A Psalm for the Church persecuted by Her enemies within

Psalm 73 Douay-Rheims  

1 Understanding for Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end: why is thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast possessed from the beginning. The sceptre of thy inheritance which thou hast redeemed: mount Sion in which thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up thy hands against their pride unto the end; see what things the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

4 And they that hate thee have made their boasts, in the midst of thy solemnity. They have set up their ensigns for signs,

5 And they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,

6 They have cut down at once the gates thereof, with axe and hatchet they have brought it down.

7 They have set fire to thy sanctuary: they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name on the earth.

8 They said in their heart, the whole kindred of them together: Let us abolish all the festival days of God from the land.

9 Our signs we have not seen, there is now no prophet: and he will know us no more.

10 How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach: is the adversary to provoke thy name for ever?

11 Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever?

12 But God is our king before ages: he hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.

14 Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians.

15 Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.

16 Thine is the day, and thine is the night: thou hast made the morning light and the sun.

17 Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.

18 Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.

19 Deliver not up to beasts the souls that confess to thee: and forget not to the end the souls of thy poor.

20 Have regard to thy covenant: for they that are the obscure of the earth have been filled with dwellings of iniquity.

21 Let not the humble be turned away with confusion: the poor and needy shall praise thy name.

22 Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.

23 Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.