For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be sung to the tune “Lilies of the Covenant.”
1 Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph’s descendants like a flock.
O God, enthroned above the cherubim,
display your radiant glory
1 Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph’s descendants like a flock.
O God, enthroned above the cherubim,
display your radiant glory
2 to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Show us your mighty power.
Come to rescue us!
Show us your mighty power.
Come to rescue us!
3 Turn us again to yourself, O God.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
4 O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies,
how long will you be angry with our prayers?
how long will you be angry with our prayers?
5 You have fed us with sorrow
and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
6 You have made us the scorna of neighboring nations.
Our enemies treat us as a joke.
Our enemies treat us as a joke.
7 Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
8 You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
9 You cleared the ground for us,
and we took root and filled the land.
and we took root and filled the land.
10 Our shade covered the mountains;
our branches covered the mighty cedars.
our branches covered the mighty cedars.
11 We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea;
our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River.b
our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River.b
12 But now, why have you broken down our walls
so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
13 The wild boar from the forest devours it,
and the wild animals feed on it.
and the wild animals feed on it.
14 Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies.
Look down from heaven and see our plight.
Take care of this grapevine
Look down from heaven and see our plight.
Take care of this grapevine
15 that you yourself have planted,
this son you have raised for yourself.
this son you have raised for yourself.
16 For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies.
May they perish at the sight of your frown.
May they perish at the sight of your frown.
17 Strengthen the man you love,
the son of your choice.
the son of your choice.
18 Then we will never abandon you again.
Revive us so we can call on your name once more.
Revive us so we can call on your name once more.
19 Turn us again to yourself, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.