Psalms74

Psalm 74 is a lament from Asaph, questioning God's apparent abandonment of His people amidst the enemy's violent destruction of the sanctuary and synagogues. The psalmist describes the desecration and the absence of divine signs, then recalls God's mighty acts of creation and deliverance in the past. The psalm concludes with an earnest plea for God to remember His covenant, defend His own cause, and deliver His oppressed congregation from their blasphemous foes.

A Lament Over God’s Abandonment

1
A Psalme to give instruction, committed to Asaph. O God, why hast thou put vs away for euer? why is thy wrath kindled against the sheepe of thy pasture?
2
Thinke vpon thy Congregation, which thou hast possessed of olde, and on the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed, and on this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
3
Lift vp thy strokes, that thou mayest for euer destroy euery enemie that doeth euill to the Sanctuarie.

The Enemy’s Desecration of the Sanctuary

4
Thine aduersaries roare in the middes of thy Congregation, and set vp their banners for signes.
5
He that lifted the axes vpon the thicke trees, was renowmed, as one, that brought a thing to perfection:
6
But nowe they breake downe the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers.
7
They haue cast thy Sanctuarie into the fire, and rased it to the grounde, and haue defiled the dwelling place of thy Name.
8
They saide in their hearts, Let vs destroy them altogether: they haue burnt all the Synagogues of God in the land.
9
We see not our signes: there is not one Prophet more, nor any with vs that knoweth howe long.
10
O God, howe long shall the aduersarie reproche thee? shall the enemie blaspheme thy Name for euer?
11
Why withdrawest thou thine hand, euen thy right hand? drawe it out of thy bosome, and consume them.

Remembering God’s Ancient Power

12
Euen God is my King of olde, working saluation in the middes of the earth.
13
Thou didest deuide the sea by thy power: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14
Thou brakest the head of Liuiathan in pieces, and gauest him to be meate for the people in wildernesse.
15
Thou brakest vp the fountaine and riuer: thou dryedst vp mightie riuers.
16
The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sunne.
17
Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

An Urgent Plea for God to Act

18
Remember this, that the enemie hath reproched the Lord, and the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name.
19
Giue not the soule of thy turtle doue vnto the beast, and forget not the Congregation of thy poore for euer.
20
Consider thy couenant: for the darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of the cruell.
21
Oh let not the oppressed returne ashamed, but let the poore and needie prayse thy Name.
22
Arise, O God: mainteine thine owne cause: remember thy dayly reproche by the foolish man.
23
Forget not the voyce of thine enemies: for the tumult of them, that rise against thee, ascendeth continually.
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