Psalm 73

The Tragedy of the Wicked, and the Blessedness of Trust in God

A Psalm of aAsaph.

1 Truly God is good to Israel,

To such as are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;

My steps had nearly bslipped.

3 cFor I was envious of the boastful,

When I saw the prosperity of the dwicked.

4 For there are no 1pangs in their death,

But their strength is firm.

5 eThey are not in trouble as other men,

Nor are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;

Violence covers them flike a garment.

7 gTheir 2eyes bulge with abundance;

They have more than heart could wish.

8 hThey scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;

They ispeak 3loftily.

9 They set their mouth jagainst the heavens,

And their tongue walks through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return here,

kAnd waters of a full cup are drained by them.

11 And they say, l“How does God know?

And is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12 Behold, these are the ungodly,

Who are always at ease;

They increase in riches.

13 Surely I have 4cleansed my heart in mvain,

And washed my hands in innocence.

14 For all day long I have been plagued,

And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”

Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.

16 When I thought how to understand this,

It was 5too painful for me—

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;

Then I understood their nend.

18 Surely oYou set them in slippery places;

You cast them down to destruction.

19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!

They are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 As a dream when one awakes,

So, Lord, when You awake,

You shall despise their image.

21 Thus my heart was grieved,

And I was 6vexed in my mind.

22 pI was so foolish and ignorant;

I was like a beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;

You hold me by my right hand.

24 qYou will guide me with Your counsel,

And afterward receive me to glory.

25 rWhom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

26 sMy flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the 7strength of my heart and my tportion forever.

27 For indeed, uthose who are far from You shall perish;

You have destroyed all those who 8desert You for harlotry.

28 But it is good for me to vdraw near to God;

I have put my trust in the Lord God,

That I may wdeclare all Your works.

Psalm 74

A Plea for Relief from Oppressors

A 1Contemplation of Asaph.

1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?

Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,

The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—

This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.

3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.

The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.

4 aYour enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;

bThey set up their banners for signs.

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 cThey said in their hearts,

“Let us 2destroy them altogether.”

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

9 We do not see our signs;

dThere is no longer any prophet;

Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

10 O God, how long will the adversary 3reproach?

Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?

11 eWhy do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?

Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.

12 For fGod is my King from of old,

Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 gYou divided the sea by Your strength;

You broke the heads of the 4sea serpents in the waters.

14 You broke the heads of 5Leviathan in pieces,

And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 hYou broke open the fountain and the flood;

iYou dried up mighty rivers.

16 The day is Yours, the night also is jYours;

kYou have prepared the light and the sun.

17 You have lset all the borders of the earth;

mYou have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord,

And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.

19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!

Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.

20 nHave respect to the covenant;

For the 6dark places of the earth are full of the 7haunts of 8cruelty.

21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!

Let the poor and needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;

Remember how the foolish man 9reproaches You daily.

23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;

The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

Psalm 75

Thanksgiving for God’s Righteous Judgment

To the Chief Musician. Set to a“Do 1Not Destroy.” a Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!

For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

2 “When I choose the 2proper time,

I will judge uprightly.

3 The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved;

I set up its pillars firmly.

Selah

4 “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’

And to the wicked, b‘Do not 3lift up the horn.

5 Do not lift up your horn on high;

Do not speak with 4a stiff neck.’ ”

6 For exaltation comes neither from the east

Nor from the west nor from the south.

7 But cGod is the Judge:

dHe puts down one,

And exalts another.

8 For ein the hand of the Lord there is a cup,

And the wine is red;

It is fully mixed, and He pours it out;

Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth

Drain and drink down.

9 But I will declare forever,

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10 “All fthe 5horns of the wicked I will also cut off,

But gthe horns of the righteous shall be hexalted.”

Psalm 76

The Majesty of God in Judgment

To the Chief Musician. On 1Stringed Instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 In aJudah God is known; His name is great in Israel.

2 In 2Salem also is His tabernacle,

And His dwelling place in Zion.

3 There He broke the arrows of the bow,

The shield and sword of battle.

Selah

4 You are more glorious and excellent

bThan the mountains of prey.

5 cThe stouthearted were plundered;

dThey 3have sunk into their sleep;

And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.

6 eAt Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,

Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.

7 You, Yourself, are to be feared;

And fwho may stand in Your presence

When once You are angry?

8 gYou caused judgment to be heard from heaven;

hThe earth feared and was still,

9 When God iarose to judgment,

To deliver all the oppressed of the earth.

Selah

10 jSurely the wrath of man shall praise You;

With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.

11 kMake vows to the Lord your God, and pay them;

lLet all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes;

mHe is awesome to the kings of the earth.

Psalm 77

The Consoling Memory of God’s Redemptive Works

To the Chief Musician. aTo Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 I cried out to God with my voice—To God with my voice;

And He gave ear to me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;

My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;

My soul refused to be comforted.

3 I remembered God, and was troubled;

I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.

Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old,

The years of ancient times.

6 I call to remembrance my song in the night;

I meditate within my heart,

And my spirit 1makes diligent search.

7 Will the Lord cast off forever?

And will He be favorable no more?

8 Has His mercy ceased forever?

Has His bpromise failed 2forevermore?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?

Selah

10 And I said, “This is my 3anguish;

But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11 I will remember the works of the Lord;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

12 I will also meditate on all Your work,

And talk of Your deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is in 4the csanctuary;

Who is so great a God as our God?

14 You are the God who does wonders;

You have declared Your strength among the peoples.

15 You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,

The sons of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah

16 The waters saw You, O God;

The waters saw You, they were dafraid;

The depths also trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water;

The skies sent out a sound;

Your arrows also flashed about.

18 The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;

The lightnings lit up the world;

The earth trembled and shook.

19 Your way was in the sea,

Your path in the great waters,

And Your footsteps were not known.

20 You led Your people like a flock

By the hand of Moses and Aaron.