53 And guided them safely, so that they were not afraid, But the sea covered their enemies. 54 He brought them also to his holy border, Even to the mountain which his right hand had purchased. 55 And he cast out the nations from before them, And divided them for an inheritance by line, And made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. 56 Yet they proved and rebelled against God the Most High, And kept not his testimonies, 57 But turned back and transgressed like their fathers: They turned aside like a deceitful bow;a 58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, And moved him to jealousy with their graven images. 59 When God heard it, he was wroth, And utterly rejected Israel, 60 And left the dwelling-place of Shiloh, b The tent which he had placed among men, 61 And delivered his strength into captivity, a Hos. vii. 16. b Jer. vii. 12. And his glory into the hand of the adversary." 62 And he gave over his people to the sword For he was wroth with his inheritance 63 The fire devoured his young men, And his virgins were not praised in marriage song, 64 His priests fell by the sword, 65 And his widows wept not. Then my Lord awoke as one that sleepeth, And was as a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine, 66 And smote his adversaries in the hinder part;b He put them to an everlasting reproach. 67 But he rejected the tent of Joseph, And chose not the tribe of Ephraim, 68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Even mount Zion which he loved." 69 And he built his sanctuary like high places, And like the earth which he founded for ever. 70 And he chose David his servant, And took him from the sheep-folds : 71 He brought him from following the ewes great with young, To feed Jacob his people, a 1 Sam. iv. 11-22. b 1 Sam. v. 6, 12. c Ps. lxxxvii. 2. And Israel his inheritance. 72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. PSALM LXXIX. A Psalm by Asaph. 1 O GOD, the nations have come into thine inheritance, They have defiled thy holy temple, They have made Jerusalem heaps, 2 They have given the dead bodies of thy servants To be food unto the fowls of the air, The flesh of thy godly ones, unto the beasts of the earth, 3 They have poured out their blood like water Round about Jerusalem, and there is none to bury them. 4 We have become a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to those that are round about us.a 5 How long, O Jehovah ? wilt thou be angry for ever? Shall thy jealousy burn like fire? a Ps. xliv. 13. 6 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, And upon the kingdoms that call not upon thy name; 7 For they have devoured Jacob, and made desolate his dwelling-place." 8 O remember not against us former iniquities; Let thy tender mercies speedily meet us; For we are brought exceedingly low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name, And deliver us, and purge away" our sins, for thy name's sake. 10 Wherefore should the nations say, "Where is their God ?" 11 Let the vengeance for thy servants' blood, Be known among the nations before our eyes. thee; According to the greatness of thine arm, preserve thou those that are appointed to die: Jer. x. 25. b Ps. lxv. 3. 12 And render unto our neighbours, seven times into their bosom, Their reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O my Lord. 13 So we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, Will give thee thanks for ever; To all generations will we declare thy praise. PSALM LXXX. For the chief Musician. For the lilies.a A testimony. A Psalm by Asaph. 1 O SHEPHERD of Israel, give ear; Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock: Thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine b Exod. xxv. 22; Num. vii. 89; 1 Chron. xxviii. 18; Ps. xcix. 1. • Num. ii. 17-24; x. 21-24. |