Vt quid Deus? Ps.74.I.H.

A complaint of the destruction of the Church and true Religion, under the name of Zion, and the Altars destroyed. But trusting in the might and free mercies of God by his covenant, he requireth help and succor, to the glory of his name, the salvation of his poor afflicted servants, and the confusion of his proud enemies.

The first part (Psalm 74)

The second part (Psalm 74)

Why art thou Lord so long from us,

in all this danger deep?

Why doth thine anger kindle thus

at thine 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.

Have mind I say, and think upon,

remember it full well:

Thy pleasant place, thy mount Zion,

where thou wast wont to dwell.

3 Lift up thy foot, and come in haste,

and all thy foes deface:

Which now at pleasure rob and waste

within thy holy place.

4 Amid the Congregations all

thy enemies roar O God:

They set as signs on every wall

their banners splayed abroad.

5 As men with axes hew down trees,

that on the hills do grow:

So shine the bills and swords of these,

within the temple now.

6 The feeling swayed, the carved boards,

the goodly graven stones,

With axes, hammers, bills, and swords,

they bear them down at once.

7 Thy places they consume with flame,

and eke in all this toil

The house appointed to thy name,

they raze down to the soil.

8 And thus they said within their heart,

dispatch them out of hand:

Then burnt they up in everyplace,

God’s houses through the land.

9 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.

10 When wilt thou Lord once end this shame

and cease thine enemies strong.

Shall they always blaspheme thy name,

and rail on thee so long?

11 Why dost withdraw thy hand aback,

and hide it in thy lap?

O pluck it out, and be not slack

to give thy foes a rap.

12 O God thou art my king and Lord,
and evermore hast been:
Yea, thy good grace throughout the world,
for our good help hath seen.

13 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.

14 Ye thou didst break the head so great
of Whales that are so fell:
And gav’st them to thy folk to eat,
that in the deserts dwell.

15 Thou made’st a spring with streams to rise
from rocks both hard and high:
And eke thy hand hath make likewise
deep rivers to be dry.

16 Both day and eke the night are thine,
by thee they were begun:
Thou set’st to serve us with their shine
the light and eke the Sun.

17 Thou dost appoint the ends and coasts
of all the earth about:
Both summer heats, and winter frost,
thy hand hath found them out.

18 Think on O Lord, no time forget
thy foes that thee defame:
And how the foolish folk are set
to rail upon thy name.

19 O let no cruel beast devour
the Turtle that is true:
Forget not always in thy power
the poor that much do rue.

20 Regard thy covenant, and behold
thy foes possess the land:
All sad and dark, foreworn and old,
our realm as now doth stand.

21 Let not the simple go away
with disappointed shame:
But let the poor and needy aye,
give praise unto thy name.

22 Rise Lord, let be by thee maintained
the cause that is thine own:
Remember how that thou blasphemed
art by the foolish one:

23 The voice forget not of thy foes,
for the presuming high,
Is more and more increased of those,
that hate thee spitefully.