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?
God, why have you abandoned/rejected us? Will you keep rejecting us forever [RHQ]? Why are you angry with us, since we are like sheep in your pasture [and you are like our shepherd]? [MET, RHQ]
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.
Do not forget your people whom you chose long ago, the people whom you freed [from being slaves in Egypt] and caused to become your tribe. Do not forget Jerusalem, which was (your home/where you dwelt) [on this earth].
3 Go up and see the unending destruction; all the evil which your haters have done in the holy place;
Walk along [and see] where everything has been totally ruined; our enemies have destroyed everything in the sacred temple.
4 Sending out their voices like lions among your worshippers; they have put up their signs to be seen.
Your enemies shouted triumphantly in this sacred place; they erected their banners [to show they had defeated us].
5 They are cutting down, like a man whose blade is lifted up against the thick trees.
They cut down all the [engraved objects in the temple] like woodsmen cut down trees.
6 Your doors are broken down with hammers and iron blades.
Then they smashed all the carved wood with their axes and hammers.
7 They have put on fire your holy place; they have made the place of your name unclean, pulling it down to the earth.
[Then] they burned your temple to the ground; they caused that place where you were worshiped to be unfit for people to worship in.
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 to themselves, “We will destroy the Israelis completely,” and they [also] burned down all the other places where we gathered to worship God.
9 We do not see our signs: there is no longer any prophet, or anyone among us to say how long.
All our sacred symbols (OR, miracles) are gone; there are no prophets now/any more, and no one knows how long [this situation will continue].
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?
God, how long will our enemies make fun of you [RHQ]? Will they insult you [MTY] forever [RHQ]?
11 Why are you keeping back your hand, and covering your right hand in your robe?
Why do you refuse to help [MTY, RHQ] us? Why do you keep your hand inside your cloak [instead of using it to destroy our enemies] [RHQ]?
12 For from the past God is my King, working salvation in the earth.
God, you have been our king [all the time] since we came out of Egypt [HYP], and you have enabled us to defeat [our enemies] in the land [of Israel].
13 The sea was parted in two by your strength; the heads of the great sea-beasts were broken.
By your power you caused the [Red] Sea to divide; [it was as though] you smashed the heads of the [rulers of Egypt who were like] huge sea dragons [MET].
14 The heads of the great snake were crushed by you; you gave them as food to the fishes of the sea.
[It was as though] you crushed the head of the king of Egypt [MET] and gave his body to the animals in the desert to eat.
15 You made valleys for fountains and springs; you made the ever-flowing rivers dry.
You caused springs and streams to flow, and you [also] dried up rivers that had never dried up previously.
16 The day is yours and the night is yours: you made the light and the sun.
You created the days and the nights, and you put the sun and the moon in their places.
17 By you all the limits of the earth were fixed; you have made summer and winter.
You determined where the oceans end and the land begins, and you created the summer/hot season and the winter/cold season.
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.
Yahweh, do not forget that your enemies laugh at you, and that it is foolish people who despise you [MTY].
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 let your helpless people [MET] fall into the hands of their cruel enemies; do not forget your suffering/persecuted people.
20 Keep in mind your undertaking; for the dark places of the earth are full of pride and cruel acts.
Do not forget the agreement that you made with us; remember that there are violent people in every dark place on the earth.
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 allow your oppressed people to be disgraced; help those poor and needy people in order that they will [again] praise you [MTY].
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.
God, arise and defend yourself [by defending your people]! Do not forget that foolish people laugh at you (all day long/continually)!
23 Keep in mind the voice of your haters; the outcry of those who come against you goes up every day.
Do not forget that your enemies shout angrily [at you]; the uproar that they make [while they oppose you] never stops.
