Psalm 74–76

Psalm 74

A maskil of Asaph.

¹God, why have you turned your back on us for so long?

Why does your anger burn against us? We are your very own sheep.

²Remember that you chose us to be your own people a long time ago.

Remember that you set us free from slavery to be your very own tribe.

Remember Mount Zion, where you lived.

³Walk through this place that has been torn down beyond repair.

See how completely your enemies have destroyed the temple!

⁴In the place where you used to meet with us,

your enemies have shouted, “We’ve won the battle!”

They have set up their flags to show they have beaten us.

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

⁶They smashed all of the beautiful wooden walls

with their axes and hatchets.

⁷They burned your temple to the ground.

They polluted the place where your Name is.

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

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

⁹You don’t give us miraculous signs anymore.

There aren’t any prophets left.

None of us knows how long that will last.

¹⁰God, how long will your enemies make fun of you?

Will they attack you with their words forever?

¹¹Why don’t you help us? Why do you hold back your powerful right hand?

Use your strong arms to destroy your enemies!

¹²God, you have been my king for a long time.

The whole earth has seen you save us over and over again.

¹³You parted the Red Sea by your power.

You broke the heads of that sea monster in Egypt.

¹⁴You crushed the heads of the sea monster Leviathan.

You fed it to the creatures of the desert.

¹⁵You opened up streams and springs.

You dried up rivers that flow all year long.

¹⁶You rule over the day and the night.

You created the sun and the moon.

¹⁷You decided where the borders of the earth would be.

You made both summer and winter.

¹⁸Lord, remember how your enemies have made fun of you.

Remember how foolish people have attacked you with their words.

¹⁹Don’t hand Israel, your dove, over to those wild animals.

Don’t forget your suffering people forever.

²⁰Honor the covenant you made with us.

Horrible things are happening in every dark corner of the land.

²¹Don’t let your suffering people be put to shame.

May those who are poor and needy praise you.

²²God, rise up. Stand up for your cause.

Remember how foolish people make fun of you all day long.

²³Pay close attention to the shouts of your enemies.

The trouble they cause never stops.

Psalm 75

For the director of music. A psalm of Asaph. A song to the tune of “Do Not Destroy.”

¹God, we give thanks to you.

We give thanks because your Name is near.

People talk about the wonderful things you have done.

²You say, “I choose the appointed time to judge people.

And I judge them fairly.

³When the earth and all of its people tremble,

I keep everything from falling to pieces. Selah

⁴To the proud I say, ‘Don’t brag anymore.’

To sinners I say, ‘Don’t show off your power.

⁵Don’t show it off against me.

Don’t speak with your noses in the air.’ ”

⁶No one from east or west or north or south

can act as judge.

⁷God is the One who judges.

He says to one person, “You are guilty.”

To another he says, “You are not guilty.”

⁸In the hand of the Lord is a cup.

It is full of wine mixed with spices.

It is the wine of his anger.

He pours it out. All of the evil people on earth

drink it down to the very last drop.

⁹I will speak about this forever.

I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰God will destroy the power of all sinful people.

But he will make godly people more powerful.

Psalm 76

For the director of music. A psalm of Asaph. A song to be played on stringed instruments.

¹In the land of Judah, God is known.

His name is great in Israel.

²His tent is in Jerusalem.

The place where he lives is on Mount Zion.

³There he broke the deadly arrows of his enemies.

He broke their shields and swords.

He broke their weapons of war. Selah

⁴God, you shine like a very bright light.

You are more majestic than mountains full of wild animals.

⁵Brave soldiers have been robbed of everything they had.

Now they lie there, sleeping in death.

Not one of them can even lift his hands.

⁶God of Jacob, at your command

both horse and chariot lie still.

⁷People should have respect for you alone.

Who can stand in front of you when you are angry?

⁸From heaven you handed down your sentence.

The land was afraid and became quiet.

⁹God, that happened when you rose up to judge.

It happened when you came to save all of your suffering people in the land. Selah

¹⁰Your anger against sinners brings you praise.

Those who live through your anger gather to worship you.

¹¹Make promises to the Lord your God and keep them.

Let all of the neighboring nations

bring gifts to the One who should be respected.

¹²He breaks the proud spirit of rulers.

The kings of the earth have respect for him.