Psalm 74–76

Psalm 74

A maskil^a of Asaph.

¹O God, why have you rejected^q us forever?^r

Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?^s

²Remember the nation you purchased^t long ago,^u

the people of your inheritance,^v whom you redeemed^w—

Mount Zion,^x where you dwelt.^y

³Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,^z

all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

⁴Your foes roared^a in the place where you met with us;

they set up their standards^b as signs.

⁵They behaved like men wielding axes

to cut through a thicket of trees.^c

⁶They smashed all the carved^d paneling

with their axes and hatchets.

⁷They burned your sanctuary to the ground;

they defiled^e the dwelling place^f of your Name.^g

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

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

⁹We are given no signs from God;^j

no prophets^k are left,

and none of us knows how long this will be.

¹⁰How long^l will the enemy mock^m you, God?

Will the foe revileⁿ your name forever?

¹¹Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?^o

Take it from the folds of your garment^p and destroy them!

¹²But God is my King^q from long ago;

he brings salvation^r on the earth.

¹³It was you who split open the sea^s by your power;

you broke the heads of the monster^t in the waters.

¹⁴It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan^u

and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.^v

¹⁵It was you who opened up springs^w and streams;

you dried up^x the ever-flowing rivers.

¹⁶The day is yours, and yours also the night;

you established the sun and moon.^y

¹⁷It was you who set all the boundaries^z of the earth;

you made both summer and winter.^a

¹⁸Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,

how foolish people^b have reviled your name.

¹⁹Do not hand over the life of your dove^c to wild beasts;

do not forget the lives of your afflicted^d people forever.

²⁰Have regard for your covenant,^e

because haunts of violence fill the dark places^f of the land.

²¹Do not let the oppressed^g retreat in disgrace;

may the poor and needy^h praise your name.

²²Rise up,ⁱ O God, and defend your cause;

remember how fools^j mock you all day long.

²³Do not ignore the clamor^k of your adversaries,^l

the uproar^m of your enemies,ⁿ which rises continually.

Psalm 75^a

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

¹We praise you, God,

we praise you, for your Name is near;^o

people tell of your wonderful deeds.^p

²You say, “I choose the appointed time;^q

it is I who judge with equity.^r

³When the earth and all its people quake,^s

it is I who hold its pillars^t firm.^b

⁴To the arrogant^u I say, ‘Boast no more,’^v

and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.^cw

⁵Do not lift your horns against heaven;

do not speak so defiantly.^x’ ”

⁶No one from the east or the west

or from the desert can exalt themselves.

⁷It is God who judges:^y

He brings one down, he exalts another.^z

⁸In the hand of the Lord is a cup

full of foaming wine mixed^a with spices;

he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth

drink it down to its very dregs.^b

⁹As for me, I will declare^c this forever;

I will sing^d praise to the God of Jacob,^e

¹⁰who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,

but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”^f

Psalm 76^a

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.

¹God is renowned in Judah;

in Israel his name is great.^g

²His tent is in Salem,^h

his dwelling place in Zion.ⁱ

³There he broke the flashing arrows,^j

the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.^bk

⁴You are radiant with light,^l

more majestic than mountains rich with game.

⁵The valiant^m lie plundered,

they sleep their last sleep;ⁿ

not one of the warriors

can lift his hands.

⁶At your rebuke,^o God of Jacob,

both horse and chariot^p lie still.

⁷It is you alone who are to be feared.^q

Who can stand^r before you when you are angry?^s

⁸From heaven you pronounced judgment,

and the land feared^t and was quiet—

⁹when you, God, rose up to judge,^u

to save all the afflicted^v of the land.

¹⁰Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,^w

and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.^c

¹¹Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;^x

let all the neighboring lands

bring gifts^y to the One to be feared.

¹²He breaks the spirit of rulers;

he is feared by the kings of the earth.