What we have heard and learned -- that which our ancestors have told us --

He established a rule in Jacob; he set up a law in Israel. He commanded our ancestors to make his deeds known to their descendants,

Then they will not be like their ancestors, who were a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that was not committed and faithful to God.

The Ephraimites were armed with bows, but they retreated in the day of battle.

They ate until they were stuffed; he gave them what they desired.

They were not yet filled up, their food was still in their mouths,

They were not really committed to him, and they were unfaithful to his covenant.

He remembered that they were made of flesh, and were like a wind that blows past and does not return.

They were unfaithful and acted as treacherously as their ancestors; they were as unreliable as a malfunctioning bow.

He abandoned the sanctuary at Shiloh, the tent where he lived among men.

A psalm of Asaph. O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land; they have polluted your holy temple and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.

They have given the corpses of your servants to the birds of the sky; the flesh of your loyal followers to the beasts of the earth.

We have become an object of disdain to our neighbors; those who live on our borders taunt and insult us.

How long will this go on, O Lord? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your rage burn like fire?

Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not pray to you!

Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations! Quickly send your compassion our way, for we are in serious trouble!

Help us, O God, our deliverer! For the sake of your glorious reputation, rescue us! Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation!

Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our very eyes may the shed blood of your servants be avenged among the nations!

Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die!

Pay back our neighbors in full! May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord!

Then we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, will continually thank you. We will tell coming generations of your praiseworthy acts.

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a psalm of Asaph. O shepherd of Israel, pay attention, you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep! You who sit enthroned above the winged angels, reveal your splendor!

In the sight of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh reveal your power! Come and deliver us!

O Lord God, invincible warrior! How long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you?

You have made our neighbors dislike us, and our enemies insult us.

The mountains were covered by its shadow, the highest cedars by its branches.

the root your right hand planted, the shoot you made to grow!

It is burned and cut down. They die because you are displeased with them.

For the music director; according to the gittith style; by Asaph. Shout for joy to God, our source of strength! Shout out to the God of Jacob!

Sound the ram's horn on the day of the new moon, and on the day of the full moon when our festival begins.

It said: "I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were released from holding the basket.

In your distress you called out and I rescued you. I answered you from a dark thundercloud. I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Selah)

I am the Lord, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!'

"I would feed Israel the best wheat, and would satisfy your appetite with honey from the rocky cliffs."

I thought, 'You are gods; all of you are sons of the Most High.'

For look, your enemies are making a commotion; those who hate you are hostile.

They carefully plot against your people, and make plans to harm the ones you cherish.

They say, "Come on, let's annihilate them so they are no longer a nation! Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more."

They were destroyed at Endor; their corpses were like manure on the ground.

Like the fire that burns down the forest, or the flames that consume the mountainsides,

chase them with your gale winds, and terrify them with your windstorm.

Then they will know that you alone are the Lord, the sovereign king over all the earth.

For the music director; according to the gittith style; written by the Korahites, a psalm. How lovely is the place where you live, O Lord who rules over all!

Even the birds find a home there, and the swallow builds a nest, where she can protect her young near your altars, O Lord who rules over all, my king and my God.

How blessed are those who live in your temple and praise you continually! (Selah)

How blessed are those who find their strength in you, and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple!

They are sustained as they travel along; each one appears before God in Zion.

O God, take notice of our shield! Show concern for your chosen king!

Certainly spending just one day in your temple courts is better than spending a thousand elsewhere. I would rather stand at the entrance to the temple of my God than live in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is our sovereign protector. The Lord bestows favor and honor; he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity.

O Lord who rules over all, how blessed are those who trust in you!

For the music director; written by the Korahites, a psalm. O Lord, you showed favor to your land; you restored the well-being of Jacob.

You pardoned the wrongdoing of your people; you forgave all their sin. (Selah)

You withdrew all your fury; you turned back from your raging anger.

Restore us, O God our deliverer! Do not be displeased with us!

Will you not revive us once more? Then your people will rejoice in you!

O Lord, show us your loyal love! Bestow on us your deliverance!

Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance; then his splendor will again appear in our land.

Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings, and our land will yield its crops.

Protect me, for I am loyal! O my God, deliver your servant, who trusts in you!

Make your servant glad, for to you, O Lord, I pray!

Certainly O Lord, you are kind and forgiving, and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.

None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord! Your exploits are incomparable!

All the nations, whom you created, will come and worship you, O Lord. They will honor your name.

For you are great and do amazing things. You alone are God.

O Lord, teach me how you want me to live! Then I will obey your commands. Make me wholeheartedly committed to you!

O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart! I will honor your name continually!

For you will extend your great loyal love to me, and will deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God. You are patient and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.

Turn toward me and have mercy on me! Give your servant your strength! Deliver your slave!

Show me evidence of your favor! Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me.

I mention Rahab and Babylon to my followers. Here are Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia. It is said of them, "This one was born there."

As for the singers, as well as the pipers -- all of them sing within your walls.

adrift among the dead, like corpses lying in the grave, whom you remember no more, and who are cut off from your power.

Your anger bears down on me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)

Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?

Are your amazing deeds experienced in the dark region, or your deliverance in the land of oblivion?

I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth. I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain.

Your anger overwhelms me; your terrors destroy me.

A well-written song by Ethan the Ezrachite. I will sing continually about the Lord's faithful deeds; to future generations I will proclaim your faithfulness.

For I say, "Loyal love is permanently established; in the skies you set up your faithfulness."

I will give you an eternal dynasty and establish your throne throughout future generations.'" (Selah)

O Lord, the heavens praise your amazing deeds, as well as your faithfulness in the angelic assembly.

O Lord, sovereign God! Who is strong like you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you.

You crushed the Proud One and killed it; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.

You created the north and the south. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

Your arm is powerful, your hand strong, your right hand victorious.

Equity and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loyal love and faithfulness characterize your rule.

How blessed are the people who worship you! O Lord, they experience your favor.

They rejoice in your name all day long, and are vindicated by your justice.

For you give them splendor and strength. By your favor we are victorious.

For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Then you spoke through a vision to your faithful followers and said: "I have energized a warrior; I have raised up a young man from the people.

He will call out to me, 'You are my father, my God, and the protector who delivers me.'

I will not break my covenant or go back on what I promised.

But you have spurned and rejected him; you are angry with your chosen king.

You have repudiated your covenant with your servant; you have thrown his crown to the ground.

How long, O Lord, will this last? Will you remain hidden forever? Will your anger continue to burn like fire?

No man can live on without experiencing death, or deliver his life from the power of Sheol. (Selah)

Where are your earlier faithful deeds, O Lord, the ones performed in accordance with your reliable oath to David?