Why Have You Rejected Us Forever?
(Psalm 79:1–13; Jeremiah 52:1–11)

1A Maskil† of Asaph.

1 Why, O God, have You rejected us forever?

Your anger smolders

against the flock of Your pasture.

2Remember Your congregation

You acquired of old;

You redeemed as the staff of Your inheritance

this Mount Zion—in it You have dwelt!

3Lift up Your steps to the perpetual desolations—

to everything done wickedly by the enemy in the sanctuary!

4Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;

they have set up their signs for signs.

5He made himself known like one bringing on high axes against a thicket of tree;

6and now all its engravings they strike down with ax and hatchet.

7They have sent Your sanctuary into the fire, to the ground;

they have desecrated the dwelling place of Your Name.

8They said in their hearts,

“Let us oppress them altogether!”

They have burned all the meeting places

of God in the land.

9Signs for us we do not see;

there is no longer a prophet,

and there is no one among us knowing until when.

10Until when, O God, will the adversary reproach?

Will the enemy revile Your name forever?

11Why do You turn back Your hand, and Your right hand?

May You remove it† from the midst of Your bosom!

12For God is my King from of old,

working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13You divided the sea by Your strength;

You broke the heads of the dragons upon the waters.

14You crushed the heads of Leviathan;

You gave him as food to the people of the dry places.

15You burst open spring and stream;

You dried up the enduring rivers.

16To You is the day, also to You is the night;

You established the light† and the sun.

17You set all the boundaries of the earth;

summer and winter, You have formed them.

18Remember this, an enemy has reproached YHWH,

and a foolish people have spurned Your name!

19Do not give to the wild beast the soul of Your dove;

do not forget the life of Your afflicted ones forever!

20Look to the covenant!

For the dark places of the earth are filled as habitations of violence.

21Do not let the oppressed turn back, having been disgraced;

let the afflicted and needy ones praise Your name.

22Arise, O God, defend Your cause!

Remember the scorning of You from a fool all the day.

23Do not forget the voice of Your enemies,

the uproar of those rising against You, going up continually.