A Prayer for Deliverance
(Psalm 74:1–23; Jeremiah 52:1–11)

מִזְמ֗וֹר (A Psalm) לְאָ֫סָ֥ף (of Asaph).

1אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֡ים (O God), בָּ֤אוּ (have come) גוֹיִ֨ם׀ (the nations) בְּֽנַחֲלָתֶ֗ךָ (into Your inheritance);

טִ֭מְּאוּ (they have defiled) אֶת־ (-) הֵיכַ֣ל (temple) קָדְשֶׁ֑ךָ (Your holy);

שָׂ֖מוּ (they have laid) אֶת־ (-) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֣ם (Jerusalem) לְעִיִּֽים׃ (in ruins).

2  נָֽתְנ֡וּ (They have given) אֶת־ (-) נִבְלַ֬ת (the corpses) עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ (of Your servants)

מַ֭אֲכָל (as food) לְע֣וֹף (for the birds) הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (of the heavens),

בְּשַׂ֥ר (the flesh) חֲ֝סִידֶ֗יךָ (of Your holy ones) לְחַיְתוֹ־ (for the beasts) אָֽרֶץ׃ (of the earth).

3  שָׁפְכ֬וּ (They have poured out) דָמָ֨ם׀ (their blood) כַּמַּ֗יִם (like the waters)

סְֽבִ֘יב֤וֹת (around) יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם (Jerusalem),

וְאֵ֣ין (and none) קוֹבֵֽר׃ (there is to bury them).

4  הָיִ֣ינוּ (We have become) חֶ֭רְפָּה (a reproach) לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ (for our neighbors),

לַ֥עַג (a mocking) וָ֝קֶ֗לֶס (and derision) לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ (for those around us).

5  עַד־ (Until) מָ֣ה (when), יְ֭הוָה (O YHWH)?

תֶּאֱנַ֣ף (Will You be angry) לָנֶ֑צַח (forever)?

תִּבְעַ֥ר (Will burn) כְּמוֹ־ (like) אֵ֝֗שׁ (fire) קִנְאָתֶֽךָ׃ (Your jealousy)?

6  שְׁפֹ֤ךְ (Pour out) חֲמָתְךָ֨ (Your wrath) אֶֽל־ (toward) הַגּוֹיִם֮ (the nations)

אֲשֶׁ֪ר (that) לֹא־ (not) יְדָ֫ע֥וּךָ (have known You)

וְעַ֥ל (and upon) מַמְלָכ֑וֹת (the kingdoms)

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗ (on Your name) לֹ֣א (not) קָרָֽאוּ׃ (have called).

7  כִּ֭י (For) אָכַ֣ל (they have devoured) אֶֽת־ (-) יַעֲקֹ֑ב (Jacob)

וְֽאֶת־ (and) נָוֵ֥הוּ (his habitation) הֵשַֽׁמּוּ׃ (they have made desolate).

8  אַֽל־ (Do not) תִּזְכָּר־ (remember) לָנוּ֮ (against us) עֲוֺנֹ֪ת (the iniquities) רִאשֹׁ֫נִ֥ים (former);

מַ֭הֵר (hurry) יְקַדְּמ֣וּנוּ (to let come) רַחֲמֶ֑יךָ (Your compassion),

כִּ֖י (for) דַלּ֣וֹנוּ (we have been brought low) מְאֹֽד׃ (very).

9  עָזְרֵ֤נוּ׀ (Help us), אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י (O God) יִשְׁעֵ֗נוּ (of our salvation),

עַל־ (because of) דְּבַ֥ר (-) כְּבֽוֹד־ (the glory) שְׁמֶ֑ךָ (of Your name), וְהַצִּילֵ֥נוּ (and deliver us)

וְכַפֵּ֥ר (and cover) עַל־ (over) חַ֝טֹּאתֵ֗ינוּ (our sins)

לְמַ֣עַן (for the sake) שְׁמֶֽךָ׃ (of Your name).

10  לָ֤מָּה׀ (Why) יֹאמְר֣וּ (should say) הַגּוֹיִם֮ (the nations),

אַיֵּ֪ה (Where is) אֱ‍ֽלֹהֵ֫יהֶ֥ם (their God)?

יִוָּדַ֣ע (Let it be known) בַּגִּיִּים (among the nations) לְעֵינֵ֑ינוּ (before our eyes)

נִ֝קְמַ֗ת (the avenging) דַּֽם־ (of the blood) עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ (of Your servants) הַשָּׁפֽוּךְ׃ (that was shed).

11  תָּ֤ב֣וֹא (Let come) לְפָנֶיךָ֮ (before You) אֶנְקַ֪ת (the groaning) אָ֫סִ֥יר (of the prisoner);

כְּגֹ֥דֶל (by the greatness) זְרוֹעֲךָ֑ (of Your power) ה֝וֹתֵ֗ר (preserve) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) תְמוּתָֽה׃ (of death).

12  וְהָ֘שֵׁ֤ב (And may You return) לִשְׁכֵנֵ֣ינוּ (to our neighbors) שִׁ֭בְעָתַיִם (sevenfold) אֶל־ (into) חֵיקָ֑ם (their bosom)

חֶרְפָּ֘תָ֤ם (their reproach), אֲשֶׁ֖ר (with which) חֵרְפ֣וּךָ (they have reproached You), אֲדֹנָֽי׃ (O Lord).

13  וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ (And we), עַמְּךָ֨׀ (Your people) וְצֹ֥אן (and the sheep) מַרְעִיתֶךָ֮ (of Your pasture),

נ֤וֹדֶ֥ה (will give thanks) לְּךָ֗ (to You) לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם (forever);

לְדֹ֥ר (for generation) וָדֹ֑ר (and generation)

נְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר (we will declare) תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ (Your praise).