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.

Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? [why] doth thine anger smoke against the sheep 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 thy congregation, [which] thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, [which] thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up Thy steps to the perpetual desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary.

Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; [even] all [that] the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

4 Roared have thine adversaries, In the midst of Thy meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns.

Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns [for] signs.

5 He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood — axes.

[A man] was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

6 And now, its carvings together With axe and hatchet they break down,

But now they break down the carved work thereof at once 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 defiled [by casting down] the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

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 together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God 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 see not our signs: [there is] no more any prophet: neither [is there] among us any that knoweth how long.

10 Till when, O God, doth an adversary reproach? Doth an enemy despise thy name for ever?

O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? 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? pluck [it] out of thy bosom.

12 And God [is] my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

For God [is] my 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 strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

14 Thou hast broken the heads of leviathan, Thou makest him food, For the people of the dry places.

Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, [and] gavest him [to be] meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 Thou hast cleaved a fountain and a stream, Thou hast dried up perennial flowings.

Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

16 Thine [is] the day, also Thine [is] the night, Thou hast prepared a light giver — the sun.

The day [is] thine, the night also [is] thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

17 Thou hast set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter Thou hast formed them.

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

18 Remember this — an enemy reproached Jehovah, And a foolish people have despised Thy name.

Remember this, [that] the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and [that] the foolish people have 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.

O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude [of the wicked: ] forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

20 Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence.

Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

21 Let not the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Thy name,

O let not the oppressed return 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, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

23 Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, The noise of Thy withstanders is going up continually!

Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.