1 O God, why have you rejected us forever?

Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

2 Remember the nation you purchased long ago,

the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—

Mount Zion, where you dwelt.

3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,

all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

4 Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;

they set up their standards as signs.

5 They behaved like men wielding axes

to cut through a thicket of trees.

6 They smashed all the carved paneling

with their axes and hatchets.

7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground;

they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.

1 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?

Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old;

The rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed;

This mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations;

Even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations;

They set up their ensigns for signs.

5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up

Axes upon the thick trees.

6 But now they break down the carved work thereof

At once with axes and hammers.

7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary,

They have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

1 O God, why have you rejected us so long?

Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?

2 Remember 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.

3 Walk through the awful ruins of the city;

see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary.

4 There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries;

there they set up their battle standards.

5 They swung their axes

like woodcutters in a forest.

6 With axes and picks,

they smashed the carved paneling.

7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground.

They defiled the place that bears your name.

1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?

Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,

The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—

This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.

3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.

The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.

4 Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;

They set up their banners for signs.

5 They seem like men who lift up

Axes among the thick trees.

6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,

With axes and hammers.

7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;

They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.

1 God, why have you rejected us for so long?

Why are you angry with us, the sheep of your pasture?

2 Remember the people you bought long ago.

You saved us, and we are your very own.

After all, you live on Mount Zion.

3 Make your way through these old ruins;

the enemy wrecked everything in the Temple.

4 Those who were against you shouted in your meeting place

and raised their flags there.

5 They came with axes raised

as if to cut down a forest of trees.

6 They smashed the carved panels

with their axes and hatchets.

7 They burned your Temple to the ground;

they have made the place where you live unclean.

1 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?

Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast gotten of old,

Which thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of thine inheritance;

And mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual ruins,

All the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.

4 Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of thine assembly;

They have set up their ensigns for signs.

5 They seemed as men that lifted up

Axes upon a thicket of trees.

6 And now all the carved work thereof

They break down with hatchet and hammers.

7 They have set thy sanctuary on fire;

They have profaned the dwelling-place of thy name by casting it to the ground.

1 Why, O God, hast thou cast off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2 Remember thine assembly, which thou hast purchased of old, which thou hast redeemed to be the portion of thine inheritance, this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. 3 Lift up thy steps unto the perpetual desolations: everything in the sanctuary hath the enemy destroyed. 4 Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy place of assembly; they set up their signs for signs. 5 A man was known as he could lift up axes in the thicket of trees; 6 And now they break down its carved work altogether, with hatchets and hammers. 7 They have set on fire thy sanctuary, they have profaned the habitation of thy name to the ground.

1 Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? 

Why does your anger 

smolder against the sheep in your care? 

2 Remember your congregation. 

Long ago you made it your own. 

You bought this tribe to be your possession. 

This tribe is Mount Zion, where you have made your home. 

3 Turn your steps towardthese pathetic ruins. 

The enemy has destroyed everything in the holy temple. 

4 Your opponents have roared inside your meeting place. 

They have set up their own emblems as symbols. 

5 Starting from its entrance, they hacked away 

like a woodcutter in a forest. 

6 They smashed all its carved paneling with axes and hatchets. 

7 They burned your holy place to the ground. 

They dishonored the place where you live among us. 

1 Why have You rejected us forever, God?

Why does Your anger burn

against the sheep of Your pasture?

2 Remember Your congregation,

which You purchased long ago

and redeemed as the tribe for Your own possession.

Remember Mount Zion where You dwell.

3 Make Your way to the everlasting ruins,

to all that the enemy has destroyed in the sanctuary.

4 Your adversaries roared in the meeting place

where You met with us.

They set up their emblems as signs.

5 It was like men in a thicket of trees,

wielding axes,

6 then smashing all the carvings

with hatchets and picks.

7 They set Your sanctuary on fire;

they utterly desecrated

the dwelling place of Your name.

1 O God, why do you cast us off forever?

Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

2 Remember your congregation, which you acquired long ago,

which you redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage.

Remember Mount Zion, where you came to dwell.

3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;

the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.

4 Your foes have roared within your holy place;

they set up their emblems there.

5 At the upper entrance they hacked

the wooden trellis with axes.

6 And then, with hatchets and hammers,

they smashed all its carved work.

7 They set your sanctuary on fire;

they desecrated the dwelling place of your name,

bringing it to the ground.

1 Why, O God, have you rejected us forever?

Why does your anger smoke

against the sheep of your pasture?

2 Remember your congregation that you bought long ago,

when you redeemed the tribe of your inheritance.

Remember Mount Zion where you have dwelt.

3 Lift your steps to the perpetual ruins,

to all that the enemy has ruined in the sanctuary.

4 Your enemies have roared in the midst of your meeting place;

they have set up their signs for signs.

5 They are known to be like those who wield

axes in a thicket of trees.

6 And now its carved works altogether

they have smashed with axe and hammer.

7 They have set fire to your sanctuary.

They have defiled to the ground,

the dwelling place for your name.

1 God, why have you turned your back on us for so long?

Why does your anger burn against us? We are your very own sheep.

2 Remember that you chose us to be your own people a long time ago.

Remember that you set us free from slavery to be your very own tribe.

Remember Mount Zion, where you lived.

3 Walk through this place that has been torn down beyond repair.

See how completely your enemies have destroyed the temple!

4 In the place where you used to meet with us,

your enemies have shouted, “We’ve won the battle!”

They have set up their flags to show they have beaten us.

5 They acted like people cutting down a forest with axes.

6 They smashed all of the beautiful wooden walls

with their axes and hatchets.

7 They burned your temple to the ground.

They polluted the place where your Name is.

1 O God, why have You rejected us forever?

Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,

Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance;

And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.

3 Turn Your footsteps toward the perpetual ruins;

The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary.

4 Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;

They have set up their own standards for signs.

5 It seems as if one had lifted up

His axe in a forest of trees.

6 And now all its carved work

They smash with hatchet and hammers.

7 They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;

They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.