Psalms 74

1 A contemplation by Asaph. God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

“A Maskil of Assaph.” Why, O God, hast thou cast us off for ever? why will thy anger smoke against the flock of thy pasture?

2 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.

Remember thy congregation, which thou didst acquire of old; which thou didst redeem as the tribe of thy inheritance: this mount Zion, whereon thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.

Lift up thy steps unto the perpetual heaps of ruins: the enemy hath ill-used every thing in the sanctuary.

4 Your adversaries have roared in the middle of your assembly. They have set up their standards as signs.

Thy adversaries have roared in the midst of thy places of assembly: they have set up their signs for signs.

5 They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.

[The enemy] is known as one that lifteth up high axes against the thickets of a forest.

6 Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers.

And now they hew in pieces the carved work thereof altogether with hatchets and hammers.

7 They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling place of your Name.

They have set on fire thy sanctuary; to the ground have they profaned the dwelling-place of thy name.

8 They said in their heart, “We will crush them completely.” They have burned up all the places in the land where God was worshiped.

They have said in their heart, We will oppress them altogether: they have burnt up all the places of assembly of God in the land.

9 We see no miraculous signs. There is no longer any prophet, neither is there among us anyone who knows how long.

Our signs do we not see: there is no more any prophet: and there is no one among us that knoweth how long.

10 How long, God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

How long, O God, shall the adversary utter defiance? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

11 Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, and thy right hand? [draw it] out of thy bosom—exterminate [them];

12 Yet God is my King of old, working salvation throughout the earth.

Since [thou] God art my King from olden days, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

It was thou that didst divide by thy strength the sea: thou brokest in pieces the heads of the crocodiles on the waters.

14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.

Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, and gavest them as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 You opened up spring and stream. You dried up mighty rivers.

Thou didst cleave fountain and stream: thou didst dry up ever-flowing rivers.

16 The day is yours, the night is also yours. You have prepared the light and the sun.

Thine is the day and thine is the night: it is thou who hast prepared the luminary and the sun.

17 You have set all the boundaries of the earth. You have made summer and winter.

It is thou who hast set up all the boundaries of the earth: summer and winter—thou thyself hast formed them.

18 Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, Yahweh. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.

Remember this, that the enemy hath defied the Lord, and that a worthless foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

19 Don’t deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.

Oh give not up unto the multitude of enemies the soul of thy turtle-dove: the congregation of thy afflicted do not thou forget for ever.

20 Honor your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.

Look unto the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of habitations of violence.

21 Don’t let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.

Oh let not the oppressed return confounded: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

22 Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.

Arise, O God, plead thy own cause: remember thy defiance from the worthless fool all the day.

23 Don’t forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.

Forget not the voice of thy adversaries: the tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually.