| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1A Contemplation of Asaph. O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? | 1O God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own 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 that we are the people you chose long ago, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession! And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth. |
| 3Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary. | 3Walk through the awful ruins of the city; see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary. |
| 4Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; They set up their banners for signs. | 4There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries; there they set up their battle standards. |
| 5They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees. | 5They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest. |
| 6And now they break down its carved work, all at once, With axes and hammers. | 6With axes and picks, they smashed the carved paneling. |
| 7They have set fire to Your sanctuary; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground. | 7They burned your sanctuary to the ground. They defiled the place that bears 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. | 8Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!” So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped. |
| 9We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long. | 9We no longer see your miraculous signs. All the prophets are gone, and no one can tell us when it will end. |
| 10O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? | 10How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you? Will you let them dishonor 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 strong right hand? Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them. |
| 12For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. | 12You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth. |
| 13You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. | 13You split the sea by your strength and smashed the heads of the sea monsters. |
| 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 and let the desert animals eat him. |
| 15You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up mighty rivers. | 15You caused the springs and streams to gush forth, and you dried up rivers that never run dry. |
| 16The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun. | 16Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun. |
| 17You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter. | 17You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter. |
| 18Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name. | 18See how these enemies insult you, LORD. A foolish nation has dishonored your name. |
| 19Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever. | 19Don’t let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves. Don’t forget your suffering people forever. |
| 20Have respect to the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty. | 20Remember your covenant promises, for the land is full of darkness and violence! |
| 21Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name. | 21Don’t let the downtrodden be humiliated again. Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name. |
| 22Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily. | 22Arise, O God, and defend your cause. Remember how these fools insult you all day long. |
| 23Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually. | 23Don’t overlook what your enemies have said or their growing uproar. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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