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 [ 5 ]
And * storm outrageously,
And they that hate thee proud and fell
Exalt their heads full hie.
3 Against thy people they † contrive
† Their Plots and Counsels deep, [ 10 ]
* 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 Israels name for ever may [ 15 ]
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. [ 20 ]
6 The tents of Edom and the brood
Of scornful Ishmael,
Moab, with them of Hagars blood
That in the Desart dwell,
7 Gebal and Ammon there conspire, [ 25 ]
And hateful Amalec,
The Philistims, and they of Tyre
Whose bounds the Sea doth check.
8 With them great Asshur also bands
And doth confirm the knot, [ 30 ]
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 [ 35 ]
Thou didst to Jabins hoast,
When at the brook of Kishon old
They were repulst and slain,
10 At Endor quite cut off, and rowl'd
As dung upon the plain. [ 40 ]
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 [ 45 ]
By right now shall we seize
Gods houses, and will now invade
† Their stately Palaces.
13 My God, oh make them as a wheel,
No quiet let them find, [ 50 ]
Giddy and restless let them reel
Like stubble from the wind.
14 As when an aged wood takes fire
Which on a sudden straies,
The greedy flame runs hier and hier [ 55 ]
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. [ 60 ]
17 Asham'd and troubl'd let them be,
Troubl'd and sham'd for ever,
Ever confounded, and so die
With shame, and scape it never.
18 Then shall they know that thou whose name [ 65 ]
Jehova is alone,
Art the most high, and thou the same
O're all the earth art one.