16. from hearing the sneers and insultsof my enemies and those who hate me.
17. All this has happened to us,even though we have not forgotten youor broken the covenant you made with us.
18. We have not been disloyal to you;we have not disobeyed your commands.
19. Yet you left us helpless among wild animals;you abandoned us in deepest darkness.
20. If we had stopped worshipping our Godand prayed to a foreign god,
21. you would surely have discovered it,because you know our secret thoughts.
22. But it is on your account that we are being killed all the time,that we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered.
23. Wake up, Lord! Why are you asleep?Rouse yourself! Don't reject us for ever!
24. Why are you hiding from us?Don't forget our suffering and trouble!
25. We fall crushed to the ground;we lie defeated in the dust.
26. Come to our aid!Because of your constant love save us!