Psalms 74
1 A maschil of Asaph. God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?
A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
2 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.
Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance— Mount Zion where You dwell.
3 Come look at the complete ruins, all the damage that the enemy has done in the holy place.
Turn Your steps to the everlasting ruins, to everything in the sanctuary the enemy has destroyed.
4 Your adversaries roared in the middle of your appointed place; they set up their battle flags.
Your foes have roared within Your meeting place; they have unfurled their banners as signs,
5 They hacked away with axes as in a thick forest.
like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees
6 They smashed and broke down all the engravings; they broke them with axes and hammers.
and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated where you live, knocking it to the ground.
They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.
8 They said in their hearts, “We will destroy them all.” They burned up all of your meeting places in the land.
They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely.” They burned down every place where God met us in the land.
9 We do not see any more signs; there is no prophet any more, and no one among us knows how long this will last.
There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last.
10 How long, God, will the enemy throw insults at you? Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You? Will the foe revile Your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take your right hand from your garment and destroy them.
Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!
12 Yet God has been my king from ancient times, bringing salvation on the earth.
Yet God is my King from ancient times, working salvation on the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your strength; you smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;
14 You crushed the heads of leviathan; you fed him to those living in the wilderness.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.
15 You broke open springs and streams; you dried up flowing rivers.
You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and the night is yours also; you set the sun and moon in place.
The day is Yours, and also the night; You established the moon and the sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the earth; you have made summer and winter.
You set all the boundaries of the earth; You made the summer and winter.
18 Call to mind how the enemy hurled insults at you, Yahweh, and that a foolish people has blasphemed your name.
Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD, how a foolish people has spurned Your name.
19 Do not give the life of your dove to a wild animal. Do not forget forever the life of your oppressed people.
Do not deliver the soul of Your dove to beasts; do not forget the lives of Your afflicted forever.
20 Remember your covenant, for the dark regions of the land are full of places of violence.
Consider Your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed be turned back in shame; let the poor and oppressed praise your name.
Do not let the oppressed retreat in shame; may the poor and needy praise Your name.
22 Arise, God; defend your own honor; call to mind how fools insult you all day long.
Rise up, O God; defend Your cause! Remember how the fool mocks You all day long.
23 Do not forget the voice of your adversaries or the uproar of those who continually defy you.
Do not disregard the clamor of Your adversaries, the uproar of Your enemies that ascends continually.
