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A Prayer for the Nation

74 O God, why have You turned away from us forever? Why does Your anger burn against the sheep in Your fields? Remember Your people that You bought a long time ago. You made them free to be the family of Your promise, and Mount Zion, where You have lived. Turn Your steps toward this place that has been destroyed forever. Those who hate You have destroyed all that is in the holy place. Those who hate You have called out in the center of Your meeting place. They have set up their flags to show that they have won. They acted like men taking up axes against a group of trees. All of its fine work has been broken with axes and sticks. They have burned Your holy place to the dust. They have made dirty the house of Your name. They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy all of these places!” They have burned all the meeting places where God was worshiped in the land. We do not see any special things happening. There is no longer anyone who speaks for God. And none of us knows how long this will be. 10 O God, how long will those who hate You laugh at the truth? Will they speak against Your name forever? 11 Why do You take Your hand away, even Your right hand? Put it out and destroy them!

12 God is still my King from long ago. He does saving works upon the earth. 13 You divided the sea by Your power. You broke the heads of the large dragons in the waters. 14 You crushed the heads of the Leviathan. And You fed him to the animals of the desert. 15 It was You Who opened up the earth for water to flow out. And You dried up rivers that flow forever. 16 The day is Yours. And the night is Yours. You have set the light and the sun in their places. 17 You have divided all the lands and seas and nations of the earth. You have made summer and winter.

18 Remember how those who hate You have laughed at the truth, O Lord. Foolish people have spoken against Your name. 19 Do not give the life of Your dove over to the wild animal. Do not forget the lives of Your troubled people forever. 20 Think about Your agreement. For the dark places of the land are full of fighting. 21 Do not let those who suffer under a bad power return without honor. Let those who suffer and those who are in need praise Your name.

22 Rise up, O God. Stand up for Your rights. Remember how the foolish man speaks against You all day long. 23 Do not forget the voice of those who hate You, the noise that comes without stopping from those who rise against You.

God Puts Down the Proud and Lifts Up Those Who Are Right with Himself

75 We give thanks to You, O God. We give thanks that Your name is near. Men tell about the great things You have done. You say, “When the right time has come, I will be right and fair in deciding who is guilty or not. When the earth and all its people shake, it is I Who will hold it together. I said to the proud, ‘Do not speak with pride.’ And I said to the sinful, ‘Do not lift up the horn. Do not lift your horn up high. Do not speak in your pride.’”

For honor does not come from the east or the west or from the desert. But God is the One Who decides. He puts down one and brings respect to another. For there is a cup in the Lord’s hand. It is full of strong wine that is well mixed. He pours out from it, and all the sinful people of the earth must drink all of it.

But as for me, I will tell of it forever. I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 10 He will cut off all the horns of the sinful. But the horns of those who are right with God will be lifted up.

The Power That Wins

76 God is known in Judah. His name is great in Israel. His holy tent of worship is in Salem. He lives in Zion. There He broke the burning arrows, the iron covering and the sword, and all the things used for fighting in war.

You are shining with greatness, more beautiful than the mountains with many animals. Strong men have been robbed. They sleep their last sleep. Not one of the soldiers can lift his hands. O God of Jacob, both soldier and horse were put in a dead sleep because of Your sharp words. You alone are to be feared. Who may stand before You when You are angry?

You said from heaven who is guilty or not. The earth was afraid and quiet when God stood up to say who is guilty or not, and to save all the people of the earth who are not proud. 10 For the anger of man will praise You. And You will keep what is left of anger around You.

11 Make promises to the Lord your God and keep them. Let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him, Who is to be feared. 12 He will cut off the spirit of princes. He is feared by the kings of the earth.

Psalm 74

A maskil[a] of Asaph.

