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¹ (73-1) <Understanding for Asaph.> O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end: why is thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of thy pasture?² (73-2) Remember 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.³ (73-3) Lift up thy hands against their pride unto the end; see what things the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.⁴ (73-4) And they that hate thee have made their boasts, in the midst of thy solemnity. They have set up their ensigns for signs,⁵ (73-5) And they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,⁶ (73-6) They have cut down at once the gates thereof, with axe and hatchet they have brought it down.⁷ (73-7) They have set fire to thy sanctuary: they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name on the earth.⁸ (73-8) They said in their heart, the whole kindred of them together: Let us abolish all the festival days of God from the land.⁹ (73-9) Our signs we have not seen, there is now no prophet: and he will know us no more.¹⁰ (73-10) How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach: is the adversary to provoke thy name for ever?¹¹ (73-11) Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever?

¹² (73-12) But God is our king before ages: he hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.¹³ (73-13) Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.¹⁴ (73-14) Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians.¹⁵ (73-15) Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.¹⁶ (73-16) Thine is the day, and thine is the night: thou hast made the morning light and the sun.¹⁷ (73-17) Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.

¹⁸ (73-18) Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.¹⁹ (73-19) Deliver not up to beasts the souls that confess to thee: and forget not to the end the souls of thy poor.²⁰ (73-20) Have regard to thy covenant: for they that are the obscure of the earth have been filled with dwellings of iniquity.²¹ (73-21) Let not the humble be turned away with confusion: the poor and needy shall praise thy name.²² (73-22) Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.²³ (73-23) Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.