Psalms 74 — NETB

A well-written song by Asaph.

74Verse 1Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us?
Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?
^{Verse 2}Remember your people whom you acquired in ancient times,
whom you rescued so they could be your very own nation,
as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!
^{Verse 3}Hurry and look at the permanent ruins,
and all the damage the enemy has done to the temple!
^{Verse 4}Your enemies roar in the middle of your sanctuary;
they set up their battle flags.
^{Verse 5}They invade like lumberjacks
swinging their axes in a thick forest.
^{Verse 6}And now they are tearing down all its engravings
with axes and crowbars.
^{Verse 7}They set your sanctuary on fire;
they desecrate your dwelling place by knocking it to the ground.
^{Verse 8}They say to themselves,
“We will oppress all of them.”
They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land.
^{Verse 9}We do not see any signs of God’s presence;
there are no longer any prophets
and we have no one to tell us how long this will last.
^{Verse 10}How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults?
Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
^{Verse 11}Why do you remain inactive?
Intervene and destroy him!
^{Verse 12}But God has been my king from ancient times,
performing acts of deliverance on the earth.
^{Verse 13}You destroyed the sea by your strength;
you shattered the heads of the sea monster in the water.
^{Verse 14}You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you fed him to the people who live along the coast.
^{Verse 15}You broke open the spring and the stream;
you dried up perpetually flowing rivers.
^{Verse 16}You established the cycle of day and night;
you put the moon and sun in place.
^{Verse 17}You set up all the boundaries of the earth;
you created the cycle of summer and winter.
^{Verse 18}Remember how the enemy hurls insults, O Lord,
and how a foolish nation blasphemes your name!
^{Verse 19}Do not hand the life of your dove over to a wild animal!
Do not continue to disregard the lives of your oppressed people!
^{Verse 20}Remember your covenant promises,
for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules.
^{Verse 21}Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame!
Let the oppressed and poor praise your name!
^{Verse 22}Rise up, O God! Defend your honor!
Remember how fools insult you all day long!
^{Verse 23}Do not disregard what your enemies say,
or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you.