Psalm 74

HCSB

Psalm 74

Prayer for Israel

^{Tools
1} A Maskil of Asaph.^(A)

Why have You rejected us forever, God?
Why does Your anger burn
against the sheep of Your pasture?^(B)

^{Tools
2}

Remember Your congregation,
which You purchased long ago
and redeemed as the tribe for Your own possession.^(C)
Remember Mount Zion where You dwell.^(D)

^{Tools
3}

Make Your way^(a) to the everlasting ruins,
to all that the enemy has destroyed in the sanctuary.^(E)

^{Tools
4}

Your adversaries roared in the meeting place
where You met with us.^(b)
They set up their emblems as signs.^(F)

^{Tools
5}

It was like men in a thicket of trees,
wielding axes,^(G)

^{Tools
6}

then smashing all the carvings
with hatchets and picks.^(H)

^{Tools
7}

They set Your sanctuary on fire;
they utterly^(c) desecrated
the dwelling place of Your name.^(I)

^{Tools
8}

They said in their hearts,
“Let us oppress them relentlessly.”
They burned down every place throughout the land
where God met with us.^(d)^(J)

^{Tools
9}

There are no signs for us to see.
There is no longer a prophet.
And none of us knows how long this will last.^(K)

^{Tools
10}

God, how long will the enemy mock?
Will the foe insult Your name forever?^(L)

^{Tools
11}

Why do You hold back Your hand?
Stretch out^(e) Your right hand and destroy them!^(M)

^{Tools
12}

God my King is from ancient times,
performing saving acts on the earth.^(N)

^{Tools
13}

You divided the sea with Your strength;
You smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the waters;^(O)

^{Tools
14}

You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
You fed him to the creatures of the desert.^(P)

^{Tools
15}

You opened up springs and streams;^(Q)
You dried up ever-flowing rivers.^(R)

^{Tools
16}

The day is Yours, also the night;
You established the moon and the sun.^(S)

^{Tools
17}

You set all the boundaries of the earth;
You made summer and winter.^(T)

^{Tools
18}

Remember this: the enemy has mocked Yahweh,
and a foolish people has insulted Your name.^(U)

^{Tools
19}

Do not give the life of Your dove to beasts;^(f)
do not forget the lives of Your poor people forever.^(V)

^{Tools
20}

Consider the covenant,^(W)
for the dark places of the land are full of violence.^(X)

^{Tools
21}

Do not let the oppressed turn away in shame;
let the poor and needy praise Your name.^(Y)

^{Tools
22}

Rise up, God, defend Your cause!^(Z)
Remember the insults
that fools bring against You all day long.^(AA)

^{Tools
23}

Do not forget the clamor of Your adversaries,
the tumult of Your opponents that goes up constantly.^(AB)

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 74:3: Lit Lift up Your steps

b. Psalm 74:4: Lit in Your meeting place

c. Psalm 74:7: Lit they to the ground

d. Psalm 74:8: Lit every meeting place of God in the land

e. Psalm 74:11: Lit From Your bosom

f. Psalm 74:19: One Hb ms, LXX, Syr read Do not hand over to beasts a soul that praises You

Cross references:

B. Psalm 74:1: Exodus 32:11; Psalm 60:1; Psalm 60:10; Psalm 108:11

C. Psalm 74:2: Isaiah 63:17; Jeremiah 10:16; Jeremiah 51:19

D. Psalm 74:2: Isaiah 8:18

E. Psalm 74:3: Psalm 79:1; Isaiah 61:4

F. Psalm 74:4: Numbers 2:2

G. Psalm 74:5: Jeremiah 46:22

H. Psalm 74:6: Lamentations 2:2

I. Psalm 74:7: Psalm 79:1

J. Psalm 74:8: Psalm 83:4

K. Psalm 74:9: Ezekiel 7:26

L. Psalm 74:10: Psalm 79:12; Psalm 89:51

M. Psalm 74:11: Psalm 59:13

N. Psalm 74:12: Psalm 47:6-8; Psalm 95:3; Jeremiah 10:10

O. Psalm 74:13: Exodus 14:21; Isaiah 51:9; Ezekiel 32:2

P. Psalm 74:14: Job 41:1; Psalm 104:26; Isaiah 27:1

Q. Psalm 74:15: Psalm 104:10-11

R. Psalm 74:15: Isaiah 42:15; Isaiah 44:27

S. Psalm 74:16: Genesis 1:14-18; Psalm 104:19

T. Psalm 74:17: Genesis 8:22; Job 38:10-11; Proverbs 8:29; Jeremiah 5:22

U. Psalm 74:18: Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1; Psalm 89:51

V. Psalm 74:19: Psalm 9:18; Psalm 68:10

W. Psalm 74:20: Deuteronomy 4:31; Psalm 106:45

X. Psalm 74:20: Ezekiel 7:23

Y. Psalm 74:21: Psalm 9:9; Psalm 103:6; Isaiah 41:7

Z. Psalm 74:22: Psalm 9:19; Psalm 82:8

AA. Psalm 74:22: Psalm 79:12

AB. Psalm 74:23: Psalm 65:7