A Plea for Relief from Oppressors

A Contemplation^[a] of Asaph.

74 O God, why have You cast us off forever?Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?² Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.³ Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.⁴ Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;They set up their banners for signs.⁵ They seem like men who lift upAxes among the thick trees.⁶ And now they break down its carved work, all at once,With axes and hammers.⁷ They have set fire to Your sanctuary;They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.⁸ They said in their hearts,“Let us destroy them altogether.”They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

⁹ We do not see our signs;There is no longer any prophet;Nor is there any among us who knows how long.¹⁰ O God, how long will the adversary reproach?Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?¹¹ Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.¹² For God is my King from of old,Working salvation in the midst of the earth.¹³ You divided the sea by Your strength;You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.¹⁴ You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.¹⁵ You broke open the fountain and the flood;You dried up mighty rivers.¹⁶ The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;You have prepared the light and the sun.¹⁷ You have set all the borders of the earth;You have made summer and winter.

¹⁸ Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord,And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.¹⁹ Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.²⁰ Have respect to the covenant;For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.²¹ Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!Let the poor and needy praise Your name.

²² Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.²³ Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.