle of day and night; you put the moon and sun in place. |
| 17You set all the boundaries of the earth; you made summer and winter. | 17You set up all the boundaries of the earth; you created the cycle of summer and winter. |
| 18Remember this: The enemy scorns the LORD and a foolish people despises your name. | 18Remember how the enemy hurls insults, O LORD, and how a foolish nation blasphemes your name! |
| 19Don't hand over the life of your dove to beasts; do not continuously forget your afflicted ones. | 19Do not hand the life of your dove over to a wild animal! Do not continue to disregard the lives of your oppressed people! |
| 20Pay attention to your covenant, for the dark regions of the earth are full of violence. | 20Remember your covenant promises, for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules. |
| 21Don't let the oppressed return in humiliation. The poor and needy will praise your name. | 21Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame! Let the oppressed and poor praise your name! |
| 22Get up, God, and prosecute your case— remember that you're being scorned by fools all day long. | 22Rise up, O God! Defend your honor! Remember how fools insult you all day long! |
| 23Don't ignore the shout of those opposing you, The uproar of those who rebel against you continuously. | 23Do not disregard what your enemies say, or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you. |
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