< 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 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 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 the people which thou didst purchase of old; Thine own inheritance, which thou didst redeem; That Mount Zion, where thou once didst dwell!
3 Lift up Thy steps to the perpetual desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.
Hasten thy steps to those utter desolations! Every thing in the sanctuary hath the enemy abused!
4 Roared have thine adversaries, In the midst of Thy meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.
Thine enemies roar in the place of thine assemblies; Their own symbols have they set up for signs.
5 He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood — axes.
They appear like those who raise the axe against a thicket;
6 And now, its carvings together With axe and hatchet they break down,
They have broken down the carved work of thy temple with axes and hammers;
7 They have sent into fire Thy sanctuary, to the earth they polluted the tabernacle of Thy name,
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, 'Let us oppress them together,' They did burn all the meeting-places of God 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 Our ensigns we have not seen, There is no more a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long.
We no longer see our signs; There is no prophet among us, Nor any one that knoweth how long this desolation shall endure.
10 Till when, O God, doth an adversary reproach? Doth an enemy despise thy name for ever?
How long, O God! shall the adversary revile? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
11 Why dost Thou turn back Thy hand, Even Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom remove [it].
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? Take it from thy bosom, and destroy!
12 And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Yet God was our king of old, 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,
Thou didst divide the sea by thy power; Thou didst crush 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.
Thou didst break in pieces the head of the crocodile; Thou gavest him for food to the inhabitants of the desert.
15 Thou hast cleaved a fountain and a stream, Thou hast dried up perennial flowings.
Thou didst cleave forth the fountain and the stream; Thou didst dry up perennial rivers.
16 Thine [is] the day, also Thine [is] the night, Thou hast prepared a light giver — the sun.
Thine is the day, and thine the night; Thou didst prepare the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter Thou hast formed them.
Thou didst establish all the boundaries of the earth; Thou didst make summer and winter.
18 Remember this — an enemy reproached Jehovah, And a foolish people have despised Thy name.
O remember that the enemy hath reviled Jehovah; That an impious people hath blasphemed thy name!
19 Give not up to a company, The soul of Thy turtle-dove, The company of Thy poor ones forget not for ever.
Give not up the life of thy turtle-dove to the wild beast; Forget not for ever thine afflicted people!
20 Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.
Have regard to thy covenant! For all the dark places of the land are full of the abodes of cruelty.
21 Let not the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Thy name,
O let not the afflicted go away ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise thy name!
22 Arise, O God, plead Thy plea, Remember Thy reproach from a fool all the day.
Arise, O God! maintain thy cause! Remember how the impious revileth thee daily!
23 Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, The noise of Thy withstanders is going up continually!
Forget not the clamor of thine adversaries, —The noise of thine enemies, which continually increaseth!

< Psalms 74 >