Psalms 74
1 A psalm (maskil) of Asaph. God, why have you rejected us? Is it forever? Why does your anger burn so hot against the sheep of your own field?
O God, why have you cast us off for ever? why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember the people you made your own long ago, the tribe you redeemed and made your own. Remember too Mount Zion, the place where you live.
Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old; the rod of your inheritance, which you have redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein you have dwelled.
3 Come and walk through the complete devastation. The enemy has totally destroyed your Temple.
Lift up your feet to the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy has done wickedly in the sanctuary.
4 The enemy shouted in triumph right where you met with us. There they set up their war banners as signs of their victory.
Your enemies roar in the middle of your congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.
5 They acted like men chopping down a forest with axes.
A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes on the thick trees.
6 With axes and hammers they smashed in the carved wooden panels.
But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.
7 Then they set fire to your Temple, burning it to the ground. They defiled the place where you live, the place that bears your name.
They have cast fire into your sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of your name to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, “Let's destroy it all!” So they burned down every place where God was worshiped throughout the land.
They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
9 We no longer see any signs. There are no prophets left. And no one among us knows how long this will last.
We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knows how long.
10 How long will the enemy ridicule you, God? Will they insult your character forever?
O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme your name for ever?
11 Why do you hold back from doing something? Take action and destroy them!
Why withdraw you your hand, even your right hand? pluck it out of your bosom.
12 But you, God, are our king from long ago. You have saved us many times in the land.
For God is my King of old, working salvation in the middle of the earth.
13 You were the one who split apart the sea by your strength; you broke the heads of the sea monsters.
You did divide the sea by your strength: you brake the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 You were the one who crushed the heads of Leviathan, and you gave its body to the desert animals to eat.
You brake the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 You were the one who made springs and rivers flow with water. You made permanent rivers dry up.
You did split the fountain and the flood: you dried up mighty rivers.
16 You created the day, and also the night; you made the moon and the sun.
The day is yours, the night also is yours: you have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You set the boundaries of the earth; you made summer and winter.
You have set all the borders of the earth: you have made summer and winter.
18 So keep in mind how the enemy ridiculed you, Lord, and how irreverent people insulted your reputation.
Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed your name.
19 Don't let wild animals kill your turtledoves! Don't abandon your people forever!
O deliver not the soul of your turtledove to the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of your poor for ever.
20 Remember your promises in the agreement, because the land is full of dark places and violence.
Have respect to the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
21 Don't let those who suffer be mistreated again. Let the poor and needy praise you for you who are.
O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Stand up, God, and plead your case. Don't forget how these foolish people insulted you all the time.
Arise, O God, plead your own cause: remember how the foolish man reproaches you daily.
23 Don't ignore what your enemies have said, for their loud accusations against you are getting worse and worse!
Forget not the voice of your enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against you increases continually.
