PSALM 74

An Appeal against the Devastation of the Land by the Enemy.

A †Maskil of Asaph.

1 O God, why have You arejected us forever?

Why does Your anger bsmoke against the csheep of Your 1pasture?

2 Remember Your congregation, which You have apurchased of old,

Which You have bredeemed to be the ctribe of Your inheritance;

And this Mount dZion, where You have dwelt.

3 1Turn Your footsteps toward the aperpetual ruins;

The enemy bhas damaged everything within the sanctuary.

4 Your adversaries have aroared in the midst of Your meeting place;

They have set up their bown 1standards cfor signs.

5 It seems as if one had lifted up

His 1aaxe in a 2forest of trees.

6 And now 1all its acarved work

They smash with hatchet and 2hammers.

7 They have 1aburned Your sanctuary 2to the ground;

They have bdefiled the dwelling place of Your name.

8 They asaid in their heart, “Let us 1completely 2subdue them.”

They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 We do not see our asigns;

There is bno longer any prophet,

Nor is there any among us who knows chow long.

10 How long, O God, will the adversary arevile,

And the enemy bspurn Your name forever?

11 Why ado You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?

From within Your bosom, bdestroy them!

12 Yet God is amy king from of old,

Who works deeds of deliverance in the midst of the earth.

13 1You adivided the sea by Your strength;

1You bbroke the heads of the csea monsters 2in the waters.

14 1You crushed the heads of 2aLeviathan;

1You gave him as food for the 3creatures bof the wilderness.

15 1You abroke open springs and torrents;

1You bdried up ever-flowing streams.

16 Yours is the day, Yours also is the night;

1You have aprepared the 2light and the sun.

17 1You have aestablished all the boundaries of the earth;

1You have 2made bsummer and winter.

18 Remember this, 1O Lord, that the enemy has areviled,

And a bfoolish people has spurned Your name.

19 Do not deliver the soul of Your aturtledove to the wild beast;

bDo not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.

20 Consider the acovenant;

For the bdark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.

21 Let not the aoppressed return dishonored;

Let the bafflicted and needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, O God, and aplead Your own cause;

Remember 1how the bfoolish man reproaches You all day long.

23 Do not forget the voice of Your aadversaries,

The buproar of those who rise against You which ascends continually.