Psalms

¹ We've been hearing about this, God, all our lives. Our fathers told us the stories their fathers told them,

² from the fields and planted us, How you sent those people packing but gave us a fresh start.

³ we didn't work for it—it was a gift! You gave it, smiling as you gave it, delighting as you gave it.

⁴ command victories for Jacob!

⁵ in your name we'll stomp them to dust.

⁶ my sword won't save me—

⁷ you made those who hate us lose face.

⁸ we thank you by name over and over.

⁹ you've disgraced us and won't fight for us.

¹⁰ those who hate us have cleaned us out.

¹¹ you scattered us to the four winds.

¹² you made nothing on the sale.

¹³ urchins, poke fun and call us names.

¹⁴ a cheap joke among the rabble.

¹⁵ my nose rubbed in my shame—

¹⁶ people out to get me crowd the street.

¹⁷ and we've done nothing to deserve it. We never betrayed your Covenant:

¹⁸ were never false, our feet never left your path.

¹⁹ or lockup in a black hole?

²⁰ or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,

²¹ We can't hide things from him.

²² lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.

²³ Wake up! Don't you care what happens to us?

²⁴ Why pretend things are just fine with us?

²⁵ held down with a boot on our necks.

²⁶ If you love us so much, Help us!