Psalms 74
1 Maschil of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast us off for ever? Why doth Thine anger smoke against the flock of Thy pasture?
“A Maskil of Assaph.” Why, O God, hast thou cast us off for ever? why will thy anger smoke against the flock of thy pasture?
2 Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast gotten of old, which Thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of Thine inheritance; and mount Zion, wherein Thou hast dwelt.
Remember thy congregation, which thou didst acquire of old; which thou didst redeem as the tribe of thy inheritance: this mount Zion, whereon thou hast dwelt.
3 Lift up Thy steps because of the perpetual ruins, even all the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.
Lift up thy steps unto the perpetual heaps of ruins: the enemy hath ill-used every thing in the sanctuary.
4 Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of Thy meeting-place; they have set up their own signs for signs.
Thy adversaries have roared in the midst of thy places of assembly: they have set up their signs for signs.
5 It seemed as when men wield upwards axes in a thicket of trees.
[The enemy] is known as one that lifteth up high axes against the thickets of a forest.
6 And now all the carved work thereof together they strike down with hatchet and hammers.
And now they hew in pieces the carved work thereof altogether with hatchets and hammers.
7 They have set Thy sanctuary on fire; they have profaned the dwelling-place of Thy name even to the ground.
They have set on fire thy sanctuary; to the ground have they profaned the dwelling-place of thy name.
8 They said in their heart: 'Let us make havoc of them altogether'; they have burned up all the meeting-places of God in the land.
They have said in their heart, We will oppress them altogether: they have burnt up all the places of assembly of God in the land.
9 We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet; neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
Our signs do we not see: there is no more any prophet: and there is no one among us that knoweth how long.
10 How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name for ever?
How long, O God, shall the adversary utter defiance? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
11 Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? Draw it out of Thy bosom and consume them.
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, and thy right hand? [draw it] out of thy bosom—exterminate [them];
12 Yet God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Since [thou] God art my King from olden days, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 Thou didst break the sea in pieces by Thy strength; Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters.
It was thou that didst divide by thy strength the sea: thou brokest in pieces the heads of the crocodiles on the waters.
14 Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness.
Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, and gavest them as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 Thou didst cleave fountain and brook; Thou driedst up ever-flowing rivers.
Thou didst cleave fountain and stream: thou didst dry up ever-flowing rivers.
16 Thine is the day, Thine also the night; Thou hast established luminary and sun.
Thine is the day and thine is the night: it is thou who hast prepared the luminary and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; Thou hast made summer and winter.
It is thou who hast set up all the boundaries of the earth: summer and winter—thou thyself hast formed them.
18 Remember this, how the enemy hath reproached the LORD, and how a base people have blasphemed Thy name.
Remember this, that the enemy hath defied the Lord, and that a worthless foolish people have blasphemed thy name.
19 O deliver not the soul of Thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast; forget not the life of Thy poor for ever.
Oh give not up unto the multitude of enemies the soul of thy turtle-dove: the congregation of thy afflicted do not thou forget for ever.
20 Look upon the covenant; for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
Look unto the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of habitations of violence.
21 O let not the oppressed turn back in confusion; let the poor and needy praise Thy name.
Oh let not the oppressed return confounded: let the poor and needy praise thy name.
22 Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause; remember Thy reproach all the day at the hand of the base man.
Arise, O God, plead thy own cause: remember thy defiance from the worthless fool all the day.
23 Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, the tumult of those that rise up against Thee which ascendeth continually.
Forget not the voice of thy adversaries: the tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually.
