Why Have You Rejected Us Forever?
(Psalm 79:1–13; Jeremiah 52:1–11)

1Understanding to Asaph. Wherefore, O God, didst thou reject forever? will thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy feeding?

2Remember thine assembly thou didst purchase of old; thou didst redeem the rod of thine inheritance; this mount Zion thou didst dwell in it.

3Lift up thy steps to desolations forever; all the evil of the enemy in the holy place.

4Thine enemies roared in the midst of thine appointment; they set their signs, signs.

5It will be known according to bringing the axes upwards upon the thicket of wood.

6And now with axes and hammers they will beat her engravings.

7They cast thy holy place into fire, to the earth they defiled the tent of thy name.

8They said in their heart, We will rage against them together: they burnt up all the appointments of God in the earth.

9We saw not our signs, no more a prophet: and not with us will it be known how long.

10How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach? Shall the enemy despise thy name forever?

11Wherefore wilt thou turn back thy hand, and thy right hand? from the midst of thy bosom completely.

12And God my king of old working salvations in the midst of the earth.

13Thou didst cleave the sea in thy strength: thou didst break the heads of the dragons upon the waters.

14Thou didst break the heads of the sea monster, thou wilt give him for food to the people, to the inhabitants of the desert.

15Thou didst cleave asunder the fountain and the torrent: thou driedst up the rivers of strength.

16To thee the day, also to thee the night: thou didst prepare the light and the sun.

17Thou didst set all the bounds of the earth: summer and autumn thou didst form them.

18Remember this, the enemy reproached Jehovah, and the foolish people despised thy name.

19Thou wilt not give the soul of thy turtle-dove to the beast: the life of thy poor thou wilt not forget forever.

20Look to thy covenant: for the dark places of the earth were filled with habitations of violence.

21The poor one shall not turn back ashamed: the humble and the needy shall praise thy name.

22Arise, O God, contend thy contention: remember thy reproach from the foolish all the day.

23Thou wilt not forget the voice of thine adversaries: the pride of them rising up against thee going up always.