Psalm 73:5–8

5 They behaved like men wielding axes

to cut through a thicket of trees.

6 They smashed all the carved paneling

with their axes and hatchets.

7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground;

they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.

8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”

They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.

5 They were like those who swing axes

in a forest of trees.

6 And all its carved wood

they broke down with hatchets and hammers.

7 They set your sanctuary on fire;

they profaned the dwelling place of your name,

bringing it down to the ground.

8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;

they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up

Axes upon the thick trees.

6 But now they break down the carved work thereof

At once with axes and hammers.

7 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 destroy them together:

They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

5 They swung their axes

like woodcutters in a forest.

6 With axes and picks,

they smashed the carved paneling.

7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground.

They defiled the place that bears your name.

8 Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!”

So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped.

5 They seem like men who lift up

Axes among the thick trees.

6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,

With axes and hammers.

7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;

They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.

8 They said in their hearts,

“Let us destroy them altogether.”

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

5 They came with axes raised

as if to cut down a forest of trees.

6 They smashed the carved panels

with their axes and hatchets.

7 They burned your Temple to the ground;

they have made the place where you live unclean.

8 They thought, “We will completely crush them!”

They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.

5 They seemed as men that lifted up

Axes upon a thicket of trees.

6 And now all the carved work thereof

They break down with hatchet and hammers.

7 They have set thy sanctuary on fire;

They have profaned the dwelling-place of thy name by casting it to the ground.

8 They said in their heart, Let us make havoc of them altogether:

They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

5 A man was known as he could lift up axes in the thicket of trees; 6 And now they break down its carved work altogether, with hatchets and hammers. 7 They have set on fire thy sanctuary, they have profaned the habitation of thy name to the ground. 8 They said in their heart, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all •God’s places of assembly in the land.

5 Starting from its entrance, they hacked away 

like a woodcutter in a forest. 

6 They smashed all its carved paneling with axes and hatchets. 

7 They burned your holy place to the ground. 

They dishonored the place where you live among us. 

8 They said to themselves, “We will crush them.” 

They burned every meeting place of God in the land. 

5 It was like men in a thicket of trees,

wielding axes,

6 then smashing all the carvings

with hatchets and picks.

7 They set Your sanctuary on fire;

they utterly desecrated

the dwelling place of Your name.

8 They said in their hearts,

“Let us oppress them relentlessly.”

They burned down every place throughout the land

where God met with us.

5 At the upper entrance they hacked

the wooden trellis with axes.

6 And then, with hatchets and hammers,

they smashed all its carved work.

7 They set your sanctuary on fire;

they desecrated the dwelling place of your name,

bringing it to the ground.

8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;

they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

5 They are known to be like those who wield

axes in a thicket of trees.

6 And now its carved works altogether

they have smashed with axe and hammer.

7 They have set fire to your sanctuary.

They have defiled to the ground,

the dwelling place for your name.

8 They have said in their heart,

“We will completely oppress them.”

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

5 They acted like people cutting down a forest with axes.

6 They smashed all of the beautiful wooden walls

with their axes and hatchets.

7 They burned your temple to the ground.

They polluted the place where your Name is.

8 They had said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”

They burned every place where you were worshiped in the land.

5 It seems as if one had lifted up

His axe in a forest of trees.

6 And now all its carved work

They smash with hatchet and hammers.

7 They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;

They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.

8 They said in their heart, “Let us completely subdue them.”

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