Psalms 74
1 Maschil. Of Asaph. Of God, why have you put us away from you for ever? why is the fire of your wrath smoking against the sheep who are your care?
AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock of Your pasture.
2 Keep in mind your band of worshippers, for whom you gave payment in the days which are past, whom you took for yourself as the people of your heritage; even this mountain of Zion, which has been your resting-place.
Remember Your congregation [That] You purchased of old, You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, This Mount Zion—You dwelt in it.
3 Go up and see the unending destruction; all the evil which your haters have done in the holy place;
Lift up Your steps to the continuous desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.
4 Sending out their voices like lions among your worshippers; they have put up their signs to be seen.
Your adversaries have roared, In the midst of Your meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.
5 They are cutting down, like a man whose blade is lifted up against the thick trees.
He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood—axes.
6 Your doors are broken down with hammers and iron blades.
And now they break down its engravings, Together, with axe and hatchet,
7 They have put on fire your holy place; they have made the place of your name unclean, pulling it down to the earth.
They have sent Your sanctuary into fire, They defiled the Dwelling Place of Your Name to the earth,
8 They have said in their hearts, Let us put an end to them all together; they have given over to the fire all God's places of worship 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 We do not see our signs: there is no longer any prophet, or anyone among us to say how long.
We have not seen our ensigns, There is no longer a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.
10 O God, how long will those who are against us say cruel things? will the hater go on looking down on your name for ever?
Until when, O God, does an adversary reproach? Does an enemy despise Your Name forever?
11 Why are you keeping back your hand, and covering your right hand in your robe?
Why do You turn back Your hand, Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.
12 For from the past God is my King, working salvation in the earth.
And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 The sea was parted in two by your strength; the heads of the great sea-beasts were broken.
You have divided [the] sea by Your strength, You have shattered heads of dragons by the waters,
14 The heads of the great snake were crushed by you; you gave them as food to the fishes of the sea.
You have broken the heads of leviathan, You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers.
15 You made valleys for fountains and springs; you made the ever-flowing rivers dry.
You have cleaved a fountain and a stream, You have dried up perennial flowings.
16 The day is yours and the night is yours: you made the light and the sun.
The day [is] Yours, The night [is] also Yours, You have prepared a light-giver—the sun.
17 By you all the limits of the earth were fixed; you have made summer and winter.
You have set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter—You have formed them.
18 Keep this in mind, O Lord, that your haters have said cruel things, and that your name has been looked down on by a people of evil behaviour.
Remember this—an enemy reproached YHWH, And a foolish people have despised Your Name.
19 O give not the soul of your dove to the hawk; let not the life of the poor go out of your memory for ever.
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 Keep in mind your undertaking; for the dark places of the earth are full of pride and cruel acts.
Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.
21 O let not the crushed be turned back in shame; let the low man and the poor give praise to your name.
Do not let the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Your Name,
22 Up! O God, be the judge of your cause; keep in mind the bitter things which the man of evil behaviour says against you every day.
Arise, O God, plead Your plea, Remember Your reproach from a fool all the day.
23 Keep in mind the voice of your haters; the outcry of those who come against you goes up every day.
Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, The noise of Your withstanders is going up continually!
