Psalms

A collection of songs and prayers expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts on faith.

Chapter 74

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

*Dear God, why have you abandoned us forever? Why does your anger continuously burn towards your sheep in your pasture?

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.

*Remember your group of people, who you bought long ago; the staff of your inherited land, which you saved; this Mount Zion, where you have lived.

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

*Lift your feet to the lasting ruins; all the bad things the enemy has done in the holy place.

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

*Your enemies shout within your gatherings; they put up their flags as signals.

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

*A man became well-known for how many heavy logs he cut down from big trees.

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

*But now, they destroy the sculpture right away using axes and hammers.

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

*They started a fire in your holy place. They made it unholy by knocking over the place where your name is meant to be honored.

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

*They thought, "Let's join forces to eliminate them; they've destroyed all the God's worship places in the area."

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

*We don't see our messages: there are no more prophets: we also have no one who knows the duration.

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

*Dear God, why does the opponent keep mocking you? Will the enemy disrespect your name forever?

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

*Why do you pull back your hand, your right hand? Take it out from under your clothes.

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

*God has been my ancient King, bringing rescue right here on Earth.

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

*You separated the sea using your power, and you broke the dragon's heads in the water.

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

*You shatter the leviathan's head into pieces and give it as food to the people living in the desert.

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

*You split the source of water and the flood; you made big rivers stop flowing.

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

*The day belongs to you, night too belongs to you; you have made the light and the sun ready.

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

*You have established the boundaries of the earth; you created the seasons of summer and winter.

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

*Remember that the enemy has insulted you, Lord, and that foolish people have disrespected your name.

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

*Don't let your dove fall into the hands of the wicked people; always remember your group of needy people forever.

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

*Respect the agreement; because the hidden parts of the world have many homes of cruelty.

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

*Don't let those who are mistreated feel embarrassed; instead, let the poor and those in need celebrate your name.

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

*God, stand up and defend yourself. Remember how the foolish person criticizes you every day.

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

*Don't forget the words of those who oppose you; the noise of your opponents keeps growing stronger all the time.

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