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Psalm 74

Maschil of Asaph.

O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?
why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old;
the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed;
this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations;
even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations;
they set up their ensigns for signs.
A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.
They have cast fire into thy sanctuary,
they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.
They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together:
they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet:
neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach?
shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand?
pluck it out of thy bosom.

12 For God is my King of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength:
thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces,
and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood:
thou driedst up mighty rivers.
16 The day is thine, the night also is thine:
thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth:
thou hast made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord,
and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.
19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked:
forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.
20 Have respect unto the covenant:
for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed:
let the poor and needy praise thy name.

22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause:
remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.
23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies:
the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

A Plea for Relief from Oppressors

A [a]Contemplation of Asaph.

74 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
(A)Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
(B)They set up their banners for signs.
They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.
And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.
They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
(C)They said in their hearts,
“Let us [b]destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

We do not see our signs;
(D)There is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
10 O God, how long will the adversary [c]reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
11 (E)Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
12 For (F)God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 (G)You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the [d]sea serpents in the waters.
14 You broke the heads of [e]Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 (H)You broke open the fountain and the flood;
(I)You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is Yours, the night also is (J)Yours;
(K)You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have (L)set all the borders of the earth;
(M)You have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20 (N)Have respect to the covenant;
For the [f]dark places of the earth are full of the [g]haunts of [h]cruelty.
21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man [i]reproaches You daily.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 74:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 74:8 oppress
  3. Psalm 74:10 revile
  4. Psalm 74:13 sea monsters
  5. Psalm 74:14 A large sea creature of unknown identity
  6. Psalm 74:20 hiding places
  7. Psalm 74:20 homes
  8. Psalm 74:20 violence
  9. Psalm 74:22 reviles or taunts

Psalm 74

A Contemplative Maskil of Asaph.

O God, why have You cast us off forever?
    Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
    the rod of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed,
    this Mount Zion, where You have lived.
Move Your footsteps to the perpetual desolations,
    to all the harm the enemy has done in the sanctuary.

Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
    they set up their miracles for signs.
They seem like men who lift up axes
    on a thicket of trees.
But now they strike down its carved work altogether
    with axes and hammers.
They have cast fire into Your sanctuary;
    they have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy them together.”
    They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

We do not see our signs;
    there is no longer any prophet,
    nor is there among us any who knows how long.
10 O God, how long will the adversary scorn?
    Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, Your right hand?
    Draw it out of Your bosom and destroy them!

12 For God is my King of old,
    working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by Your strength;
    You broke the heads of the dragons on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
    and gave him for food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 You split the fountain and the flood;
    You dried up ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
    You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have established all the borders of the earth;
    You have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy has scorned, O Lord,
    and that the foolish people have blasphemed Your name.
19 Do not give the life of Your turtledove to a wild animal;
    do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20 Have regard for the covenant;
    for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of violence.
21 May the oppressed not return ashamed;
    may the poor and needy praise Your name.
22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
    remember how the fool insults You daily.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies,
    the tumult of those who rise up against You continually.

Súplica en contra del enemigo

Masquil de Asaf.

74 Dios nuestro, ¿por qué nos has desechado para siempre?
¿Por qué te has enojado contra las ovejas de tu prado?
Acuérdate de tu congregación,
la que adquiriste desde tiempos antiguos,
la que rescataste para hacer de ella tu propio pueblo;
acuérdate del monte Sión, donde has habitado.
Ven a ver estas ruinas interminables:
¡mira cuánto daño ha hecho el enemigo en tu santuario!

En medio de tus asambleas tus enemigos vociferan;
han izado sus banderas en señal de victoria.
Levantan sus hachas y hacen destrozos,
como leñadores en medio de un tupido bosque.
¡Todos los tallados en madera
los han hecho pedazos con sus hachas y martillos!
¡Le han prendido fuego a tu santuario!
¡Han profanado y derribado el tabernáculo a tu nombre!
Se dijeron: «¡Destruyamos todo de una vez!»,
y quemaron todas las sinagogas de Dios en la tierra.

¡Ya no vemos nuestras banderas!
¡Ya no hay profetas entre nosotros,
ni nadie que nos diga cuánto más tenemos que aguantar!

10 Dios nuestro, ¿hasta cuándo nos afrentará el enemigo?
¿Hasta cuándo el enemigo ofenderá tu nombre?
11 ¿Por qué te quedas cruzado de brazos?
¿Por qué escondes en el pecho tu diestra?

12 Dios mío, tú eres mi rey desde tiempos antiguos;
tú eres quien salva en medio de la tierra.
13 Con tu poder;(A) partiste el mar en dos
y en las aguas rompiste las cabezas de los monstruos.
14 Aplastaste las cabezas del leviatán,(B)
y lo diste por comida a los habitantes del desierto.
15 Abriste los manantiales y los ríos,
y dejaste secos torrentes impetuosos.
16 Tuyo es el día, tuya es también la noche,
pues tú estableciste el sol y la luna.
17 Tú estableciste todos los límites de la tierra,
y formaste el verano y el invierno.

18 Acuérdate, Señor, que el enemigo te ha ofendido,
y que un pueblo insensato ha blasfemado tu nombre.
19 ¡No entregues a las fieras la vida de tus tórtolas!
¡No olvides para siempre a tu pueblo afligido!
20 Acuérdate del pacto que hiciste con nosotros,
pues la tierra está llena de oscuridad y violencia.
21 No permitas que los afligidos sean avergonzados;
así alabarán tu nombre los afligidos y los menesterosos.

22 Dios mío, ¡levántate y defiende tu causa!
Acuérdate que los necios te ofenden cada día.
23 No te olvides de los gritos de tus enemigos,
cuyo alboroto a todas horas va en aumento.