Psalm 74:2–8

Remember the nation you purchased long ago,

the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—

Mount Zion, where you dwelt.

Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,

all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;

they set up their standards as signs.

They behaved like men wielding axes

to cut through a thicket of trees.

They smashed all the carved paneling

with their axes and hatchets.

They burned your sanctuary to the ground;

they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.

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

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

Remember your congregation,

which you purchased long ago

and redeemed as the tribe for your own possession.

Remember Mount Zion where you dwell.

Make your way to the perpetual ruins,

to all that the enemy has destroyed in the sanctuary.

Your adversaries roared in the meeting place

where you met with us.

They set up their emblems as signs.

It was like men in a thicket of trees,

wielding axes,

then smashing all the carvings

with hatchets and picks.

They set your sanctuary on fire;

they utterly desecrated

the dwelling place of your name.

They said in their hearts,

“Let’s oppress them relentlessly.”

They burned every place throughout the land

where God met with us.

Remember that we are the people you chose long ago,

the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession!

And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.

Walk through the awful ruins of the city;

see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary.

There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries;

there they set up their battle standards.

They swung their axes

like woodcutters in a forest.

With axes and picks,

they smashed the carved paneling.

They burned your sanctuary to the ground.

They defiled the place that bears your name.

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

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

Remember your congregation that you bought long ago,

when you redeemed the tribe of your inheritance.

Remember Mount Zion where you have dwelt.

Lift your steps to the perpetual ruins,

to all that the enemy has ruined in the sanctuary.

Your enemies have roared in the midst of your meeting place;

they have set up their signs for signs.

They are known to be like those who wield

axes in a thicket of trees.

And now its carved works altogether

they have smashed with axe and hammer.

They have set fire to your sanctuary.

They have defiled to the ground,

the dwelling place for your name.

They have said in their heart,

“We will completely oppress them.”

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

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.

Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations;

Even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations;

They set up their ensigns for signs.

A man was famous according as he had lifted up

Axes upon the thick trees.

But now they break down the carved work thereof

At once with axes and hammers.

They have cast fire into thy sanctuary,

They have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together:

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