O God, wherefore art thou absent from | us so long?

* why is thy wrath so hot against the | sheep of thy pasture?

2 O think upon thy | congregation,

* whom thou hast purchased, | and redeemed of old.

3 Think upon the tribe of | thine inheritance,

* and Mount Sion, where- | -in thou hast dwelt.

4 Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy | every enemy,

* which hath done | evil in thy sanctuary.

5 Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy | congregations,

* and set | up their •banners• for tokens.

6 He that hewed timber afore out of the | thick trees,

* was known to bring it | to an •excel•lent work.

7 But now they break down all the carved | work thereof

* with | axes and hammers.

8 They have set fire upon thy | holy places,

* and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy Name, | even •unto• the ground.

9 Yea, they said in their hearts, Let us make havoc of them | altogether:

* thus have they burnt up all the houses of | God in the land.

10 We see not our tokens; there is not one | prophet more;

* no, not one is there among us, that under- | -standeth any more.

11 O God, how long shall the adversary do | this dishonour?

* shall the enemy blas- | -pheme thy Name for ever?

12 Why withdrawest | thou thy hand?

* why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom | to consume the enemy?

13 For God is my | King of old;

* the help that is done upon earth, he | doeth it himself.

14 Thou didst divide the sea | through thy power;

* thou brakest the heads of the | dragons in the waters.

15 Thou smotest the heads of levia- | -than in pieces,

* and gavest him to be meat for the | people of the wilderness.

16 Thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the | hard rocks;

* thou | driedst• up mighty waters.

17 The day is thine, and the | night is thine;

* thou hast prepared the | light and the sun.

18 Thou hast set all the borders | of the earth;

* thou hast | made •summer• and winter.

19 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy | hath rebuked;

* and how the foolish people | hath blasphemed thy Name.

20 O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude | of the enemies;

* and forget not the congregation | of the poor for ever.

21 Look up- | -on the covenant;

* for all the earth is full of darkness and | cruel habitations.

22 O let not the simple go a- | -way ashamed;

* but let the poor and needy give | praise •unto• thy Name.

23 Arise, O God, maintain thine | own cause;

* remember how the foolish man blas- | -phemeth thee daily.

24 Forget not the voice | of thine enemies:

* the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth | ever more and more.

Glory be to the Father, and | to the Son,

* and | to the Holy Ghost,

As it was in the beginning, is now, and | ever shall be,

* world without | end.  Amen.