Study Desk

A psalm of Asaph.^(a)

God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance, desecrated Your holy temple, and turned Jerusalem into ruins.^(b)

They gave the corpses of Your servants to the birds of the sky for food, the flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.^(c)

They poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.^(d)

We have become an object of reproach to our neighbors, a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us.^(e)

How long, Yahweh? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy keep burning like fire?^(f)

Pour out Your wrath on the nations that don't acknowledge You, on the kingdoms that don't call on Your name,^(g)

for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.^(h)

Do not hold past sins^[a] against us; let Your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become weak.⁽ⁱ⁾

God of our salvation, help us^(j)— for the glory of Your name. Deliver us and atone for^[b] our sins, because of Your name.^(k)

Why should the nations ask, "Where is their God?"^(l) Before our eyes, let vengeance for the shed blood of Your servants be known among the nations.^(m)

Let the groans of the prisoners reach You; according to Your great power, preserve those condemned to die.⁽ⁿ⁾

Pay back sevenfold to our neighbors^(o) the reproach they have hurled at You, Lord.^(p)

Then we, Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,^(q) will thank You forever; we will declare Your praise to generation after generation.^(r)

For the choir director: according to "The Lilies."^[a] A testimony of Asaph.^(a) A psalm.

Listen, Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock;^(b) You who sit enthroned on the cherubim,^(c) rise up^(d)

before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.^[b](e) Rally Your power and come to save us.^(f)

Restore us, God; look on us with favor, and we will be saved.^(g)

Lord God of Hosts, how long will You be angry with Your people's prayers?^(h)

You fed them the bread of tears and gave them a full measure^[c] of tears to drink.⁽ⁱ⁾

You make us quarrel with our neighbors; our enemies make fun of us.^(j)

Restore us, God of Hosts; look on us with favor, and we will be saved.^(k)

You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it.^(l)

You cleared a place for it; it took root and filled the land.^(m)

The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars^[d] with its branches.⁽ⁿ⁾

It sent out sprouts toward the Sea^[e] and shoots toward the River.^[f](o)

Why have You broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its fruit?^(p)

The boar from the forest tears it and creatures of the field feed on it.^(q)

Return, God of Hosts.^(r) Look down from heaven and see; take care of this vine,

the root^[g] Your right hand has planted, the shoot^[h] that You made strong for Yourself.^(s)

It was cut down and burned up;^[i] they^[j] perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.^(t)

Let Your hand be with the man at Your right hand, with the son of man You have made strong for Yourself.^(u)

Then we will not turn away from You; revive us, and we will call on Your name.^(v)

Restore us, Yahweh, the God of Hosts;^(w) look on us with favor, and we will be saved.^(x)

For the choir director: on the Gittith. Of Asaph.^(a)

Sing for joy to God our strength; shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.^(b)

Lift up a song—play the tambourine, the melodious lyre, and the harp.^(c)

Blow the horn on the day of our feasts^[a][b] during the new moon^(d) and during the full moon.

For this is a statute for Israel, a judgment of the God of Jacob.^(e)

He set it up as an ordinance for Joseph when He went throughout^[c] the land of Egypt.^(f) I heard an unfamiliar language:

"I relieved his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from carrying the basket.^(g)

You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the thundercloud.^(h) I tested you at the waters of Meribah.⁽ⁱ⁾ Selah

Listen, My people, and I will admonish you. Israel, if you would only listen to Me!^(j)

There must not be a strange god among you; you must not bow down to a foreign god.^(k)

I am Yahweh your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.^(l) Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.^(m)

"But My people did not listen to Me; Israel did not obey Me.⁽ⁿ⁾

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own plans.^(o)

If only My people would listen to Me and Israel would follow My ways,^(p)

I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes."^(q)

Those who hate the Lord would pretend submission to Him;^(r) their doom would last forever.^(s)

But He would feed Israel^[d] with the best wheat. "I would satisfy you with honey from the rock."^(t)

A psalm of Asaph.^(a)

God has taken His place in the divine assembly; He judges among the gods:^[a](b)

"How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?^(c) Selah

Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.^(d)

Rescue the poor and needy; save them from the power of the wicked."^(e)

They do not know or understand; they wander in darkness.^(f) All the foundations of the earth are shaken.^(g)

I said, "You are gods;^(h) you are all sons of the Most High.⁽ⁱ⁾

However, you will die like men and fall like any other ruler."^(j)

Rise up, God, judge the earth, for all the nations belong to You.^(k)