Psalms

Why, O God, Have You Forsaken Us?

O God, have you rejected us forever? Why vent your anger on the sheep of your own fold?

Remember the people you have formed of old, the tribe you have redeemed as your inheritance. Remember Mount Zion, where you once lived.

Climb, and visit these hopeless ruins, the enemy has ravaged everything in the Sanctuary.

Your foes have roared triumphantly in the holy place, and set up their banner of victory.

Like lumbermen felling trees,

they smashed the carved paneling with hatchets, hammers, and axes.

They defiled your Sanctuary and set aflame the dwelling place of your name.

They said in fury, “Let us destroy them all.” They razed to the ground all the shrines of God in the land.

With no signs and no prophets, no one can tell how long this will last.

How long, O God, will the foe blaspheme? How long will the enemy revile your name?

Why do you hold back your right hand? Why keep your hand hidden?

Are you not, O God, my king, since birth; you, who bring salvation to the land?

You split the sea in two by your power; you broke the monsters’ heads n the water;

you crushed the heads of Leviathan and fed him to the dolphins.

You opened up rivers and springs and dried up ever-flowing streams.

You own the day as well as the night; you have set the course of the sun and the light.

You fixed the earth’s borders; you created summer and winter.

Remember, O Lord, how the lawless scoff at your name, a party of fools cast you off.

Do not betray your turtledove to the beast, do not forget forever, the life of your poor.

See how they keep your Covenant, in the dark caves of the land.

Do not let the oppressed be put to shame; may the poor and needy praise your name.

Arise, O God, and defend your cause; see how the thoughtless laugh at you all day long.

Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the continuous uproar of your enemies.