[1]Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thy anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?[2]Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old: the rod of thy inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, in which thou hast dwelt.[3]Lift up thy feet to the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.[4]Thy enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.[5]A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.[6]But now they break down the carved work of it at once with axes and hammers.[7]They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling-place of thy name to the ground.[8]They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues 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]O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?[11]Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.[12]For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.[13]Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou didst break the heads of the dragons in the waters.[14]Thou didst break the head of leviathan in pieces, and didst give him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.[15]Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou didst dry up mighty rivers.[16]The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.[17]Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.[18]Remember this, the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.[19]O deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove to the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.[20]Have respect to the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.[21]O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.[22]Arise, O God, plead thy own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.[23]Forget not the voice of thy enemies: the tumult of those that rise against thee increaseth continually.