(A psalm by Asaph for the music leader. To the tune “Lilies of the Agreement.”)
Help Our Nation
1 Shepherd of Israel, you lead
the descendants of Joseph,
and you sit on your throne
above the winged creatures.
Listen to our prayer
and let your light shine
2 for the tribes of Ephraim,
Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Save us by your power.
3 Our God, make us strong again!
Smile on us and save us.
4 Lord God All-Powerful,
how much longer
will the prayers of your people
make you angry?
5 You gave us tears for food,
and you made us drink them
by the bowlful.
6 Because of you,
our enemies who live nearby
laugh and joke about us.
7 Our God, make us strong again!
Smile on us and save us.
8 We were like a grapevine
you brought out of Egypt.
You chased other nations away
and planted us here.
9 Then you cleared the ground,
and we put our roots deep,
spreading over the land.
10 Shade from this vine covered
the mountains.
Its branches climbed
the mighty cedars
11 and stretched to the sea;
its new growth reached
to the river.
12 Our Lord, why have you
torn down the wall
from around the vineyard?
You let everyone who walks by
pick the grapes.
13 Now the vine is gobbled up
by pigs from the forest
and other wild animals.
14 God All-Powerful,
please do something!
Look down from heaven
and see what's happening
to this vine.
15 With your own hands
you planted its roots,
and you raised it
as your very own.
16 Enemies chopped the vine down
and set it on fire.
Now show your anger
and destroy them.
17 But help the one who sits
at your right side,
the one you raised
to be your very own.
18 Then we will never turn away.
Put new life into us,
and we will worship you.
19 Lord God All-Powerful,
make us strong again!
Smile on us and save us.
1 To him that excelleth on Shoshannim Eduth. A Psalme committed to Asaph. Heare, O thou Shepheard of Israel, thou that leadest Ioseph like sheepe: shewe thy brightnes, thou that sittest betweene the Cherubims. 2 Before Ephraim and Beniamin and Manasseh stirre vp thy strength, and come to helpe vs. 3 Turne vs againe, O God, and cause thy face to shine that we may be saued. 4 O Lord God of hostes, how long wilt thou be angrie against the prayer of thy people? 5 Thou hast fedde them with the bread of teares, and giuen them teares to drinke with great measure. 6 Thou hast made vs a strife vnto our neighbours, and our enemies laugh at vs among themselues. 7 Turne vs againe, O God of hostes: cause thy face to shine, and we shalbe saued. 8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. 9 Thou madest roume for it, and didest cause it to take roote, and it filled the land. 10 The mountaines were couered with the shadowe of it, and the boughes thereof were like the goodly cedars. 11 Shee stretched out her branches vnto the Sea, and her boughes vnto the Riuer. 12 Why hast thou then broken downe her hedges, so that all they, which passe by the way, haue plucked her? 13 The wilde bore out of the wood hath destroyed it, and the wilde beastes of the fielde haue eaten it vp. 14 Returne we beseech thee, O God of hostes: looke downe from heauen and beholde and visite this vine, 15 And the vineyard, that thy right hand hath planted, and the young vine, which thou madest strong for thy selfe. 16 It is burnt with fire and cut downe: and they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. 17 Let thine hande be vpon the man of thy right hande, and vpon the sonne of man, whome thou madest strong for thine owne selfe. 18 So will not we goe backe from thee: reuiue thou vs, and we shall call vpon thy Name. 19 Turne vs againe, O Lord God of hostes: cause thy face to shine and we shalbe saued.