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¹ Maschil of Asaph. ² Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast gotten of old, which Thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of Thine inheritance; ³ Lift up Thy steps because of the perpetual ruins, even all the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.⁴ Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of Thy meeting-place; they have set up their own signs for signs.⁵ It seemed as when men wield upwards axes in a thicket of trees.⁶ And now all the carved work thereof together they strike down with hatchet and hammers.⁷ They have set Thy sanctuary on fire; they have profaned the dwelling-place of Thy name even to the ground.⁸ They said in their heart: 'Let us make havoc of them altogether'; they have burned up all the meeting-places of God in the land.⁹ We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet; neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.¹⁰ How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name for ever?¹¹ Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? Draw it out of Thy bosom and consume them.

¹² Yet God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.¹³ Thou didst break the sea in pieces by Thy strength; Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters.¹⁴ Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness.¹⁵ Thou didst cleave fountain and brook; Thou driedst up ever-flowing rivers.¹⁶ Thine is the day, Thine also the night; Thou hast established luminary and sun.¹⁷ Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; Thou hast made summer and winter.

¹⁸ Remember this, how the enemy hath reproached the LORD, and how a base people have blasphemed Thy name.¹⁹ O deliver not the soul of Thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast; forget not the life of Thy poor for ever.²⁰ Look upon the covenant; for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.²¹ O let not the oppressed turn back in confusion; let the poor and needy praise Thy name.²² Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause; remember Thy reproach all the day at the hand of the base man.²³ Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, the tumult of those that rise up against Thee which ascendeth continually.