Psalms 74
1 AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock of Your 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 Remember Your congregation [That] You purchased of old, You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, This Mount Zion—You dwelt in it.
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 up Your steps to the continuous desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.
Come and walk through the complete devastation. The enemy has totally destroyed your Temple.
4 Your adversaries have roared, In the midst of Your meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.
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 is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood—axes.
They acted like men chopping down a forest with axes.
6 And now they break down its engravings, Together, with axe and hatchet,
With axes and hammers they smashed in the carved wooden panels.
7 They have sent Your sanctuary into fire, They defiled the Dwelling Place of Your Name to the earth,
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 said in their hearts, “Let us oppress them together,” They burned all the meeting-places 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 have not seen our ensigns, There is no longer a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.
We no longer see any signs. There are no prophets left. And no one among us knows how long this will last.
10 Until when, O God, does an adversary reproach? Does an enemy despise Your Name forever?
How long will the enemy ridicule you, God? Will they insult your character forever?
11 Why do You turn back Your hand, Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.
Why do you hold back from doing something? Take action and destroy them!
12 And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
But you, God, are our king from long ago. You have saved us many times in the land.
13 You have divided [the] sea by Your strength, You have shattered heads of dragons by the waters,
You were the one who split apart the sea by your strength; you broke the heads of the sea monsters.
14 You have broken the heads of leviathan, You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers.
You were the one who crushed the heads of Leviathan, and you gave its body to the desert animals to eat.
15 You have cleaved a fountain and a stream, You have dried up perennial flowings.
You were the one who made springs and rivers flow with water. You made permanent rivers dry up.
16 The day [is] Yours, The night [is] also Yours, You have prepared a light-giver—the sun.
You created the day, and also the night; you made the moon and the sun.
17 You have set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter—You have formed them.
You set the boundaries of the earth; you made summer and winter.
18 Remember this—an enemy reproached YHWH, And a foolish people have despised Your Name.
So keep in mind how the enemy ridiculed you, Lord, and how irreverent people insulted your reputation.
19 Do not give up to a [wild] creature, The soul of Your turtle-dove, Do not forget the life of Your poor ones forever.
Don't let wild animals kill your turtledoves! Don't abandon your people forever!
20 Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.
Remember your promises in the agreement, because the land is full of dark places and violence.
21 Do not let the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Your 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, plead Your plea, Remember Your reproach from a fool all the day.
Stand up, God, and plead your case. Don't forget how these foolish people insulted you all the time.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, The noise of Your withstanders is going up continually!
Don't ignore what your enemies have said, for their loud accusations against you are getting worse and worse!