O God, why have you rejected(A) us forever?(B)
    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(C)
Remember the nation you purchased(D) long ago,(E)
    the people of your inheritance,(F) whom you redeemed(G)
    Mount Zion,(H) where you dwelt.(I)
Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(J)
    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

Your foes roared(K) in the place where you met with us;
    they set up their standards(L) as signs.
They behaved like men wielding axes
    to cut through a thicket of trees.(M)
They smashed all the carved(N) paneling
    with their axes and hatchets.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
    they defiled(O) the dwelling place(P) of your Name.(Q)
They said in their hearts, “We will crush(R) them completely!”
    They burned(S) every place where God was worshiped in the land.

We are given no signs from God;(T)
    no prophets(U) are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long(V) will the enemy mock(W) you, God?
    Will the foe revile(X) your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?(Y)
    Take it from the folds of your garment(Z) and destroy them!

12 But God is my King(AA) from long ago;
    he brings salvation(AB) on the earth.

13 It was you who split open the sea(AC) by your power;
    you broke the heads of the monster(AD) in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan(AE)
    and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.(AF)
15 It was you who opened up springs(AG) and streams;
    you dried up(AH) the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
    you established the sun and moon.(AI)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries(AJ) of the earth;
    you made both summer and winter.(AK)

18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
    how foolish people(AL) have reviled your name.
19 Do not hand over the life of your dove(AM) to wild beasts;
    do not forget the lives of your afflicted(AN) people forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant,(AO)
    because haunts of violence fill the dark places(AP) of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed(AQ) retreat in disgrace;
    may the poor and needy(AR) praise your name.
22 Rise up,(AS) O God, and defend your cause;
    remember how fools(AT) mock you all day long.
23 Do not ignore the clamor(AU) of your adversaries,(AV)
    the uproar(AW) of your enemies,(AX) which rises continually.

Psalm 75[b]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph. A song.

We praise you, God,
    we praise you, for your Name is near;(AY)
    people tell of your wonderful deeds.(AZ)

You say, “I choose the appointed time;(BA)
    it is I who judge with equity.(BB)
When the earth and all its people quake,(BC)
    it is I who hold its pillars(BD) firm.[c]
To the arrogant(BE) I say, ‘Boast no more,’(BF)
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.[d](BG)
Do not lift your horns against heaven;
    do not speak so defiantly.(BH)’”

No one from the east or the west
    or from the desert can exalt themselves.
It is God who judges:(BI)
    He brings one down, he exalts another.(BJ)
In the hand of the Lord is a cup
    full of foaming wine mixed(BK) with spices;
he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
    drink it down to its very dregs.(BL)

As for me, I will declare(BM) this forever;
    I will sing(BN) praise to the God of Jacob,(BO)
10 who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
    but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”(BP)

Psalm 76[e]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.

God is renowned in Judah;
    in Israel his name is great.(BQ)
His tent is in Salem,(BR)
    his dwelling place in Zion.(BS)
There he broke the flashing arrows,(BT)
    the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.[f](BU)

You are radiant with light,(BV)
    more majestic than mountains rich with game.
The valiant(BW) lie plundered,
    they sleep their last sleep;(BX)
not one of the warriors
    can lift his hands.
At your rebuke,(BY) God of Jacob,
    both horse and chariot(BZ) lie still.

It is you alone who are to be feared.(CA)
    Who can stand(CB) before you when you are angry?(CC)
From heaven you pronounced judgment,
    and the land feared(CD) and was quiet—
when you, God, rose up to judge,(CE)
    to save all the afflicted(CF) of the land.
10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,(CG)
    and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.[g]

11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;(CH)
    let all the neighboring lands
    bring gifts(CI) to the One to be feared.
12 He breaks the spirit of rulers;
    he is feared by the kings of the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 74:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  2. Psalm 75:1 In Hebrew texts 75:1-10 is numbered 75:2-11.
  3. Psalm 75:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  4. Psalm 75:4 Horns here symbolize strength; also in verses 5 and 10.
  5. Psalm 76:1 In Hebrew texts 76:1-12 is numbered 76:2-13.
  6. Psalm 76:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 9.
  7. Psalm 76:10 Or Surely the wrath of mankind brings you praise, / and with the remainder of wrath you arm yourself