⁴ Your foes roared^(K) in the place where you met with us;
    they set up their standards^(L) as signs.
⁵ They behaved like men wielding axes
    to cut through a thicket of trees.^(M)
6 They smashed all the carved^(N) paneling
    with their axes and hatchets.
⁷ They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
    they defiled^(O) the dwelling place^(P) of your Name.^(Q)
8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush^(R) them completely!”
    They burned^(S) every place where God was worshiped in the land.

⁹ We are given no signs from God;^(T)
    no prophets^(U) are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.
¹⁰ How long^(V) will the enemy mock^(W) you, God?
    Will the foe revile^(X) your name forever?
¹¹ Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?^(Y)
    Take it from the folds of your garment^(Z) and destroy them!

¹² But God is my King^(AA) from long ago;
    he brings salvation^(AB) on the earth.

¹³ It was you who split open the sea^(AC) by your power;
    you broke the heads of the monster^(AD) in the waters.
¹⁴ It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan^(AE)
    and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.^(AF)
15 It was you who opened up springs^(AG) and streams;
    you dried up^(AH) the ever-flowing rivers.
¹⁶ The day is yours, and yours also the night;
    you established the sun and moon.^(AI)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries^(AJ) of the earth;
    you made both summer and winter.^(AK)

¹⁸ Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
    how foolish people^(AL) have reviled your name.
¹⁹ Do not hand over the life of your dove^(AM) to wild beasts;
    do not forget the lives of your afflicted^(AN) people forever.
²⁰ Have regard for your covenant,^(AO)
    because haunts of violence fill the dark places^(AP) of the land.
²¹ Do not let the oppressed^(AQ) retreat in disgrace;
    may the poor and needy^(AR) praise your name.
²² Rise up,^(AS) O God, and defend your cause;
    remember how fools^(AT) mock you all day long.
²³ Do not ignore the clamor^(AU) of your adversaries,^(AV)
    the uproar^(AW) of your enemies,^(AX) which rises continually.

⁵ How long,^(J) Lord? Will you be angry^(K) forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?^(L)
6 Pour out your wrath^(M) on the nations
    that do not acknowledge^(N) you,
on the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name;^(O)
7 for they have devoured^(P) Jacob
    and devastated his homeland.

⁸ Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;^(Q)
    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we are in desperate need.^(R)
9 Help us,^(S) God our Savior,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
    for your name’s sake.^(T)
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”^(U)

Before our eyes, make known among the nations
    that you avenge^(V) the outpoured blood^(W) of your servants.
¹¹ May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
¹² Pay back into the laps^(X) of our neighbors seven times^(Y)
    the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
¹³ Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,^(Z)
    will praise you forever;^(AA)
from generation to generation
    we will proclaim your praise.

⁴ Restore^(F) us again, God our Savior,^(G)
    and put away your displeasure toward us.
⁵ Will you be angry with us forever?^(H)
    Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
⁶ Will you not revive^(I) us again,
    that your people may rejoice^(J) in you?
⁷ Show us your unfailing love,^(K) Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.^(L)

⁸ I will listen to what God the Lord says;
    he promises peace^(M) to his people, his faithful servants—
    but let them not turn to folly.^(N)
9 Surely his salvation^(O) is near those who fear him,
    that his glory^(P) may dwell in our land.

¹⁰ Love and faithfulness^(Q) meet together;
    righteousness^(R) and peace kiss each other.
¹¹ Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
    and righteousness^(S) looks down from heaven.
¹² The Lord will indeed give what is good,^(T)
    and our land will yield^(U) its harvest.
¹³ Righteousness goes before him
    and prepares the way for his steps.

³ For my days vanish like smoke;^(E)
    my bones^(F) burn like glowing embers.
⁴ My heart is blighted and withered like grass;^(G)
    I forget to eat my food.^(H)
5 In my distress I groan aloud^(I)
    and am reduced to skin and bones.
⁶ I am like a desert owl,^(J)
    like an owl among the ruins.
⁷ I lie awake;^(K) I have become
    like a bird alone^(L) on a roof.
⁸ All day long my enemies^(M) taunt me;^(N)
    those who rail against me use my name as a curse.^(O)
9 For I eat ashes^(P) as my food
    and mingle my drink with tears^(Q)
10 because of your great wrath,^(R)
    for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
¹¹ My days are like the evening shadow;^(S)
    I wither^(T) away like grass.

