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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PSALM 80 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE

First Line: THOU SHEPHERD THAT DOST ISRAEL KEEP
Last Line: AND THEN WE SHALL BE SAFE.
I Thou Shepherd that dost Israel @3keep@1,
Give ear @3in time of need@1,
Who leadest like a flock of sheep
@3Thy loved@1 Joseph's seed,
That sitt'st between the Cherubs @3bright
Between their wings outspread@1,
Shine forth, @3and from thy cloud give light@1,
@3And on our foes thy dread@1.
2 In Ephraim's view and Benjamin's,
And in Manasseh's sight,
Awake thy strength, come, and @3be seen
To@1 save us @3by thy might@1.
3 Turn us again, @3thy grace divine
To us@1 O God @3vouchsafe@1;
Cause thou thy face on us to shine
And then we shall be safe.
4 Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou,
How long wilt thou declare
Thy smoking wrath @3and angry brow@1
Against thy people's prayer?
5 Thou feed'st them with the bread of tears,
Their bread with tears they eat,
And mak'st them largely drink the tears
@3Wherewith their tears are wet@1.
6 A strife thou mak'st us @3and a prey@1
To every neighbour foe;
Among themselves they laugh, they play,
And flouts at us they throw.
7 Return us, @3and thy grace divine@1,
O God of Hosts @3vouchsafe@1;
Cause thou thy face on us to shine,
And then we shall be safe.
8 A vine from Egypt thou hast brought,
@3Thy free love made it shine@1,
And drov'st out nations @3proud and haught@1
To plant this @3lovely@1 vine.
9 Thou didst prepare for it a place
And root it deep and fast
That it @3began to grow apace,
And@1 filled the land @3at last@1.
10 With her @3green@1 shade @3that@1 covered @3all@1,
The hills were @3overspread@1;
Her boughs @3as high as@1 cedars tall
@3Advanced their lofty head@1.
11 Her branches @3on the western side@1
Down to the sea she sent,
And @3upward@1 to that river @3wide@1
Her other branches @3went@1.
12 Why hast thou laid her hedges low
And broken down her fence,
That all may pluck her, as they go,
@3With rudest violence@1?
13 The @3tusked@1 boar out of the wood
Upturns it by the roots,
Wild beasts there browse, and make their food
@3Her grapes and tender shoots@1.
14 Return now, God of Hosts, look down
From Heav'n, thy seat divine,
Behold @3us, but without a frown@1,
And visit this @3thy@1 vine.
15 Visit this vine, which thy right hand
Hath set, and planted @3long@1,
And the young branch, that for thyself
Thou hast made firm and strong.
16 But now it is consumed with fire,
And cut @3with axes@1 down;
They perish at thy dreadful ire,
At thy rebuke and frown.
17 Upon the man of thy right hand
Let thy @3good@1 hand be @3laid@1,
Upon the Son of Man, whom thou
Strong for thyself hast made.
18 So shall we not go back from thee
@3To ways of sin and shame@1,
Quicken us thou, then @3gladly@1 we
Shall call upon thy name.
Return us, @3and thy grace divine@1
Lord God of Hosts @3vouchsafe@1,
Cause thou thy face on us to shine,
And then we shall be safe.



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