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?
AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock 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 [That] You purchased of old, You redeemed the rod of Your inheritance, This Mount Zion—You dwelt in it.
3 Come look at the complete ruins, all the damage that the enemy has done in the holy place.
Lift up Your steps to the continuous desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries roared in the middle of your appointed place; they set up their battle flags.
Your adversaries have roared, In the midst of Your meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.
5 They hacked away with axes as in a thick forest.
He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood—axes.
6 They smashed and broke down all the engravings; they broke them with axes and hammers.
And now they break down its engravings, Together, with axe and hatchet,
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated where you live, knocking it to the ground.
They have sent Your sanctuary into fire, They defiled the Dwelling Place of Your Name to the earth,
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, “Let us oppress them together,” They burned all the meeting-places of God 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.
We have not seen our ensigns, There is no longer a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.
10 How long, God, will the enemy throw insults at you? Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
Until when, O God, does an adversary reproach? Does an enemy despise 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 turn back Your hand, Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.
12 Yet God has been my king from ancient times, bringing salvation on the earth.
And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your strength; you smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
You have divided [the] sea by Your strength, You have shattered heads of dragons by the waters,
14 You crushed the heads of leviathan; you fed him to those living in the wilderness.
You have broken the heads of leviathan, You make him food for the people of desert-dwellers.
15 You broke open springs and streams; you dried up flowing rivers.
You have cleaved a fountain and a stream, You have dried up perennial flowings.
16 The day is yours, and the night is yours also; you set the sun and moon in place.
The day [is] Yours, The night [is] also Yours, You have prepared a light-giver—the sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the earth; you have made summer and winter.
You have set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter—You have formed them.
18 Call to mind how the enemy hurled insults at you, Yahweh, and that a foolish people has blasphemed your name.
Remember this—an enemy reproached YHWH, And a foolish people have despised 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 give up to a [wild] creature, The soul of Your turtle-dove, Do not forget the life of Your poor ones forever.
20 Remember your covenant, for the dark regions of the land are full of places of violence.
Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.
21 Do not let the oppressed be turned back in shame; let the poor and oppressed praise your name.
Do not let the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Your Name,
22 Arise, God; defend your own honor; call to mind how fools insult you all day long.
Arise, O God, plead Your plea, Remember Your reproach from a fool all the day.
23 Do not forget the voice of your adversaries or the uproar of those who continually defy you.
Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, The noise of Your withstanders is going up continually!
