1: You 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?
2: Refresh 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!
3: Come and visit the site of disaster, see how they've wrecked the sanctuary.
4: While your people were at worship, your enemies barged in, brawling and scrawling graffiti.
5: They set fire to the porch; axes swinging, they chopped up the woodwork,
6: Beat down the doors with sledgehammers, then split them into kindling.
7: They burned your holy place to the ground, violated the place of worship.
8: They said to themselves, "We'll wipe them all out," and burned down all the places of worship.
9: There'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.
10: How long, God, will barbarians blaspheme, enemies curse and get by with it?
11: Why don't you do something? How long are you going to sit there with your hands folded in your lap?
12: God is my King from the very start; he works salvation in the womb of the earth.
13: With one blow you split the sea in two, you made mincemeat of the dragon Tannin.
14: You lopped off the heads of Leviathan, then served them up in a stew for the animals.
15: With your finger you opened up springs and creeks, and dried up the wild floodwaters.
16: You own the day, you own the night; you put stars and sun in place.
17: You laid out the four corners of earth, shaped the seasons of summer and winter.
18: Mark and remember, GOD, all the enemy taunts, each idiot desecration.
19: Don't throw your lambs to the wolves; after all we've been through, don't forget us.
20: Remember your promises; the city is in darkness, the countryside violent.
21: Don't leave the victims to rot in the street; make them a choir that sings your praises.
22: On your feet, O God--stand up for yourself! Do you hear what they're saying about you, all the vile obscenities?
23: Don't tune out their malicious filth, the brawling invective that never lets up. An Asaph psalm