A Plea for Relief from Oppressors

A [a]Contemplation of Asaph.

74 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
(A)Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
(B)They set up their banners for signs.
They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.
And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.
They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
(C)They said in their hearts,
“Let us [b]destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

We do not see our signs;
(D)There is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
10 O God, how long will the adversary [c]reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
11 (E)Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
12 For (F)God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 (G)You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the [d]sea serpents in the waters.
14 You broke the heads of [e]Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 (H)You broke open the fountain and the flood;
(I)You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is Yours, the night also is (J)Yours;
(K)You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have (L)set all the borders of the earth;
(M)You have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20 (N)Have respect to the covenant;
For the [f]dark places of the earth are full of the [g]haunts of [h]cruelty.
21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man [i]reproaches You daily.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

Thanksgiving for God’s Righteous Judgment

To the Chief Musician. Set to (O)“Do[j] Not Destroy.” A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

75 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

“When I choose the [k]proper time,
I will judge uprightly.
The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved;
I set up its pillars firmly. Selah

“I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’
And to the wicked, (P)‘Do not [l]lift up the horn.
Do not lift up your horn on high;
Do not speak with [m]a stiff neck.’ ”

For exaltation comes neither from the east
Nor from the west nor from the south.
But (Q)God is the Judge:
(R)He puts down one,
And exalts another.
For (S)in the hand of the Lord there is a cup,
And the wine is red;
It is fully mixed, and He pours it out;
Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth
Drain and drink down.

But I will declare forever,
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10 “All(T) the [n]horns of the wicked I will also cut off,
But (U)the horns of the righteous shall be (V)exalted.”

The Majesty of God in Judgment

To the Chief Musician. On [o]stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

76 In (W)Judah God is known;
His name is great in Israel.
In [p]Salem also is His tabernacle,
And His dwelling place in Zion.
There He broke the arrows of the bow,
The shield and sword of battle. Selah

You are more glorious and excellent
(X)Than the mountains of prey.
(Y)The stouthearted were plundered;
(Z)They [q]have sunk into their sleep;
And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.
(AA)At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.

You, Yourself, are to be feared;
And (AB)who may stand in Your presence
When once You are angry?
(AC)You caused judgment to be heard from heaven;
(AD)The earth feared and was still,
When God (AE)arose to judgment,
To deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah

10 (AF)Surely the wrath of man shall praise You;
With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.

11 (AG)Make vows to the Lord your God, and pay them;
(AH)Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.
12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes;
(AI)He is awesome to the kings of the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 74:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 74:8 oppress
  3. Psalm 74:10 revile
  4. Psalm 74:13 sea monsters
  5. Psalm 74:14 A large sea creature of unknown identity
  6. Psalm 74:20 hiding places
  7. Psalm 74:20 homes
  8. Psalm 74:20 violence
  9. Psalm 74:22 reviles or taunts
  10. Psalm 75:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
  11. Psalm 75:2 appointed
  12. Psalm 75:4 Raise the head proudly like a horned animal
  13. Psalm 75:5 Insolent pride
  14. Psalm 75:10 Strength
  15. Psalm 76:1 Heb. neginoth
  16. Psalm 76:2 Jerusalem
  17. Psalm 76:5 Lit. have slumbered their sleep

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