Psalm 74

Psalm 74 is a cry of distress from the psalmist, as he sees the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem by foreign nations. He pleads with God to remember His covenant and to intervene in the midst of their suffering.

image of Psalm 74

23
verses
2
min

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God, Why Have You Forsaken Us?

1 {Maschil of Asaph.} O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy 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.
3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.
4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.
5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with 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.
8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.
12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.
16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy 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.
20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.
22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.
23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

Commentary

The psalmist's words are not just a lament over physical destruction, but also an outcry over the loss of a sense of God's presence and protection. He asks why God has forsaken His people, and why He appears to be silent in the face of their cries for help. In the midst of his sorrow, the psalmist remembers the great acts of God in the past, and begs for God to once again show His power and mercy. This psalm can provide comfort and guidance to anyone who is experiencing hardship and feels as though God is distant. It reminds us to cling to our faith and to continue seeking God, even in the darkest of times.

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FAQ

Assuming a reader with an average reading speed of 300 WPM reads the Psalm, chapter 74 it would take approximately 2 minutes to finish.

There are 23 verses in Psalm, chapter 74.