| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1A Contemplation of Asaph. O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? | 1A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, God? Why does Your anger burn against the sheep of Your pasture? |
| 2Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed— This Mount Zion where You have dwelt. | 2Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe for Your own possession. Remember Mount Zion where You dwell. |
| 3Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary. | 3Make Your way to the everlasting ruins, to all that the enemy has destroyed in the sanctuary. |
| 4Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; They set up their banners for signs. | 4Your adversaries roared in the meeting place where You met with us. They set up their emblems as signs. |
| 5They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees. | 5It was like men in a thicket of trees, wielding axes, |
| 6And now they break down its carved work, all at once, With axes and hammers. | 6then smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks. |
| 7They have set fire to Your sanctuary; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground. | 7They set Your sanctuary on fire; they utterly desecrated the dwelling place of Your name. |
| 8They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy them altogether.” They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land. | 8They said in their hearts," Let us oppress them relentlessly." They burned down every place throughout the land where God met with us. |
| 9We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long. | 9There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer a prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last. |
| 10O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? | 10God, how long will the enemy mock? Will the foe insult Your name forever? |
| 11Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them. | 11Why do You hold back Your hand? Stretch out Your right hand and destroy them! |
| 12For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. | 12God my King is from ancient times, performing saving acts on the earth. |
| 13You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. | 13You divided the sea with Your strength; You smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the waters; |
| 14You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. | 14You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert. |
| 15You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up mighty rivers. | 15You opened up springs and streams; You dried up ever-flowing rivers. |
| 16The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun. | 16The day is Yours, also the night; You established the moon and the sun. |
| 17You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter. | 17You set all the boundaries of the earth; You made summer and winter. |
| 18Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name. | 18Remember this: the enemy has mocked Yahweh, and a foolish people has insulted Your name. |
| 19Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever. | 19Do not give the life of Your dove to beasts; do not forget the lives of Your poor people forever. |
| 20Have respect to the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty. | 20Consider the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of violence. |
| 21Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name. | 21Do not let the oppressed turn away in shame; let the poor and needy praise Your name. |
| 22Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily. | 22Rise up, God, defend Your cause! Remember the insults that fools bring against You all day long. |
| 23Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually. | 23Do not forget the clamor of Your adversaries, the tumult of Your opponents that goes up constantly. |
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