Psalm 83

Common Metre (8,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes: 123 St Neot, 146 Wigtown

1    Keep not, O God, we thee entreat,

            O keep not silence now:

      Do thou not hold thy peace, O God,

            and still no more be thou.

2    For, lo, thine enemies a noise

            tumultuously have made;

      And they that haters are of thee

            have lifted up the head.

3    Against thy chosen people they

            do crafty counsel take:

      And they against thy hidden ones

            do consultations make.

4    Come, let us cut them off, said they,

            from being a nation,

      That of the name of Isr’el may

            no more be mention.

5    For with joint heart they plot, in league

            against thee they combine.

6    The tents of Edom, Ishm’elites,

            Moab’s and Hagar’s line;

7    Gebal, and Ammon, Amalek,

            Philistines, those of Tyre;

8    And Assur join’d with them, to help

            Lot’s children they conspire.

9    Do to them as to Midian,

            Jabin at Kison strand;

10  And Sis’ra, which at En-dor fell,

            as dung to fat the land.

11  Like Oreb and like Zeeb make

            their noble men to fall;

      Like Zeba and Zalmunna like,

            make thou their princes all;

12  Who said, For our possession

            let us God’s houses take.

13  My God, them like a wheel, as chaff

            before the wind, them make.

14  As fire consumes the wood, as flame

            doth mountains set on fire,

15  Chase and affright them with the storm

            and tempest of thine ire.

16  Their faces fill with shame, O Lord,

            that they may seek thy name.

17  Let them confounded be, and vex’d,

            and perish in their shame:

18  That men may know that thou, to whom

            alone doth appertain

      The name JEHOVAH, dost most high

            o’er all the earth remain.

16  And I will constantly go on

            in strength of God the Lord;

      And thine own righteousness, ev’n thine

            alone, I will record.

17  For even from my youth, O God,

            by thee I have been taught;

      And hitherto I have declar’d

            the wonders thou hast wrought.

18  And now, Lord, leave me not, when I

            old and gray-headed grow:

      Till to this age thy strength and pow’r

            to all to come I shew.

19  And thy most perfect righteousness,

            O Lord, is very high,

      Who has so great things done: O God,

            who is like unto thee?

20  Thou, Lord, who great adversities,

            and sore, to me didst shew,

      Shalt quicken, and bring me again

            from depths of earth below.

21  My greatness and my pow’r thou wilt

            increase, and far extend:

      On ev’ry side against all grief

            thou wilt me comfort send.

22  Thee, ev’n thy truth, I’ll also praise,

            my God, with psaltery:

      Thou Holy One of Israel,

            with harp I’ll sing to thee.

23  My lips shall much rejoice in thee,

            when I thy praises sound;

      My soul, which thou redeemed hast,

            in joy shall much abound.

24  My tongue thy justice shall proclaim,

            continuing all day long;

      For they confounded are, and sham’d,

            that seek to do me wrong.