{An Instruction of Asaph} O God, wherefore doest thou cast us so clean away? Why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?

Thou dividest the sea through thy power, thou breakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

Thou smitest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and givest him to be meat for the people in the wilderness.

The day is thine. The night is thine. Thou hast prepared the lights and the sun.

But God is my King of old; the help that is done upon earth, he doeth it himself.

We see not our tokens. There is not one prophet more; no, not one is there among us, that understandeth any more.

O think upon thy congregation, whom thou hast purchased, and redeemed of old; the staff of thine inheritance, whom thou hast redeemed, even this hill of Zion wherein thou dwellest.

Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy rebuketh, and how the foolish people blaspheme thy name.

O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour? How long shall the enemy blaspheme thy name? Forever?

Yea, they say in their hearts, "Let us make havoc of them all together." Thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; thou hast made both summer and winter.

Thou bringest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks; thou driest up mighty rivers.

They have set fire upon thy holy places, and have defiled the dwelling place of thy name, even to the ground.

Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy which hath done evil in thy sanctuary.

O deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove unto the beasts, and forget not the congregation of the poor forever.

Arise, O God, and maintain thine own cause; remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.

Look upon the covenant, for the dark houses of the earth are full of wickedness.

O let not the simple go away ashamed; for the poor and needy give praises unto thy name.

Why withdrawest thou thy hand? Why pluckest thou not thy righthand out of thy bosom, to consume thy enemies?

Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations, and set up their banners for tokens.

He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees was known to bring it to an excellent work.

But now they break down all the carved work thereof with axes and hammers.

Forget not the voice of thine enemies; for the presumption of them that hate thee, increaseth ever more and more.