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?

Maschil of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast us off for ever? Why doth Thine 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 hast gotten of old, which Thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of Thine inheritance; and mount Zion, wherein 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 because of the perpetual ruins, even all the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.

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

Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of Thy meeting-place; they have set up their own signs for signs.

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

It seemed as when men wield upwards axes in a thicket of trees.

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

And now all the carved work thereof together they strike down with hatchet and hammers.

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

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

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 said in their heart: 'Let us make havoc of them altogether'; they have burned up all the meeting-places 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.

We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet; neither is there among us any 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 reproach? 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, even Thy right hand? Draw it out of Thy bosom and consume them.

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

Yet God is my King of old, 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.

Thou didst break the sea in pieces by Thy strength; Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea-monsters in 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, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness.

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

Thou didst cleave fountain and brook; Thou driedst 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, Thine also the night; Thou hast established luminary and sun.

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

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

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

Remember this, how the enemy hath reproached the LORD, and how a base people have blasphemed Thy name.

19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Do not forget the life of your poor forever.

O deliver not the soul of Thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast; forget not the life of Thy poor for ever.

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

Look upon the covenant; for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.

21 Do not let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.

O let not the oppressed turn back in confusion; 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 Thine own cause; remember Thy reproach all the day at the hand of the base man.

23 Do not forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.

Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, the tumult of those that rise up against Thee which ascendeth continually.