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 contemplation by Asaph.] God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
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 your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance; Mount Zion, in which you have lived.
3 Lift vp thy strokes, that thou mayest for euer destroy euery enemie that doeth euill to the Sanctuarie.
Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.
4 Thine aduersaries roare in the middes of thy Congregation, and set vp their banners for signes.
Your adversaries have roared in the midst of your assembly. They have set up their standards as signs.
5 He that lifted the axes vpon the thicke trees, was renowmed, as one, that brought a thing to perfection:
They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.
6 But nowe they breake downe the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers.
Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers.
7 They haue cast thy Sanctuarie into the fire, and rased it to the grounde, and haue defiled the dwelling place of thy Name.
They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling place of 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 in their heart, "We will crush them completely." They have burned up all the places in the land where God was worshiped.
9 We see not our signes: there is not one Prophet more, nor any with vs that knoweth howe long.
We see no miraculous signs. There is no longer any prophet, neither is there among us anyone who knows how long.
10 O God, howe long shall the aduersarie reproche thee? shall the enemie blaspheme thy Name for euer?
How long, God, shall the enemy mock? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
11 Why withdrawest thou thine hand, euen thy right hand? drawe it out of thy bosome, and consume them.
Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it out of your pocket and consume them.
12 Euen God is my King of olde, working saluation in the middes of the earth.
Yet God is my King from long ago, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 Thou didest deuide the sea by thy power: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
14 Thou brakest the head of Liuiathan in pieces, and gauest him to be meate for the people in wildernesse.
You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.
15 Thou brakest vp the fountaine and riuer: thou dryedst vp mightie riuers.
You opened up spring and stream. You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sunne.
The day is yours, the night is also yours. You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.
You have set all the boundaries of the earth. You have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemie hath reproched the Lord, and the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, YHWH. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.
19 Giue not the soule of thy turtle doue vnto the beast, and forget not the Congregation of thy poore for euer.
Do not deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Consider thy couenant: for the darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of the cruell.
Honor your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.
21 Oh let not the oppressed returne ashamed, but let the poore and needie prayse thy Name.
Do not let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Arise, O God: mainteine thine owne cause: remember thy dayly reproche by the foolish man.
Arise, God. Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.
23 Forget not the voyce of thine enemies: for the tumult of them, that rise against thee, ascendeth continually.
Do not forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.
