Read the Bible

¹ God, we have heard about you.
    Our ancestors told us
what you did in their days,
    in days long ago.
² With your power you forced the nations out of the land
    and placed our ancestors here.
You destroyed those other nations,
    but you made our ancestors grow strong.
³ It wasn't their swords that took the land.
    It wasn't their power that gave them victory.
But it was your great power and strength.
    You were with them because you loved them.

⁴ My God, you are my King.
    Your commands led Jacob's people to victory.
⁵ With your help we pushed back our enemies.
    In your name we trampled those who came against us.
⁶ I don't trust my bow to help me,
    and my sword can't save me.
⁷ You saved us from our foes,
    and you made our enemies ashamed.
⁸ We will praise God every day;
    we will praise your name forever. Selah

⁹ But you have rejected us and shamed us.
    You don't march with our armies anymore.
¹⁰ You let our enemies push us back,
    and those who hate us have taken our wealth.
¹¹ You gave us away like sheep to be eaten
    and have scattered us among the nations.
¹² You sold your people for nothing
    and made no profit on the sale.

¹³ You made us a joke to our neighbors;
    those around us laugh and make fun of us.
¹⁴ You made us a joke to the other nations;
    people shake their heads.
¹⁵ I am always in disgrace,
    and I am covered with shame.
¹⁶ My enemy is getting even
    with insults and curses.

¹⁷ All these things have happened to us,
    but we have not forgotten you
    or failed to keep our agreement with you.
¹⁸ Our hearts haven't turned away from you,
    and we haven't stopped following you.
¹⁹ But you crushed us in this place where wild dogs live,
    and you covered us with deep darkness.

²⁰ If we had forgotten our God
    or lifted our hands in prayer to foreign gods,
²¹ God would have known,
    because he knows what is in our hearts.
²² But for you we are in danger of death all the time.
    People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed.

²³ Wake up, Lord! Why are you sleeping?
    Get up! Don't reject us forever.
²⁴ Why do you hide from us?
    Have you forgotten our pain and troubles?

²⁵ We have been pushed down into the dirt;
    we are flat on the ground.
²⁶ Get up and help us.
    Because of your love, save us.