¹² But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;^(U)
    your renown endures^(V) through all generations.^(W)
13 You will arise^(X) and have compassion^(Y) on Zion,
    for it is time^(Z) to show favor^(AA) to her;
    the appointed time^(AB) has come.
¹⁴ For her stones are dear to your servants;
    her very dust moves them to pity.
¹⁵ The nations will fear^(AC) the name of the Lord,
    all the kings^(AD) of the earth will revere your glory.
¹⁶ For the Lord will rebuild Zion^(AE)
    and appear in his glory.^(AF)
17 He will respond to the prayer^(AG) of the destitute;
    he will not despise their plea.

¹⁸ Let this be written^(AH) for a future generation,
    that a people not yet created^(AI) may praise the Lord:
¹⁹ “The Lord looked down^(AJ) from his sanctuary on high,
    from heaven he viewed the earth,
²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoners^(AK)
    and release those condemned to death.”
²¹ So the name of the Lord will be declared^(AL) in Zion
    and his praise^(AM) in Jerusalem
²² when the peoples and the kingdoms
    assemble to worship^(AN) the Lord.

²³ In the course of my life^[b] he broke my strength;
    he cut short my days.^(AO)
24 So I said:
“Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days;
    your years go on^(AP) through all generations.
²⁵ In the beginning^(AQ) you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens^(AR) are the work of your hands.^(AS)
26 They will perish,^(AT) but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
    and they will be discarded.
²⁷ But you remain the same,^(AU)
    and your years will never end.^(AV)
28 The children of your servants^(AW) will live in your presence;
    their descendants^(AX) will be established before you.”

³ What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
⁴ He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,^(E)
    with burning coals of the broom bush.

⁵ Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
    that I live among the tents of Kedar!^(F)
6 Too long have I lived
    among those who hate peace.
⁷ I am for peace;
    but when I speak, they are for war.

⁴ How can we sing the songs of the Lord^(I)
    while in a foreign land?
⁵ If I forget you,^(J) Jerusalem,
    may my right hand forget its skill.
⁶ May my tongue cling to the roof^(K) of my mouth
    if I do not remember^(L) you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem^(M)
    my highest joy.

⁷ Remember, Lord, what the Edomites^(N) did
    on the day Jerusalem fell.^(O)
“Tear it down,” they cried,
    “tear it down to its foundations!”^(P)
8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,^(Q)
    happy is the one who repays you
    according to what you have done to us.
⁹ Happy is the one who seizes your infants
    and dashes them^(R) against the rocks.

² Bitterly she weeps^(F) at night,
    tears are on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers^(G)
    there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed^(H) her;
    they have become her enemies.^(I)

³ After affliction and harsh labor,
    Judah has gone into exile.^(J)
She dwells among the nations;
    she finds no resting place.^(K)
All who pursue her have overtaken her^(L)
    in the midst of her distress.

⁴ The roads to Zion mourn,^(M)
    for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,^(N)
    her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
    and she is in bitter anguish.^(O)

⁵ Her foes have become her masters;
    her enemies are at ease.
The Lord has brought her grief^(P)
    because of her many sins.^(Q)
Her children have gone into exile,^(R)
    captive before the foe.^(S)

⁶ All the splendor has departed
    from Daughter Zion.^(T)
Her princes are like deer
    that find no pasture;
in weakness they have fled^(U)
    before the pursuer.

⁷ In the days of her affliction and wandering
    Jerusalem remembers all the treasures
    that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into enemy hands,
    there was no one to help her.^(V)
Her enemies looked at her
    and laughed^(W) at her destruction.

⁸ Jerusalem has sinned^(X) greatly
    and so has become unclean.^(Y)
All who honored her despise her,
    for they have all seen her naked;^(Z)
she herself groans^(AA)
    and turns away.

⁹ Her filthiness clung to her skirts;
    she did not consider her future.^(AB)
Her fall^(AC) was astounding;
    there was none to comfort^(AD) her.
“Look, Lord, on my affliction,^(AE)
    for the enemy has triumphed.”

¹⁰ The enemy laid hands
    on all her treasures;^(AF)
she saw pagan nations
    enter her sanctuary^(AG)—
those you had forbidden^(AH)
    to enter your assembly.

