Through the Bible – Day 211

₁Our God, foreign nations

have taken your land,

disgraced your temple,

and left Jerusalem in ruins.

₂They have fed the bodies

of your servants

to flesh-eating birds;

your loyal people are food

for savage animals.

₃All Jerusalem is covered

with their blood,

and there is no one left

to bury them.

₄Every nation around us

sneers and makes fun.

₅Our LORD, will you keep on

being angry?

Will your angry feelings

keep flaming up like fire?

₆Get angry with those nations

that don't know you

and won't worship you!

₇They have gobbled up

Jacob's descendants

and left the land in ruins.

₈Don't make us pay for the sins

of our ancestors.

Have pity and come quickly!

We are completely helpless.

₉Our God, you keep us safe.

Now help us! Rescue us.

Forgive our sins

and bring honour to yourself.

₁₀Why should nations ask us,

“Where is your God?”

Let us and the other nations

see you take revenge

for your servants who died

a violent death.

₁₁Listen to the prisoners groan!

Let your mighty power save all

who are sentenced to die.

₁₂Each of those nations sneered

at you, our Lord.

Now let others sneer at them,

seven times as much.

₁₃Then we, your people,

will always thank you.

We are like sheep

with you as our shepherd,

and all generations

will hear us praise you.

₁Shepherd of Israel, you lead

the descendants of Joseph,

and you sit on your throne

above the winged creatures.

Listen to our prayer

and let your light shine

₂for the tribes of Ephraim,

Benjamin, and Manasseh.

Save us by your power.

₃Our God, make us strong again!

Smile on us and save us.

₄LORD God All-Powerful,

how much longer

will the prayers of your people

make you angry?

₅You gave us tears for food,

and you made us drink them

by the bowlful.

₆Because of you,

our enemies who live nearby

laugh and joke about us.

₇But if you smile on us,

we will be saved.

₈We were like a grapevine

you brought out of Egypt.

You chased other nations away

and planted us here.

₉Then you cleared the ground,

and we put our roots deep,

spreading over the land.

₁₀Shade from this vine covered

the mountains.

Its branches climbed

the mighty cedars

₁₁and stretched to the sea;

its new growth reached

to the river.

₁₂Our Lord, why have you

torn down the wall

from around the vineyard?

You let everyone who walks by

pick the grapes.

₁₃Now the vine is gobbled up

by pigs from the forest

and other wild animals.

₁₄God All-Powerful,

please do something!

Look down from heaven

and see what's happening

to this vine.

₁₅With your own hands

you planted its roots,

and you raised it

as your very own.

₁₆Enemies chopped the vine down

and set it on fire.

Now show your anger

and destroy them.

₁₇But help the one who sits

at your right side,

the one you raised

to be your own.

₁₈Then we will never turn away.

Put new life into us,

and we will worship you.

₁₉LORD God All-Powerful,

make us strong again!

Smile on us and save us.

‘Go to these people

and tell them:

You will listen and listen,

but never understand.

You will look and look,

but never see.

₂₇All of you

have stubborn hearts.

Your ears are stopped up,

and your eyes are covered.

You cannot see or hear

or understand.

If you could,

you would turn to me,

and I would heal you.’ ”