Through the Bible – Day 198

₁As a deer gets thirsty

for streams of water,

I truly am thirsty

for you, my God.

₂In my heart, I am thirsty

for you, the living God.

When will I see your face?

₃Day and night my tears

are my only food,

as everyone keeps asking,

“Where is your God?”

₄Sorrow floods my heart,

when I remember

leading the worshippers

to your house.

I can still hear them shout

their joyful praises.

₅Why am I discouraged?

Why am I restless?

I trust you!

And I will praise you again

because you help me,

₆and you are my God.

I am deeply discouraged

as I think about you

from where the Jordan begins

at Mount Hermon

and from Mount Mizar.

₇Your vicious waves

have swept over me

like an angry ocean

or a roaring waterfall.

₈Every day, you are kind,

and at night

you give me a song

as my prayer to you,

the living LORD God.

₉You are my mighty rock.

Why have you forgotten me?

Why must enemies ill-treat me

and make me sad?

₁₀Even my bones are in pain,

while all day long

my enemies sneer and ask,

“Where is your God?”

₁₁Why am I discouraged?

Why am I restless?

I trust you!

And I will praise you again

because you help me,

and you are my God.

₁Show that I am right, God!

Defend me against everyone

who doesn't know you;

rescue me from each

of those deceitful liars.

₂I run to you

for protection.

Why have you turned me away?

Why must enemies ill-treat me

and make me sad?

₃Send your light and your truth

to guide me.

Let them lead me to your house

on your sacred mountain.

₄Then I will worship

at your altar because you

make me joyful.

You are my God,

and I will praise you.

Yes, I will praise you

as I play my harp.

₅Why am I discouraged?

Why am I restless?

I trust you!

And I will praise you again

because you help me,

and you are my God.

₁Our God, our ancestors told us

what wonders you worked

and we listened carefully.

₂You chased off the nations

by causing them trouble

with your powerful arm.

Then you let our ancestors

take over their land.

₃Their strength and weapons

were not what won the land

and gave them victory!

You loved them and fought

with your powerful arm

and your shining glory.

₄You are my God and King,

and you give victory

to the people of Jacob.

₅By your great power,

we knocked our enemies down

and trampled on them.

₆I don't depend on my arrows

or my sword to save me.

₇But you saved us

from our hateful enemies,

and you put them to shame.

₈We boast about you, our God,

and we are always grateful.

₉But now you have rejected us;

you don't lead us into battle,

and we look foolish.

₁₀You made us retreat,

and our enemies have taken

everything we own.

₁₁You let us be slaughtered

like sheep,

and you scattered us

among the nations.

₁₂You sold your people

for little or nothing,

and you earned no profit.

₁₃You made us look foolish

to our neighbours,

and people who live nearby

insult us and sneer.

₁₄Foreigners joke about us

and shake their heads.

₁₅I am embarrassed every day,

and I blush with shame.

₁₆But others mock and sneer,

as they watch my enemies

take revenge on me.

₁₇All of this has happened to us,

though we didn't forget you

or break our agreement.

₁₈We always kept you in mind

and followed your teaching.

₁₉But you crushed us,

and you covered us

with deepest darkness

where wild animals live.

₂₀We did not forget you

or lift our hands in prayer

to foreign gods.

₂₁You would have known it

because you discover

every secret thought.

₂₂We face death all day for you.

We are like sheep on their way

to be slaughtered.

₂₃Wake up! Do something, Lord!

Why are you sleeping?

Don't desert us for ever.

₂₄Why do you keep looking away?

Don't forget our sufferings

and all our troubles.

₂₅We are flat on the ground,

holding on to the dust.

₂₆Do something! Help us!

Show how kind you are

and come to our rescue.