BibleHearthPsalm 74 (NASB2020)
Psalm 74
An Appeal against the Devastation of the Land by the Enemy.
A 74:0 Possibly, Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful PsalmMaskil of Asaph.
1God, why have You rejected us forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your 74:1 Or pasturingpasture?
2Remember Your congregation, which You purchased of old,
Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance;
And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.
3 74:3 Lit Lift Your footstepsStep toward the 74:3 Lit ruins ruined for all timeirreparable ruins;
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
4Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;
They have set up their own signs as signs.
5It 74:5 Lit is known asseems like one bringing up
His axe into a 74:5 Lit thicketforest of trees.
6And now they break down 74:6 Lit altogetherall its carved work
With axe and hammers.
7They have 74:7 Lit set on fireburned Your sanctuary 74:7 Or To the ground they...to the ground;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.
8They said in their heart, “Let’s 74:8 Lit altogethercompletely 74:8 Or oppresssubdue them.”
They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet,
Nor is there anyone among us who knows how long.
10How long, God, will the enemy taunt You?
Shall the enemy treat Your name disrespectfully forever?
11Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Extend it from Your chest and destroy them!
12¶Yet God is my King from long ago,
Who performs acts of salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 74:13 Or You YourselfYou divided the sea by Your strength;
74:13 Or You YourselfYou broke the heads of the sea monsters 74:13 Lit onin the waters.
14 74:14 Or You YourselfYou crushed the heads of 74:14 Or sea monsterLeviathan;
You gave him as food for the 74:14 Lit peoplecreatures of the wilderness.
15 74:15 Or You YourselfYou broke open springs and torrents;
74:15 Or You YourselfYou dried up ever-flowing streams.
16Yours is the day, Yours also is the night;
74:16 Or You YourselfYou have prepared the 74:16 Or luminarylight and the sun.
17 74:17 Or You YourselfYou have established all the boundaries of the earth;
74:17 Or You YourselfYou have 74:17 Or formedcreated summer and winter.
18¶Remember this, 74:18 Or that the enemy has taunted the LordLord, that the enemy has taunted You,
And a foolish people has treated Your name disrespectfully.
19Do not give the soul of Your turtledove to the wild animal;
Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.
20Consider the covenant;
For the dark places of the land are full of the places of violence.
21May the oppressed person not return dishonored;
May the afflicted and the needy praise Your name.
22¶Arise, God, and plead Your own cause;
Remember 74:22 Lit Your reproach from the foolish manhow the foolish person taunts You all day long.
23Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries,
The uproar of those who rise against You, which ascends continually.
Understand Psalm 74
A verse-by-verse study of Psalm 74: what the chapter is doing, and what three commentaries say about it. Written to be readable if this is new to you.
Read the Psalm 74 commentary