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 of Asaph.” O God! why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the flock of thy 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 the people which thou didst purchase of old; Thine own inheritance, which thou didst redeem; That Mount Zion, where thou once didst dwell!
3 Lift vp thy strokes, that thou mayest for euer destroy euery enemie that doeth euill to the Sanctuarie.
Hasten thy steps to those utter desolations! Every thing in the sanctuary hath the enemy abused!
4 Thine aduersaries roare in the middes of thy Congregation, and set vp their banners for signes.
Thine enemies roar in the place of thine assemblies; Their own symbols have they set up for signs.
5 He that lifted the axes vpon the thicke trees, was renowmed, as one, that brought a thing to perfection:
They appear like those who raise the axe against a thicket;
6 But nowe they breake downe the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers.
They have broken down the carved work of thy temple with axes 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 cast fire into thy sanctuary; They have profaned, and cast to the ground, the dwelling-place of thy 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 hearts, “Let us destroy them all together!” They have burned all God's places of assembly in 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 our signs; There is no prophet among us, Nor any one that knoweth how long this desolation shall endure.
10 O God, howe long shall the aduersarie reproche thee? shall the enemie blaspheme thy Name for euer?
How long, O God! shall the adversary revile? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
11 Why withdrawest thou thine hand, euen thy right hand? drawe it out of thy bosome, and consume them.
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? Take it from thy bosom, and destroy!
12 Euen God is my King of olde, working saluation in the middes of the earth.
Yet God was our king of old, 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.
Thou didst divide the sea by thy power; Thou didst crush 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.
Thou didst break in pieces the head of the crocodile; Thou gavest him for food to the inhabitants of the desert.
15 Thou brakest vp the fountaine and riuer: thou dryedst vp mightie riuers.
Thou didst cleave forth the fountain and the stream; Thou didst dry up perennial rivers.
16 The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sunne.
Thine is the day, and thine the night; Thou didst prepare the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.
Thou didst establish all the boundaries of the earth; Thou didst make summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemie hath reproched the Lord, and the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
O remember that the enemy hath reviled Jehovah; That an impious people hath blasphemed thy name!
19 Giue not the soule of thy turtle doue vnto the beast, and forget not the Congregation of thy poore for euer.
Give not up the life of thy turtle-dove to the wild beast; Forget not for ever thine afflicted people!
20 Consider thy couenant: for the darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of the cruell.
Have regard to thy covenant! For all the dark places of the land are full of the abodes of cruelty.
21 Oh let not the oppressed returne ashamed, but let the poore and needie prayse thy Name.
O let not the afflicted go away ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise thy name!
22 Arise, O God: mainteine thine owne cause: remember thy dayly reproche by the foolish man.
Arise, O God! maintain thy cause! Remember how the impious revileth thee daily!
23 Forget not the voyce of thine enemies: for the tumult of them, that rise against thee, ascendeth continually.
Forget not the clamor of thine adversaries, —The noise of thine enemies, which continually increaseth!
