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Psalm 74

A psalm[a] of Asaph.

O God, why have you rejected us so long?
    Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?
Remember that we are the people you chose long ago,
    the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession!
    And remember Jerusalem,[b] your home here on earth.
Walk through the awful ruins of the city;
    see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary.

There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries;
    there they set up their battle standards.
They swung their axes
    like woodcutters in a forest.
With axes and picks,
    they smashed the carved paneling.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground.
    They defiled the place that bears your name.
Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!”
    So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped.

We no longer see your miraculous signs.
    All the prophets are gone,
    and no one can tell us when it will end.
10 How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you?
    Will you let them dishonor your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your strong right hand?
    Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them.

12 You, O God, are my king from ages past,
    bringing salvation to the earth.
13 You split the sea by your strength
    and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan[c]
    and let the desert animals eat him.
15 You caused the springs and streams to gush forth,
    and you dried up rivers that never run dry.
16 Both day and night belong to you;
    you made the starlight[d] and the sun.
17 You set the boundaries of the earth,
    and you made both summer and winter.

18 See how these enemies insult you, Lord.
    A foolish nation has dishonored your name.
19 Don’t let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves.
    Don’t forget your suffering people forever.

20 Remember your covenant promises,
    for the land is full of darkness and violence!
21 Don’t let the downtrodden be humiliated again.
    Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name.

22 Arise, O God, and defend your cause.
    Remember how these fools insult you all day long.
23 Don’t overlook what your enemies have said
    or their growing uproar.

Footnotes

  1. 74:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
  2. 74:2 Hebrew Mount Zion.
  3. 74:14 The identification of Leviathan is disputed, ranging from an earthly creature to a mythical sea monster in ancient literature.
  4. 74:16 Or moon; Hebrew reads light.

Psalm 74

A maskil[a] of Asaph.

O God, why have you rejected(A) us forever?(B)
    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(C)
Remember the nation you purchased(D) long ago,(E)
    the people of your inheritance,(F) whom you redeemed(G)
    Mount Zion,(H) where you dwelt.(I)
Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(J)
    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

Your foes roared(K) in the place where you met with us;
    they set up their standards(L) as signs.
They behaved like men wielding axes
    to cut through a thicket of trees.(M)
They smashed all the carved(N) paneling
    with their axes and hatchets.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
    they defiled(O) the dwelling place(P) of your Name.(Q)
They said in their hearts, “We will crush(R) them completely!”
    They burned(S) every place where God was worshiped in the land.

We are given no signs from God;(T)
    no prophets(U) are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long(V) will the enemy mock(W) you, God?
    Will the foe revile(X) your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?(Y)
    Take it from the folds of your garment(Z) and destroy them!

12 But God is my King(AA) from long ago;
    he brings salvation(AB) on the earth.

13 It was you who split open the sea(AC) by your power;
    you broke the heads of the monster(AD) in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan(AE)
    and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.(AF)
15 It was you who opened up springs(AG) and streams;
    you dried up(AH) the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
    you established the sun and moon.(AI)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries(AJ) of the earth;
    you made both summer and winter.(AK)

18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
    how foolish people(AL) have reviled your name.
19 Do not hand over the life of your dove(AM) to wild beasts;
    do not forget the lives of your afflicted(AN) people forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant,(AO)
    because haunts of violence fill the dark places(AP) of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed(AQ) retreat in disgrace;
    may the poor and needy(AR) praise your name.
22 Rise up,(AS) O God, and defend your cause;
    remember how fools(AT) mock you all day long.
23 Do not ignore the clamor(AU) of your adversaries,(AV)
    the uproar(AW) of your enemies,(AX) which rises continually.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 74:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

74 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.