< 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 maschil of Asaph. God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger burn 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.
Call to mind your people, whom you purchased in ancient times, the tribe whom you have redeemed to be your own heritage, and Mount Zion, where you live.
3 Lift vp thy strokes, that thou mayest for euer destroy euery enemie that doeth euill to the Sanctuarie.
Come look at the complete ruins, all the damage that the enemy has done in the holy place.
4 Thine aduersaries roare in the middes of thy Congregation, and set vp their banners for signes.
Your adversaries roared in the middle of your appointed place; they set up their battle flags.
5 He that lifted the axes vpon the thicke trees, was renowmed, as one, that brought a thing to perfection:
They hacked away with axes as in a thick forest.
6 But nowe they breake downe the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers.
They smashed and broke down all the engravings; they broke them 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 set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated where you live, knocking it to the ground.
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, “We will destroy them all.” They burned up all of your meeting places in the land.
9 We see not our signes: there is not one Prophet more, nor any with vs that knoweth howe long.
We do not see any more signs; there is no prophet any more, 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, God, will the enemy throw insults at you? Will 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 hold back your hand, your right hand? Take your right hand from your garment and destroy them.
12 Euen God is my King of olde, working saluation in the middes of the earth.
Yet God has been my king from ancient times, bringing salvation on 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 smashed 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 crushed the heads of leviathan; you fed him to those living in the wilderness.
15 Thou brakest vp the fountaine and riuer: thou dryedst vp mightie riuers.
You broke open springs and streams; you dried up flowing rivers.
16 The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sunne.
The day is yours, and the night is yours also; you set the sun and moon in place.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.
You have set all the borders 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.
Call to mind how the enemy hurled insults at you, Yahweh, and that a foolish people has 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 give the life of your dove to a wild animal. Do not forget forever the life of your oppressed people.
20 Consider thy couenant: for the darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of the cruell.
Remember your covenant, for the dark regions of the land are full of places of violence.
21 Oh let not the oppressed returne ashamed, but let the poore and needie prayse thy Name.
Do not let the oppressed be turned back in shame; let the poor and oppressed praise your name.
22 Arise, O God: mainteine thine owne cause: remember thy dayly reproche by the foolish man.
Arise, God; defend your own honor; call to mind how fools insult you all day long.
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 or the uproar of those who continually defy you.