Psalms 74

1 A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

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

2 Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance— Mount Zion where You dwell.

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 Turn Your steps to the everlasting ruins, to everything in the sanctuary the enemy has destroyed.

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

4 Your foes have roared within Your meeting place; they have unfurled their banners as signs,

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

5 like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees

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

6 and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks.

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

7 They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.

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

8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely.” They burned down every place where God met us 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 There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last.

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

10 How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You? Will the foe revile Your name forever?

How long, God, shall the enemy mock? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

11 Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!

Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it out of your pocket and consume them.

12 Yet God is my King from ancient times, working salvation on the earth.

Yet God is my King from long ago, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;

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

14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You fed him to the creatures of the desert.

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

15 You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.

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

16 The day is Yours, and also the night; You established the moon and the sun.

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

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

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

18 Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD, how a foolish people has spurned Your name.

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

19 Do not deliver the soul of Your dove to beasts; do not forget the lives of Your afflicted forever.

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

20 Consider Your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.

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

21 Do not let the oppressed retreat in shame; may the poor and needy praise Your name.

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

22 Rise up, O God; defend Your cause! Remember how the fool mocks You all day long.

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

23 Do not disregard the clamor of Your adversaries, the uproar of Your enemies that ascends continually.

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