Psalm 74 J.H.
Words: Sternhold and Hopkins, The Whole Book of Psalms Collected into English Metre
1 Why art thou, Lord, so long from us
in all this danger deep?
Why doth thy anger kindle thus
at thy own pasture sheep?
2 Lord, call the people to thy thought
which have been thine so long,
The which thou hast redeemed and brought
from bondage sore and strong.
3 Have mind therefore, and think upon,
remember it full well,
Thy pleasant place, thy mount Zion,
where thou wast wont to dwell.
4 Lift up thy feet, and come in haste,
and all thy foes deface,
Who now at pleasure rob and waste
within thy holy place.
5 Amidst thy congregations all
thy foes do roar, O God;
They set as signs on ev'ry wall
banners displayed abroad:
6 As men with axes hew down trees
that on the hills do grow,
So shine the bills and swords of these
within thy temple now.
7 The cieling fine, and carved boards,
with all the goodly stones,
With axes, hammers, bills and swords,
they beat them down at once.
8 Thy places they consume with flame,
their rage doth so abound;
The house appointed to thy Name,
they raise e'en to the ground.
9 And thus they say within their heart,
Dispatch them out of hand:
Then burn they up in ev'ry, part.
God's houses through the land.
10 Yet thou no sign of help dost send,
our prophets all are gone
To tell when this our plague shall end
among us there is none.
11 How long, Lord, shall thy enemies
thus boldly thee defame?
Shall they for evermore blaspheme
thy great and holy Name?
12 Why dost thou thy right hand withdraw
from us so long away?
Out of thy bosom pluck it forth
With speed thy foes to slay.
The Second Part.
13 O God, thou art our King and Lord,
and evermore hast been;
Yea, thy good grace throughout the world
for our great help is seen.
14 The seas that are so deep and dead,
thy might did make them dry;
And thou didst break the serpent's head,
that he therein did die.
15 Yea, thou didst break the beads so great
of whales that are most fell.
And gav'st them to the folk to eat
that in the deserts dwell.
16 Thou mad'st a spring with streams to rise
from rocks both hard and him;
Thy mighty hand hath made likewise
deep waters to be dry.
17 Both day and night also are thine,
by thee they were began;
And thou likewise prepared hast
the light of moon and sun.
18 Thou didst appoint the ends and coasts
of all the earth about;
Both summer heats and winter frosts
thy hand hath found them out.
19 Think on, O Lord, no time forget
thy foes that thee defame,
And how the foolish folk are set
to rail upon thy Name.
20 Deliver not the soul, O Lord,
of thine own turtle-dove
Into their hands, but help afford
the poor, whom thou dost love.
21 Regard, O Lord, thy covenant,
behold our misery;
All the dark places of the earth
are full of cruelty.
22 Let not the simple man therefore
be turn-ed back with shame;
But let the needy evermore
give praise unto thy Name.
23 Arise, O Lord, and plead thy cause
against thy enemies,
Who daily do reject thy laws,
and them with scorn despise:
24 The voice forget not of thy foes,
for the presumption high
Is more and more increased of those
that hate thee spitefully.
