1 An instruction; of Asaph. Why, O God, hast thou cast off for ever? Smoketh thy wrath against the sheep of thy pasture?
2 Remember thine assembly thou hast purchased of old, thou hast redeemed [as] rod of thine inheritance, this mount Zion thou hast dwelt in.
3 Lift up thy steps unto the perpetual ruins, every evil the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.
4 Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of thy place of assembly: they have set their signs [for] signs.
5 One was known as raising up axes on the thicket of trees:
6 And now its carvings together they strike down with hatchets and hammers.
7 They have set on fire thy sanctuary; to the ground they have profaned the tabernacle of thy name.
8 They said in their heart, Let us destroy them together.
9 They have burnt all God’s (El) places of assembly in the land.
10 Our signs we see not; [there is] no more a prophet, and with us [is] not any knowing how long.
11 How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy despise thy name for ever?
12 Why drawest thou back thy hand, and thy right hand? from the midst of thy bosom consume [them].
13 Yet (And) God [is] my king of old working deliverances in the midst of the earth.
14 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength; thou didst break the heads of dragons on the waters;
15 Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, thou gavest it as food to a people dwelling in the wilderness.
16 Thou didst cleave fount and torrent, thou didst dry up rivers ever flowing.
17 Day is thine, yea, thine, night. Thou didst prepare light and sun;
18 Thou didst set all the borders of earth; summer and winter, thou didst form them.
19 Remember this: an enemy hath reproached, O Jehovah, and a foolish people have despised thy name.
20 Give not up the soul of thy turtle-dove to the wild beast (or greedy herd): forget not the herd (or company) of thine afflicted for ever.
21 Have respect unto the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the dwellings of violence.
22 Let not the oppressed return ashamed; let crushed one and needy one praise thy name.
23 Arise, O God, plead thy cause; remember thy reproach from the fool all the day.
24 Forget not the voice of thine adversaries: the tumult of those that rise up against thee goeth up continually.
Notes on Psalm 74
The next is “Instructed, of Asaph.” The psalm is thus occupied with the external enemies, though the inner oppressor is also noticed, in remarkable contrast with the more spiritual dealing of God with the soul set out in the psalm before it which introduces the book. Outwardly things look at their worst, ravage unchecked, desolation of the sanctuary, roaring in the assemblies, man’s sign the only sign apparent everywhere, and no voice even from God, not a prophet, nor one knowing “how long.” Yet faith owns God “my King” from of old, and the mighty deliverances, and pleads at length, “Remember this: an enemy hath approached, O Jehovah,” rising up to the covenant name, as the poor remnant were His turtle-dove.