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 psalm of Asaph.” O God! why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the flock of thy 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 the people which thou didst purchase of old; Thine own inheritance, which thou didst redeem; That Mount Zion, where thou once didst dwell!
3 Come look at the complete ruins, all the damage that the enemy has done in the holy place.
Hasten thy steps to those utter desolations! Every thing in the sanctuary hath the enemy abused!
4 Your adversaries roared in the middle of your appointed place; they set up their battle flags.
Thine enemies roar in the place of thine assemblies; Their own symbols have they set up for signs.
5 They hacked away with axes as in a thick forest.
They appear like those who raise the axe against a thicket;
6 They smashed and broke down all the engravings; they broke them with axes and hammers.
They have broken down the carved work of thy temple with axes and hammers;
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated where you live, knocking it to the ground.
They have cast fire into thy sanctuary; They have profaned, and cast to the ground, the dwelling-place of thy 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, “Let us destroy them all together!” They have burned all God's places of assembly 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 no longer see our signs; There is no prophet among us, Nor any one that knoweth how long this desolation shall endure.
10 How long, God, will the enemy throw insults at you? Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
How long, O God! shall the adversary revile? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take your right hand from your garment and destroy them.
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? Take it from thy bosom, and destroy!
12 Yet God has been my king from ancient times, bringing salvation on the earth.
Yet God was our 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.
Thou didst divide the sea by thy power; Thou didst crush the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of leviathan; you fed him to those living in the wilderness.
Thou didst break in pieces the head of the crocodile; Thou gavest him for food to the inhabitants of the desert.
15 You broke open springs and streams; you dried up flowing rivers.
Thou didst cleave forth the fountain and the stream; Thou didst dry up perennial rivers.
16 The day is yours, and the night is yours also; you set the sun and moon in place.
Thine is the day, and thine the night; Thou didst prepare the light and the sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the earth; you have made summer and winter.
Thou didst establish all the boundaries of the earth; Thou didst make summer and winter.
18 Call to mind how the enemy hurled insults at you, Yahweh, and that a foolish people has blasphemed your name.
O remember that the enemy hath reviled Jehovah; That an impious people hath blasphemed thy name!
19 Do not give the life of your dove to a wild animal. Do not forget forever the life of your oppressed people.
Give not up the life of thy turtle-dove to the wild beast; Forget not for ever thine afflicted people!
20 Remember your covenant, for the dark regions of the land are full of places of violence.
Have regard to thy covenant! For all the dark places of the land are full of the abodes of cruelty.
21 Do not let the oppressed be turned back in shame; let the poor and oppressed praise your name.
O let not the afflicted go away ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise thy name!
22 Arise, God; defend your own honor; call to mind how fools insult you all day long.
Arise, O God! maintain thy cause! Remember how the impious revileth thee daily!
23 Do not forget the voice of your adversaries or the uproar of those who continually defy you.
Forget not the clamor of thine adversaries, —The noise of thine enemies, which continually increaseth!
