Psalm 74

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.