2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.

3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.

4 ^aYour enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
^bThey set up their banners for signs. ‡

5 They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.

6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.

7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.

8 ^aThey said in their hearts,
“Let us¹ destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land. ‡