Psalms 73

1Understanding for Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end: why is thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of thy pasture?● 2Remember thy congregation, which thou hast possessed from the beginning. The sceptre of thy inheritance which thou hast redeemed: mount Sion in which thou hast dwelt.● 3Lift up thy hands against their pride unto the end; see what things the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.● 4And they that hate thee have made their boasts, in the midst of thy solemnity. They have set up their ensigns for signs,● 5And they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,● 6They have cut down at once the gates thereof, with axe and hatchet they have brought it down.● 7They have set fire to thy sanctuary: they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name on the earth.● 8They said in their heart, the whole kindred of them together: Let us abolish all the festival days of God from the land.● 9Our signs we have not seen, there is now no prophet: and he will know us no more.● 10How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach: is the adversary to provoke thy name for ever?● 11Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever?● 12But God is our king before ages: he hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.● 13Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.● 14Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians.● 15Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.● 16Thine is the day, and thine is the night: thou hast made the morning light and the sun.● 17Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.● 18Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.● 19Deliver not up to beasts the souls that confess to thee: and forget not to the end the souls of thy poor.● 20Have regard to thy covenant: for they that are the obscure of the earth have been filled with dwellings of iniquity.● 21Let not the humble be turned away with confusion: the poor and needy shall praise thy name.● 22Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.● 23Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.●