1You walked off and left us, and never looked back. God, how could you do that?
We're your very own sheep;
how can you stomp off in anger?
2Refresh your memory of us--you bought us a long time ago.
Your most precious tribe--you paid a good price for us!
Your very own Mount Zion--you actually lived here once!
3Come and visit the site of disaster,
see how they've wrecked the sanctuary.
4While your people were at worship, your enemies barged in,
brawling and scrawling graffiti.
5They set fire to the porch;
axes swinging, they chopped up the woodwork,
6Beat down the doors with sledgehammers,
then split them into kindling.
7They burned your holy place to the ground,
violated the place of worship.
8They said to themselves, "We'll wipe them all out,"
and burned down all the places of worship.
9There's not a sign or symbol of God in sight,
nor anyone to speak in his name,
no one who knows what's going on.
10How long, God, will barbarians blaspheme,
enemies curse and get by with it?
11Why don't you do something? How long are you going
to sit there with your hands folded in your lap?
12God is my King from the very start;
he works salvation in the womb of the earth.
13With one blow you split the sea in two,
you made mincemeat of the dragon Tannin.
14You lopped off the heads of Leviathan,
then served them up in a stew for the animals.
15With your finger you opened up springs and creeks,
and dried up the wild floodwaters.
16You own the day, you own the night;
you put stars and sun in place.
17You laid out the four corners of earth,
shaped the seasons of summer and winter.
18Mark and remember, GOD, all the enemy
taunts, each idiot desecration.
19Don't throw your lambs to the wolves;
after all we've been through, don't forget us.
20Remember your promises;
the city is in darkness, the countryside violent.
21Don't leave the victims to rot in the street;
make them a choir that sings your praises.
22On your feet, O God--
stand up for yourself!
Do you hear what they're saying about you,
all the vile obscenities?
23Don't tune out their malicious filth,
the brawling invective that never lets up.
An Asaph psalm
