Psalms 74
1 A Psalme to give instruction, committed to Asaph. O God, why hast thou put vs away for euer? why is thy wrath kindled against the sheepe of thy pasture?
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?
2 Thinke vpon thy Congregation, which thou hast possessed of olde, and on the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed, and on this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
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.
3 Lift vp thy strokes, that thou mayest for euer destroy euery enemie that doeth euill to the Sanctuarie.
Come and walk through the complete devastation. The enemy has totally destroyed your Temple.
4 Thine aduersaries roare in the middes of thy Congregation, and set vp their banners for signes.
The enemy shouted in triumph right where you met with us. There they set up their war banners as signs of their victory.
5 He that lifted the axes vpon the thicke trees, was renowmed, as one, that brought a thing to perfection:
They acted like men chopping down a forest with axes.
6 But nowe they breake downe the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers.
With axes and hammers they smashed in the carved wooden panels.
7 They haue cast thy Sanctuarie into the fire, and rased it to the grounde, and haue defiled the dwelling place of thy Name.
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.
8 They saide in their hearts, Let vs destroy them altogether: they haue burnt all the Synagogues of God in the land.
They said to themselves, “Let's destroy it all!” So they burned down every place where God was worshiped throughout the land.
9 We see not our signes: there is not one Prophet more, nor any with vs that knoweth howe long.
We no longer see any signs. There are no prophets left. And no one among us knows how long this will last.
10 O God, howe long shall the aduersarie reproche thee? shall the enemie blaspheme thy Name for euer?
How long will the enemy ridicule you, God? Will they insult your character forever?
11 Why withdrawest thou thine hand, euen thy right hand? drawe it out of thy bosome, and consume them.
Why do you hold back from doing something? Take action and destroy them!
12 Euen God is my King of olde, working saluation in the middes of the earth.
But you, God, are our king from long ago. You have saved us many times in the land.
13 Thou didest deuide the sea by thy power: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
You were the one who split apart the sea by your strength; you broke the heads of the sea monsters.
14 Thou brakest the head of Liuiathan in pieces, and gauest him to be meate for the people in wildernesse.
You were the one who crushed the heads of Leviathan, and you gave its body to the desert animals to eat.
15 Thou brakest vp the fountaine and riuer: thou dryedst vp mightie riuers.
You were the one who made springs and rivers flow with water. You made permanent rivers dry up.
16 The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sunne.
You created the day, and also the night; you made the moon and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.
You set the boundaries of the earth; you made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemie hath reproched the Lord, and the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
So keep in mind how the enemy ridiculed you, Lord, and how irreverent people insulted your reputation.
19 Giue not the soule of thy turtle doue vnto the beast, and forget not the Congregation of thy poore for euer.
Don't let wild animals kill your turtledoves! Don't abandon your people forever!
20 Consider thy couenant: for the darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of the cruell.
Remember your promises in the agreement, because the land is full of dark places and violence.
21 Oh let not the oppressed returne ashamed, but let the poore and needie prayse thy Name.
Don't let those who suffer be mistreated again. Let the poor and needy praise you for you who are.
22 Arise, O God: mainteine thine owne cause: remember thy dayly reproche by the foolish man.
Stand up, God, and plead your case. Don't forget how these foolish people insulted you all the time.
23 Forget not the voyce of thine enemies: for the tumult of them, that rise against thee, ascendeth continually.
Don't ignore what your enemies have said, for their loud accusations against you are getting worse and worse!
