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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.

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