Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PSALM 83, by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PSALM 83, by                    
First Line: Be not thou silent now at length
Last Line: O'er all the earth art one.


1 Be not thou silent now at length,
O God hold not thy peace,
Sit not thou still O God of strength,
We cry and do not cease.
2 For lo thy furious foes now swell
And storm outrageously,
And they that hate thee proud and fell
Exalt their heads full high.
3 Against thy people they contrive
Their plots and counsels deep;
Them to ensnare they chiefly strive
Whom thou dost hide and keep.
4 Come let us cut them off say they,
Till they no nation be,
That Israel's name for ever may
Be lost in memory.
5 For they consult with all their might,
And all as one in mind
Themselves against thee they unite
And in firm union bind.
6 The tents of Edom, and the brood
Of scornful Ishmael,
Moab, with them of Hagar's blood
That in the desert dwell,
7 Gebal and Ammon there conspire,
And hateful Amalek,
The Philistines, and they of Tyre
Whose bounds the sea doth check.
8 With them great Ashur also bands
And doth confirm the knot;
All these have lent their armed hands
To aid the sons of Lot.
9 Do to them as to Midian bold
That wasted all the coast,
To Sisera, and as is told
Thou didst to Jabin's host,
When at the brook of Kishon old
They were repulsed and slain,
10 At Endor quite cut off, and rolled
As dung upon the plain.
11 As Zeb and Oreb evil sped
So let their princes speed;
As Zeba, and Zalmunna bled
So let their princes bleed.
12 For they amidst their pride have said
By right now shall we seize
God's houses, and will now invade
Their stately palaces
13 My God, O make them as a wheel,
No quiet let them find,
Giddy and restless let them reel
Like stubble from the wind.
14 As when an aged wood takes fire
Which on a sudden strays,
The greedy flame runs higher and higher
Till all the mountains blaze;
15 So with thy whirlwind them pursue,
And with thy tempest chase;
16 And till they yield thee honour due,
Lord fill with shame their face.
17 Ashamed and troubled let them be,
Troubled and shamed for ever,
Ever confounded, and so die
With shame, and 'scape it never.
18 Then shall they know that thou whose name
Jehovah is alone,
Art the most high, and thou the same
O'er all the earth art one.





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