To the chief musician upon Shoshannim Eduth, a psalm of Asaph.
1 O Isr’el’s shepherd, give thou ear;
that Joseph lead’st about
like as a flock: that dwell’st between
the Cherubims, shine out.
2 Before Ephr’im and Benjamin,
Manasseh’s tribe also,
do thou stir up thy strength, and come,
and to us safety show.
3 O God return thou us again,
and cause thy countenance
to shine forth upon us; so we
shall have deliverance.
4 Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou
be wroth at thy folks pray’rs?
5 Thou feed’st with bread of tears, and them
to drink giv’st many tears.
6 A strife unto our neighbours us
thou dost also expose:
and scornfully amongst themselves
laugh at us do our foes.
7 O God of hosts, turn us again,
and cause thy countenance
to shine forth upon us, so we
shall have deliverance.
(2)
8 Thou hast brought out of Egypt land
a Vine, thou diddest cast
the heathen people forth, also
this vine thou planted hast.
9 Before it thou prepared hast
a room where it might stand:
deep root thou didst cause it to take
and it did fill the land.
10 Her shade hid hills, and her boughs did
like Cedars great extend.
11 Her boughs to th’ sea, and her branches
she to the flood did send.
12 Why hast thou then her hedges made
quite broken down to lye,
so that all those do pluck at her
that in the way pass by?
13 The Boar from out the wood he doth
by wasting it annoy:
and wild beasts of the field do it
devouringly destroy.
(3)
14 Wee do beseech thee to return
o God of hosts, incline
to look from heaven, and behold,
and visit thou this vine.
15 The vineyard which thou hast also
with thy right hand set fast,
that branch likewise which for thy self
strongly confirm’d thou hast.
16 It is consumed with the fire
and utterly cut down,
perish they do, and that because
thy countenance doth frown.
17 Upon the man of thy right hand
let thine hand present be:
upon the son of man whom thou
hast made so strong for thee
18 So then from henceforth we will not
from thee go back at all:
o do thou quicken us, and we
upon thy name will call.
19 Lord God of hosts, turn us again,
and cause thy countenance
to shine forth upon us, so we
shall have deliverance.