Psalms 74
74
We Need You Now
Asaph’s poem of instruction
1Are you really going to leave us, God?
Would you turn your back on us, rejecting your people?
We are yours, your very own. # 74:1 Or “the sheep of your pasture.”
Will your anger smolder against us forever?
2Don’t forget that we are your beloved ones.
Wrap us back into your heart again, for you chose us.
You brought us out of our slavery and bondage
and made us your favored ones, your Zion-people,
your home on earth.
3Turn your steps toward this devastation.
Come running to bring your restoring grace to these ruins, # 74:3 This verse reads differently in the Aramaic: “Lift up your servants with your might above those who take them captive, for those who oppress us are enemies to your holiness.”
to what the enemy has done to devastate your Holy Place.
4They have come into the very midst of your dwelling place,
roaring like beasts, setting up their banners to flaunt their conquest.
5Now everything is in shambles! They’ve totally destroyed it.
Like a forest chopped down to the ground,
there’s nothing left.
6All of the beauty of the craftsmanship
of the inner place has been ruined,
smashed, broken, and shattered. # 74:6 This psalm describes physical destruction as well as what the enemy of our souls has done spiritually to mar the image of God in the “inner place” of man’s spirit. God will fully restore all things, including his image within us, as our hearts become his Holy Place on the earth.
7They’ve burned it all to the ground.
They’ve violated your sanctuary,
the very dwelling place of your glory and your name.
8They boasted, “Let’s completely crush them!
Let’s wipe out every trace of this God.
Let’s burn up every sacred place where they worship this God.”
9We don’t see any miraculous signs anymore.
There’s no longer a prophet among us
who can tell us how long this devastation will continue.
10God, how much longer will you let this go on
and allow these barbarians to blaspheme your name?
Will you stand back and watch them get away with this forever?
11Why don’t you do something?
You have the power to break in,
so why would you hide your great power from us?
Don’t hold back! Unleash your might and give them a final blow.
12You have always been, and always will be, my King.
You are the mighty conqueror, working wonders all over the world.
13It was you who split the sea in two by your glorious strength.
You smashed the power of Tannin, the sea monster.
14You crushed the might of Leviathan, # 74:14 Leviathan is mentioned six times in Job 41. Leviathan means “twisted” or “coiled” and is considered to be a sea monster. See Gen. 1:21. the great dragon,
then you took the crumbs and fed them to the sharks.
15With your glory you opened up springs and fountains,
then you spoke, and the ever-flowing springs of Jordan
dried up so we could cross over.
16You own the day and the night.
Sunlight and starlight call you Creator.
17The four corners of the earth were formed by your hands,
and every changing season owes its beauty to you.
18O Yahweh, don’t ever forget how these arrogant enemies,
like fools, have mocked your name.
19Lord, aren’t we your beloved dove that praises you? # 74:19 As translated from the Septuagint, Syriac, and one Hebrew manuscript.
Protect us from these wild beasts who want to harm us.
Don’t leave us as lambs among wolves!
You can’t abandon us after all we’ve been through!
20Remember your promises to us,
for darkness covers the land,
giving the violent ones a hiding place.
21Don’t let these insults continue.
Can’t you see that we are your downtrodden
and oppressed people?
Make the poor and needy into a choir of praise to you!
22Don’t ignore these ignorant words, this continual mocking.
Rise up, God; it’s time to defend yourself from all this.
23Never forget what your adversaries are saying.
For their rage and uproar rise continually against you.
It’s time to stand up to them!
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Psalms 74: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 74
74
Psalm 74
This is a special song that Asaph wrote.
A prayer for our nation #74:1 In 586 BC, the army of Babylon destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. The writer of this psalm asks God why he has let this happen to his people, the Israelites.
1God, have you turned against us for ever?
Why are you so angry with us?
We belong to you, so please take care of us,
like a shepherd takes care of his sheep.
2Remember that we are your people.
Long ago you chose us for yourself.
You rescued us from being slaves,
so that we could be your special nation of people. #74:2 This is when God led the Israelites out of Egypt where they had been slaves.
So please think about us,
as well as your home on Mount Zion.
3Come and look at our buildings!
Your enemies have completely destroyed them.
They have also destroyed everything that is in your temple.
4Your enemies shout battle cries
inside your special meeting place.
They have put up their own flags there.
5They used axes to cut the temple into pieces,
like people who cut down trees!
6They used their hammers and axes
to break the wooden boards with pictures on them.
7They completely burned your temple.
They knocked it down to the ground!
They caused your special place to become useless!
8They said to themselves,
‘We will completely destroy them all.’
So they burned down every place in the land
where people meet to worship God.
9We no longer see any signs that God is with us.
There are no more prophets among us.
Nobody can tell us how long this will continue.
10God, how long will our enemies laugh at you?
Will they insult your name for ever?
11Why do you do nothing to help us?
Use your power now to punish them!
12God, you have been my king from the beginning.
You have done great things to rescue us
all over the earth.
13You broke the sea into separate pieces,
because you are so strong. #74:13 These verses (13-15) may describe the time when God made the world and everything in it. Or they may describe how God took his people out of Egypt. He led them across the Red Sea on dry land, and he gave them water and food in the desert.
You broke the heads of the monsters
in the waters of the sea.#74:13 When God broke the heads of the monsters in the water, that may describe when the Egyptian army drowned in the Red Sea.
14You broke the heads of Leviathan. #74:14 Leviathan is the old name of a sea monster.
You gave his body as food
for the animals that live in the desert.
15You caused springs and streams of water to appear.
And you made large rivers become dry! #74:15 God made the Jordan River become dry so that his people could walk across into Canaan.
16Days and nights both belong to you.
You put the moon and the sun in their places.
17You said where the land must be among the seas.
You made both summer and winter. #74:17 These verses describe the time when God made the universe. See Genesis 1:1-31.
18 Lord, think about your enemies.
They are always laughing at you.
Foolish people are insulting your name.
19We, your people, are like your own special dove.
Do not let wild animals destroy us!
We are weak and poor,
so do not forget about us!
20Remember what you have promised to do for us.
There are dark places everywhere,
where cruel people hide.
21We are weak, and people want to hurt us.
Do not let us become ashamed.
Instead, let the poor, weak people praise your name!
22Do something, God!
Show everyone that you are good.
Think how fools are laughing at you all the time.
23Do not forget what your enemies are saying.
They shout things against you all the time!
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