Psalms 74
1 Maschil. Of Asaph. Of God, why have you put us away from you for ever? why is the fire of your wrath smoking against the sheep who are your care?
[A contemplation by Asaph.] God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Keep in mind your band of worshippers, for whom you gave payment in the days which are past, whom you took for yourself as the people of your heritage; even this mountain of Zion, which has been your resting-place.
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 Go up and see the unending destruction; all the evil which your haters have done in the holy place;
Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.
4 Sending out their voices like lions among your worshippers; they have put up their signs to be seen.
Your adversaries have roared in the midst of your assembly. They have set up their standards as signs.
5 They are cutting down, like a man whose blade is lifted up against the thick trees.
They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.
6 Your doors are broken down with hammers and iron blades.
Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers.
7 They have put on fire your holy place; they have made the place of your name unclean, pulling it down to the earth.
They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling place of your Name.
8 They have said in their hearts, Let us put an end to them all together; they have given over to the fire all God's places of worship 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 We do not see our signs: there is no longer any prophet, or anyone among us to say how long.
We see no miraculous signs. There is no longer any prophet, neither is there among us anyone who knows how long.
10 O God, how long will those who are against us say cruel things? will the hater go on looking down on your name for ever?
How long, God, shall the enemy mock? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
11 Why are you keeping back your hand, and covering your right hand in your robe?
Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it out of your pocket and consume them.
12 For from the past God is my King, working salvation in the earth.
Yet God is my King from long ago, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 The sea was parted in two by your strength; the heads of the great sea-beasts were broken.
You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
14 The heads of the great snake were crushed by you; you gave them as food to the fishes of the sea.
You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.
15 You made valleys for fountains and springs; you made the ever-flowing rivers dry.
You opened up spring and stream. You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is yours and the night is yours: you made the light and the sun.
The day is yours, the night is also yours. You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 By you all the limits of the earth were fixed; you have made summer and winter.
You have set all the boundaries of the earth. You have made summer and winter.
18 Keep this in mind, O Lord, that your haters have said cruel things, and that your name has been looked down on by a people of evil behaviour.
Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, LORD. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.
19 O give not the soul of your dove to the hawk; let not the life of the poor go out of your memory for ever.
Do not deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Keep in mind your undertaking; for the dark places of the earth are full of pride and cruel acts.
Honor your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.
21 O let not the crushed be turned back in shame; let the low man and the poor give praise to your name.
Do not let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Up! O God, be the judge of your cause; keep in mind the bitter things which the man of evil behaviour says against you every day.
Arise, God. Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.
23 Keep in mind the voice of your haters; the outcry of those who come against you goes up every day.
Do not forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.
