Psalms 74

1 A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock of Your pasture.

2 Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance— Mount Zion where You dwell.

Remember Your congregation [That] You purchased of old, You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, This Mount Zion—You dwelt in it.

3 Turn Your steps to the everlasting ruins, to everything in the sanctuary the enemy has destroyed.

Lift up Your steps to the continuous desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.

4 Your foes have roared within Your meeting place; they have unfurled their banners as signs,

Your adversaries have roared, In the midst of Your meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.

5 like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees

He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood—axes.

6 and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks.

And now they break down its engravings, Together, with axe and hatchet,

7 They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.

They have sent Your sanctuary into fire, They defiled the Dwelling Place of Your Name to the earth,

8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely.” They burned down every place where God met us in the land.

They said in their hearts, “Let us oppress them together,” They burned all the meeting-places of God in the land.

9 There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last.

We have not seen our ensigns, There is no longer a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.

10 How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You? Will the foe revile Your name forever?

Until when, O God, does an adversary reproach? Does an enemy despise Your Name forever?

11 Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!

Why do You turn back Your hand, Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.

12 Yet God is my King from ancient times, working salvation on the earth.

And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;

You have divided [the] sea by Your strength, You have shattered heads of dragons by the waters,

14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.

You have broken the heads of leviathan, You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers.

15 You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.

You have cleaved a fountain and a stream, You have dried up perennial flowings.

16 The day is Yours, and also the night; You established the moon and the sun.

The day [is] Yours, The night [is] also Yours, You have prepared a light-giver—the sun.

17 You set all the boundaries of the earth; You made the summer and winter.

You have set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter—You have formed them.

18 Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD, how a foolish people has spurned Your name.

Remember this—an enemy reproached YHWH, And a foolish people have despised Your Name.

19 Do not deliver the soul of Your dove to beasts; do not forget the lives of Your afflicted forever.

Do not give up to a [wild] creature, The soul of Your turtle-dove, Do not forget the life of Your poor ones forever.

20 Consider Your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.

Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.

21 Do not let the oppressed retreat in shame; may the poor and needy praise Your name.

Do not let the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Your Name,

22 Rise up, O God; defend Your cause! Remember how the fool mocks You all day long.

Arise, O God, plead Your plea, Remember Your reproach from a fool all the day.

23 Do not disregard the clamor of Your adversaries, the uproar of Your enemies that ascends continually.

Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, The noise of Your withstanders is going up continually!