Psalms 74
1 An Instruction of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast off for ever? Thine anger smoketh against the flock of Thy pasture.
[A contemplation by Asaph.] God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember Thy company. Thou didst purchase of old, Thou didst redeem the rod of Thy inheritance, This mount Zion — Thou didst dwell in it.
Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance; Mount Zion, in which you have lived.
3 Lift up Thy steps to the perpetual desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.
Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.
4 Roared have thine adversaries, In the midst of Thy meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.
Your adversaries have roared in the midst of your assembly. They have set up their standards as signs.
5 He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood — axes.
They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.
6 And now, its carvings together With axe and hatchet they break down,
Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers.
7 They have sent into fire Thy sanctuary, to the earth they polluted the tabernacle of Thy name,
They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling place of your Name.
8 They said in their hearts, 'Let us oppress them together,' They did burn all the meeting-places of God in the land.
They said in their heart, "We will crush them completely." They have burned up all the places in the land where God was worshiped.
9 Our ensigns we have not seen, There is no more a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.
We see no miraculous signs. There is no longer any prophet, neither is there among us anyone who knows how long.
10 Till when, O God, doth an adversary reproach? Doth an enemy despise thy name for ever?
How long, God, shall the enemy mock? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
11 Why dost Thou turn back Thy hand, Even Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom remove [it].
Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it out of your pocket and consume them.
12 And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Yet God is my King from long ago, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 Thou hast broken by Thy strength a sea -[monster], Thou hast shivered Heads of dragons by the waters,
You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
14 Thou hast broken the heads of leviathan, Thou makest him food, For the people of the dry places.
You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.
15 Thou hast cleaved a fountain and a stream, Thou hast dried up perennial flowings.
You opened up spring and stream. You dried up mighty rivers.
16 Thine [is] the day, also Thine [is] the night, Thou hast prepared a light giver — the sun.
The day is yours, the night is also yours. You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter Thou hast formed them.
You have set all the boundaries of the earth. You have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this — an enemy reproached Jehovah, And a foolish people have despised Thy name.
Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, LORD. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.
19 Give not up to a company, The soul of Thy turtle-dove, The company of Thy poor ones forget not for ever.
Do not deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.
Honor your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.
21 Let not the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Thy name,
Do not let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Arise, O God, plead Thy plea, Remember Thy reproach from a fool all the day.
Arise, God. Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.
23 Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, The noise of Thy withstanders is going up continually!
Do not forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.
