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¹ AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock of Your pasture.² Remember Your congregation || [That] You purchased of old, || You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, || This Mount Zion—You dwelt in it.³ Lift up Your steps to the continuous desolations, || Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.⁴ Your adversaries have roared, || In the midst of Your meeting-places, || They have set their ensigns as ensigns.⁵ He is known as one bringing in on high || Against a thicket of wood—axes.⁶ And now they break down its engravings, || Together, with axe and hatchet,⁷ They have sent Your sanctuary into fire, || They defiled the Dwelling Place of Your Name to the earth,⁸ They said in their hearts, "Let us oppress them together," || They burned all the meeting-places of God in the land.⁹ We have not seen our ensigns, || There is no longer a prophet, || Nor with us is one knowing how long.¹⁰ Until when, O God, does an adversary reproach? Does an enemy despise Your Name forever?¹¹ Why do You turn back Your hand, || Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.

¹² And God [is] my king of old, || Working salvation in the midst of the earth.¹³ You have divided [the] sea by Your strength, || You have shattered heads of dragons by the waters,¹⁴ You have broken the heads of leviathan, || You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers.¹⁵ You have cleaved a fountain and a stream, || You have dried up perennial flowings.¹⁶ The day [is] Yours, || The night [is] also Yours, || You have prepared a light-giver—the sun.¹⁷ You have set up all the borders of earth, || Summer and winter—You have formed them.

¹⁸ Remember this—an enemy reproached YHWH, || And a foolish people have despised Your Name.¹⁹ Do not give up to a [wild] creature, || The soul of Your turtle-dove, || Do not forget the life of Your poor ones forever.²⁰ Look attentively to the covenant, || For the dark places of earth, || Have been full of habitations of violence.²¹ Do not let the oppressed turn back ashamed, || Let the poor and needy praise Your Name,²² Arise, O God, plead Your plea, || Remember Your reproach from a fool all the day.²³ Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, || The noise of Your withstanders is going up continually!