Psalm 74

Maschil of Asaph.

74:1

¶ O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

74:2

Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

74:3

Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

74:4

Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.

74:5

A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

74:6

But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.

74:7

They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

74:8

They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

74:9

We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

74:10

O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

74:11

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

74:12

For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

74:13

Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

74:14

Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

74:15

Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

74:16

The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

74:17

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

74:18

Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

74:19

O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

74:20

Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

74:21

O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

74:22

Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

74:23

Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.