< Psalms 74 >
1 AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock of Your pasture.
2 Remember Your congregation [That] You purchased of old, You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, This Mount Zion—You dwelt in it.
3 Lift up Your steps to the continuous desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries have roared, In the midst of Your meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.
5 He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood—axes.
6 And now they break down its engravings, Together, with axe and hatchet,
7 They have sent Your sanctuary into fire, They defiled the Dwelling Place of Your Name to the earth,
8 They said in their hearts, “Let us oppress them together,” They burned all the meeting-places of God in the land.
9 We have not seen our ensigns, There is no longer a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.
10 Until when, O God, does an adversary reproach? Does an enemy despise Your Name forever?
11 Why do You turn back Your hand, Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.
12 And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You have divided [the] sea by Your strength, You have shattered heads of dragons by the waters,
14 You have broken the heads of leviathan, You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers.
15 You have cleaved a fountain and a stream, You have dried up perennial flowings.
16 The day [is] Yours, The night [is] also Yours, You have prepared a light-giver—the sun.
17 You have set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter—You have formed them.
18 Remember this—an enemy reproached YHWH, And a foolish people have despised Your Name.
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.
20 Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.
21 Do not let the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Your Name,
22 Arise, O God, plead Your plea, Remember Your reproach from a fool all the day.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, The noise of Your withstanders is going up continually!
