Psalm 74

O Lord, why hast thou cast us off
for ev'r in dangers deep,
Why doth thy burning anger smoak
against thy pasture sheep?
Think on thy Congregation which
of old was purchased,
Thine heritage which was by thee
by thy rod measured.

Which thou from cruel bondage by
thy pow'r redeemed hast,
This mount Zion where thou hast dwelt
so long in ages past.
Lift up thy feet now to tread down
and ruine utterly
Thy foes, that in thine holy place
have wrought thus wickedly.

For where thy Congregations were,
thine enemies roar and cry,
And they for signs of triumph have
their ensigns set on high.
A man was famous, once as he
had labour'd painfully,
To fell down and to square thick trees
thine house to beautifie.

But now at once most spitefully
they labour to deface,
With ax and hammer, carved works
of thy most holy place.
Thy Temple they have burne with fire,
and cast down to the ground,
Defiling it, the place where once
thy name dwelt much renown'd.

Thus in their hearts they say, Let us
destroy them out of hand;
They have burnt up the Synagogues
of God throughout the land.
We see no more our wonted signs,
our Prophets all are gone,
To tell us when these plagues shall end,
amongst us there is none.

The Second Part.

How long shall these oppressors, Lord,
reproach thus scornfully?
Shall these thine enemies blaspheme
thy name perpetually?
why dost thou still turn back thine hand?
the right hand of thy strength,
Pluck it out of thy bosome now,
and make an end at length.

For God from the beginning is
my King that rules alone,
He in the midst of all the earth
doth work salvation.
Thou didst divide and break the sea
by pow'r of thy command,
The heads of Dragons in the flouds
thou brakest with thine hand.

The head thou brak'st in pieces of
Leviathan so great,
And to the people dwelling in
the desart mad'st him meat.
Out of cleft rocks, fountains and flouds
thou brought'st out plenteously,
The mighty flouds of Jordans streams
thou madest to be dry.

The shining day and the dark night
thine and thine onely are,
The bright Sun and his glorious light,
thou only didst prepare.
Thou all the borders of the earth
hast set by thy decree,
The Summers heat and Winters cold
they both are made by thee.

Remember that thy foes, O Lord,
reproach'd thee scornfully,
That foolish people have thy name
blasphem'd most wickedly.
Thy Church, thy Turtles soul, do not
to wild beasts, Lord, deliver,
The Congregation of thy poor
do not forget for ever.

Respect thy faithful Covenant;
for each dark lurking den
Of th'earth is now replenisht with
dwellings of cruel men.
O let not those that are opprest
be turned back with shame,
But let the poor and needy ones
have cause to praise thy name.

Arise, O Lord, why sitt'st thou still,
thine own cause plead and try,
Remember how the foolish thee
reproach continually.
The voice forget not of thy foes,
for these that openly
In tumults up against thee rise,
increase continually.