1Ein Lehrgedicht. Für Asaf.[1]
Gott, hast du uns für immer verstoßen? / Warum ist dein Zorn auf deine Herde so groß? / (Ps 50,1)2Denk an deine Gemeinde, die du einst erworben hast, / die du als Stamm für dein Erbteil erlöstest! / Denk an den Zionsberg, auf dem du wohnst!3Komm doch und sieh dir diese ewigen Ruinen an! / Alles hat der Feind im Heiligtum zerstört.4In deiner Versammlungsstätte haben deine Feinde gebrüllt / und dort ihre Siegeszeichen hingestellt.5Sie haben sich benommen wie die Axt im Walddickicht.6Und jetzt sind alle Schnitzereien / zerschlagen mit Hacken und Beilen.7In deinem Heiligtum haben sie Feuer gelegt, / die Wohnung deines Namens bis auf den Grund entweiht.8Sie sagten sich: „Lasst uns sie alle vernichten!“ / Alle Gottesstätten im Land haben sie niedergebrannt.9Wir sehen keine Zeichen für uns. / Kein Prophet ist mehr da. / Keiner weiß, wie lange das noch geht.10Bis wann, Gott, darf der Bedränger noch höhnen, / der Feind deinen Namen lästern immerfort?11Warum hältst du deine Hand zurück und greifst nicht ein? / Zieh sie doch aus deinem Gewand und mach ihnen endlich ein Ende!12Dennoch ist Gott von alters her mein König, / der Rettungstaten auf der Erde vollbringt.13Mit deiner Macht hast du das Meer geteilt, / zerschmettert die Köpfe der Seeungeheuer.14Dem Leviatan[2] hast du die Köpfe zerschlagen / und gabst ihn den wilden Tieren zum Fraß.15Du hast Quellen und Bäche sprudeln lassen / und mächtige Ströme zum Versiegen gebracht.16Dein ist der Tag, dein auch die Nacht. / Mond und Sonne setztest du ein.17Du hast die Grenzen der Erde bestimmt, / Sommer und Winter hast du gemacht.18Jahwe, denk doch daran: Der Feind hat dich verhöhnt. / Ein gottloses Volk hat deinen Namen verachtet.19Gib deine Taube doch nicht den Raubtieren preis! / Vergiss dein armes Volk nicht für immer!20Blick hin auf deinen Bund! / Denn in den dunklen Winkeln im Land herrscht die rohe Gewalt.21Lass den Bedrückten nicht beschämt weggehen! / Lass den Gebeugten, lass den Armen deinen Namen loben!22Steh auf, Gott, und verschaffe dir Recht! / Bedenk, wie diese Toren dich täglich verspotten.23Vergiss nicht das Geschrei deiner Gegner, / ihr ständiges Getöse gegen dich!
1God, why have you turned your back on us for so long? Why are you so angry with us? We are your very own sheep.2Remember the nation that you chose as your own so long ago. Remember that you set us free from slavery to be your very own people. Remember Mount Zion, where you lived.3Walk through this place that has been torn down beyond repair. See how completely your enemies have destroyed the temple!4In 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.5They acted like people cutting down a forest with axes.6They smashed all the beautiful wooden walls with their axes and hatchets.7They burned your temple to the ground. They polluted the place where your Name is.8They had said in their hearts, ‘We will crush them completely!’ They burned every place where you were worshipped in the land.9We don’t get signs from God anymore. There aren’t any prophets left. None of us knows how long that will last.10God, how long will your enemies make fun of you? Will they attack you with their words for ever?11Why don’t you help us? Why do you hold back your power? Use your strong power to destroy your enemies!12God, you have been my king for a long time. You are the only God who can save anyone on earth.13You parted the waters of the Red Sea by your power. You broke the heads of that sea monster in Egypt.14You crushed the heads of the sea monster Leviathan. You fed it to the creatures of the desert.15You opened up streams and springs. You dried up rivers that flow all year long.16You rule over the day and the night. You created the sun and the moon.17You decided where the borders of the earth would be. You made both summer and winter.18LORD, remember how your enemies have made fun of you. Remember how foolish people have attacked you with their words.19Don’t hand over Israel, your dove, to those wild animals. Don’t forget your suffering people for ever.20Honour the covenant you made with us. Horrible things are happening in every dark corner of the land.21Don’t let your suffering people be put to shame. May those who are poor and needy praise you.22God, rise up. Stand up for your cause. Remember how foolish people make fun of you all day long.23Pay close attention to the shouts of your enemies. The trouble they cause never stops.
1A Maskil[1] of Asaph. O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? (5Mo 29,20; Ps 18,8; Ps 44,9; Ps 50,1; Ps 79,13; Ps 95,7; Ps 100,3; Jer 23,1; Hes 34,31)2Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. (2Mo 15,16; 5Mo 32,6; Ps 9,11; Ps 74,18; Ps 74,22; Ps 77,15; Ps 78,54; Jes 63,9; Jes 63,17; Jer 10,16; Jer 51,19)3Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! (Jes 61,4)4Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. (4Mo 2,2; Ps 74,9; Kla 2,6; Mt 24,15)5They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.[2] (Jer 46,22)6And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. (1Kön 6,18; 1Kön 6,29; 1Kön 6,32; 1Kön 6,35)7They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. (2Kön 25,9; Ps 26,8; Ps 79,1; Ps 89,39; Kla 2,2)8They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. (Ps 83,4)9We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. (1Sam 3,1; Ps 74,4; Kla 2,9; Hes 7,26; Am 8,11)10How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? (Ps 74,18; Ps 74,22; Ps 79,12; Ps 89,51)11Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment[3] and destroy them! (Kla 2,3)12Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. (Ps 44,4)13You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters[4] on the waters. (2Mo 14,21; Jes 27,1; Jes 51,9)14You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. (Hi 41,1)15You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. (2Mo 14,21; 2Mo 17,5; 4Mo 20,11; Jos 2,10; Jos 3,13; Jos 4,23; Ps 66,6; Ps 78,15; Ps 105,41; Jes 48,21; Jes 51,10)16Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. (1Mo 1,14; Ps 104,19)17You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. (1Mo 8,22; 5Mo 32,8; Apg 17,26)18Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name. (5Mo 32,6; Ps 39,8; Ps 74,2; Ps 74,22; Ps 89,50; Offb 16,19; Offb 18,5)19Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever. (Ps 68,10; Hl 2,14)20Have regard for the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. (1Mo 17,7; 3Mo 26,44; Ps 10,8; Ps 106,45; Jer 33,21)21Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise your name. (Ps 6,10; Ps 9,9; Ps 10,18; Ps 86,1)22Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day! (1Sam 24,15; Ps 74,2; Ps 74,18)23Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! (Ps 65,7)