Through the Bible – Day 209

₁Our God, why have you

completely rejected us?

Why are you so angry

with the ones you care for?

₂Remember the people

you rescued long ago,

the tribe you chose

to be your very own.

Think of Mount Zion,

your home;

₃walk over to the temple

left in ruins for ever

by those who hate us.

₄Your enemies roared like lions

in your holy temple,

and they have placed

their banners there.

₅It looks like a forest

chopped to pieces.

₆They used axes and hatchets

to smash the carvings.

₇They burnt down your temple

and badly disgraced it.

₈They said to themselves,

“We'll crush them!”

Then they burnt every one

of your meeting places

all over the country.

₉There are no more miracles

and no more prophets.

Who knows how long

it will be like this?

₁₀Our God, how much longer

will our enemies sneer?

Won't they ever stop

insulting you?

₁₁Why don't you punish them?

Why are you holding back?

₁₂Our God and King,

you have ruled

since ancient times;

you have won victories

everywhere on this earth.

₁₃By your power you made a path

through the sea,

and you smashed the heads

of sea monsters.

₁₄You crushed the heads

of the monster Leviathan,

then fed him to wild creatures

in the desert.

₁₅You opened the ground

for streams and springs

and dried up mighty rivers.

₁₆You rule the day and the night,

and you put the moon

and the sun in place.

₁₇You made summer and winter

and gave them to the earth.

₁₈Remember your enemies, LORD!

They foolishly sneer

and won't respect you.

₁₉You treat us like pet doves,

but they ill-treat us.

Don't keep forgetting us

and letting us be fed

to those wild animals.

₂₀Remember the agreement

you made with us.

Violent enemies are hiding

in every dark corner

of the earth.

₂₁Don't disappoint those in need

or make them turn from you,

but help the poor and homeless

to shout your praises.

₂₂Do something, God!

Defend yourself.

Remember how those fools

sneer at you all day long.

₂₃Don't forget the loud shouts

of your enemies.

₁Our God, we thank you

for being so near to us!

Everyone celebrates

your wonderful deeds.

₂You have set a time

to judge with fairness.

₃The earth trembles,

and its people shake;

you alone keep

its foundations firm.

₄You tell every boaster,

“Stop boasting!”

And to the wicked you say,

“Don't boast of your power!

₅Stop boasting! Stop telling me

how great you are.”

₆Our LORD and our God,

victory doesn't come

from the east or the west

or from the desert.

₇You are the one who judges.

You can take away power

and give it to others.

₈You hold in your hand

a cup filled with wine,

strong and foaming.

You will pour out some

for every sinful person

on this earth,

and they will have to drink

until it is gone.

₉But I will always tell about

you, the God of Jacob,

and I will sing your praise.

₁₀Our Lord, you will destroy

the power of evil people,

but you will give strength

to those who are good.

₁You, our God,

are famous in Judah

and honoured in Israel.

₂Your home is on Mount Zion

in the city of peace.

₃There you destroyed

fiery arrows, shields, swords,

and all the other weapons.

₄You are more glorious than

the eternal mountains.

₅Brave warriors were robbed

of what they had taken,

and now they lie dead,

unable to lift an arm.

₆God of Jacob, when you roar,

enemy chariots and horses

drop dead in their tracks.

₇Our God, you are fearsome,

and no one can oppose you

when you are angry.

₈From heaven you announced

your decisions as judge!

And all who live on this earth

were terrified and silent

₉when you took over as judge,

ready to rescue

everyone in need.

₁₀Even the most angry people

will praise you

when you are furious.

₁₁Everyone, make your promises

to the LORD your God

and do what you promise.

The LORD is fearsome,

and all his servants

should bring him gifts.

₁₂God destroys the courage

of rulers and kings

and makes cowards of them.

₁I pray to you, Lord God,

and I beg you to listen.

₂In days filled with trouble,

I search for you.

And at night I tirelessly

lift my hands in prayer,

refusing comfort.

₃When I think of you,

I feel restless and weak.

₄Because of you, Lord God,

I can't sleep.

I am restless

and can't even talk.

₅I think of times gone by,

of those years long ago.

₆Each night my mind

is flooded with questions:

₇“Have you rejected me for ever?

Won't you be kind again?

₈Is this the end of your love

and your promises?

₉Have you forgotten

how to have pity?

Do you refuse to show mercy

because of your anger?”

₁₀Then I said, “God Most High,

what hurts me most

is that you no longer help us

with your mighty arm.”

₁₁Our LORD, I will remember

the things you have done,

your miracles of long ago.

₁₂I will think about each one

of your mighty deeds.

₁₃Everything you do is right,

and no other god

compares with you.

₁₄You alone work miracles,

and you have let nations

see your mighty power.

₁₅With your own arm you rescued

your people, the descendants

of Jacob and Joseph.

₁₆The ocean looked at you, God,

and it trembled deep down

with fear.

₁₇Water flowed from the clouds.

Thunder was heard above

as your arrows of lightning

flashed about.

₁₈Your thunder roared

like chariot wheels.

The world was made bright

by lightning,

and all the earth trembled.

₁₉You walked through the water

of the mighty sea,

but your footprints

were never seen.

₂₀You guided your people

like a flock of sheep,

and you chose Moses and Aaron

to be their leaders.