¹¹ All her people groan^(AI)
    as they search for bread;^(AJ)
they barter their treasures for food
    to keep themselves alive.
“Look, Lord, and consider,
    for I am despised.”

¹² “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?^(AK)
    Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering^(AL)
    that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
    in the day of his fierce anger?^(AM)

¹³ “From on high he sent fire,
    sent it down into my bones.^(AN)
He spread a net^(AO) for my feet
    and turned me back.
He made me desolate,^(AP)
    faint^(AQ) all the day long.

¹⁴ “My sins have been bound into a yoke^[b];^(AR)
    by his hands they were woven together.
They have been hung on my neck,
    and the Lord has sapped my strength.
He has given me into the hands^(AS)
    of those I cannot withstand.

¹⁵ “The Lord has rejected
    all the warriors in my midst;^(AT)
he has summoned an army^(AU) against me
    to^[c] crush my young men.^(AV)
In his winepress^(AW) the Lord has trampled^(AX)
    Virgin Daughter^(AY) Judah.

¹⁶ “This is why I weep
    and my eyes overflow with tears.^(AZ)
No one is near to comfort^(BA) me,
    no one to restore my spirit.
My children are destitute
    because the enemy has prevailed.”^(BB)

¹⁷ Zion stretches out her hands,^(BC)
    but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has decreed for Jacob
    that his neighbors become his foes;^(BD)
Jerusalem has become
    an unclean^(BE) thing^(BF) among them.

¹⁸ “The Lord is righteous,^(BG)
    yet I rebelled^(BH) against his command.
Listen, all you peoples;
    look on my suffering.^(BI)
My young men and young women
    have gone into exile.^(BJ)

¹⁹ “I called to my allies^(BK)
    but they betrayed me.
My priests and my elders
    perished^(BL) in the city
while they searched for food
    to keep themselves alive.

²⁰ “See, Lord, how distressed^(BM) I am!
    I am in torment^(BN) within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,^(BO)
    for I have been most rebellious.^(BP)
Outside, the sword bereaves;
    inside, there is only death.^(BQ)

²¹ “People have heard my groaning,^(BR)
    but there is no one to comfort me.^(BS)
All my enemies have heard of my distress;
    they rejoice^(BT) at what you have done.
May you bring the day^(BU) you have announced
    so they may become like me.

²² “Let all their wickedness come before you;
    deal with them
as you have dealt with me
    because of all my sins.^(BV)
My groans^(BW) are many
    and my heart is faint.”

2 ^[d]How the Lord has covered Daughter Zion
    with the cloud of his anger^[e]!^(BX)
He has hurled down the splendor of Israel
    from heaven to earth;
he has not remembered his footstool^(BY)
    in the day of his anger.^(BZ)

² Without pity^(CA) the Lord has swallowed^(CB) up
    all the dwellings of Jacob;
in his wrath he has torn down
    the strongholds^(CC) of Daughter Judah.
He has brought her kingdom and its princes
    down to the ground^(CD) in dishonor.

³ In fierce anger he has cut off
    every horn^[f][g](CE) of Israel.
He has withdrawn his right hand^(CF)
    at the approach of the enemy.
He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire
    that consumes everything around it.^(CG)

⁴ Like an enemy he has strung his bow;^(CH)
    his right hand is ready.
Like a foe he has slain
    all who were pleasing to the eye;^(CI)
he has poured out his wrath^(CJ) like fire^(CK)
    on the tent^(CL) of Daughter Zion.

⁵ The Lord is like an enemy;^(CM)
    he has swallowed up Israel.
He has swallowed up all her palaces
    and destroyed her strongholds.^(CN)
He has multiplied mourning and lamentation^(CO)
    for Daughter Judah.^(CP)

⁶ He has laid waste his dwelling like a garden;
    he has destroyed^(CQ) his place of meeting.^(CR)
The Lord has made Zion forget
    her appointed festivals and her Sabbaths;^(CS)
in his fierce anger he has spurned
    both king and priest.^(CT)

⁷ The Lord has rejected his altar
    and abandoned his sanctuary.^(CU)
He has given the walls of her palaces^(CV)
    into the hands of the enemy;
they have raised a shout in the house of the Lord
    as on the day of an appointed festival.^(CW)