July 19 – Psalms 73 and 74 from the New Testament

Psalms 73 and 74 – Psalm 73

A psalm by Asaph.

73:1 Certainly God is good to Israel,

and to those whose motives are pure!

73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;

my feet almost slid out from under me.

73:3 For I envied those who are proud,

as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

73:4 For they suffer no pain;

their bodies are strong and well-fed.

73:5 They are immune to the trouble common to men;

they do not suffer as other men do.

73:6 Arrogance is their necklace,

and violence their clothing.

73:7 Their prosperity causes them to do wrong;

their thoughts are sinful.

73:8 They mock and say evil things;

they proudly threaten violence.

73:9 They speak as if they rule in heaven,

and lay claim to the earth.

73:10 Therefore they have more than enough food to eat,

and even suck up the water of the sea.

73:11 They say, “How does God know what we do?

Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”

73:12 Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like,

those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.

73:13 I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure

and maintained a pure lifestyle.

73:14 I suffer all day long,

and am punished every morning.”

73:15 If I had publicized these thoughts,

I would have betrayed your loyal followers.

73:16 When I tried to make sense of this,

it was troubling to me.

73:17 Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple,

and understood the destiny of the wicked.

73:18 Surely you put them in slippery places;

you bring them down to ruin.

73:19 How desolate they become in a mere moment!

Terrifying judgments make their demise complete!

73:20 They are like a dream after one wakes up.

O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.

73:21 Yes, my spirit was bitter,

and my insides felt sharp pain.

73:22 I was ignorant and lacked insight;

I was as senseless as an animal before you.

73:23 But I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

73:24 You guide me by your wise advice,

and then you will lead me to a position of honor.

73:25 Whom do I have in heaven but you?

I desire no one but you on earth.

73:26 My flesh and my heart may grow weak,

but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.

73:27 Yes, look! Those far from you die;

you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.

73:28 But as for me, God’s presence is all I need.

I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter,

as I declare all the things you have done.

Psalm 74

A well-written song by Asaph.

74:1 Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us?

Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?

74:2 Remember your people whom you acquired in ancient times,

whom you rescued so they could be your very own nation,

as well as Mount Zion, where you dwell!

74:3 Hurry and look at the permanent ruins,

and all the damage the enemy has done to the temple!

74:4 Your enemies roar in the middle of your sanctuary;

they set up their battle flags.

74:5 They invade like lumberjacks

swinging their axes in a thick forest.

74:6 And now they are tearing down all its engravings

with axes and crowbars.

74:7 They set your sanctuary on fire;

they desecrate your dwelling place by knocking it to the ground.

74:8 They say to themselves,

“We will oppress all of them.”

They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land.

74:9 We do not see any signs of God’s presence;

there are no longer any prophets

and we have no one to tell us how long this will last.

74:10 How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults?

Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

74:11 Why do you remain inactive?

Intervene and destroy him!

74:12 But God has been my king from ancient times,

performing acts of deliverance on the earth.

74:13 You destroyed the sea by your strength;

you shattered the heads of the sea monster in the water.

74:14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;

you fed him to the people who live along the coast.

74:15 You broke open the spring and the stream;

you dried up perpetually flowing rivers.

74:16 You established the cycle of day and night;

you put the moon and sun in place.

74:17 You set up all the boundaries of the earth;

you created the cycle of summer and winter.

74:18 Remember how the enemy hurls insults, O Lord,

and how a foolish nation blasphemes your name!

74:19 Do not hand the life of your dove over to a wild animal!

Do not continue to disregard the lives of your oppressed people!

74:20 Remember your covenant promises,

for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules.

74:21 Do not let the afflicted be turned back in shame!

Let the oppressed and poor praise your name!

74:22 Rise up, O God! Defend your honor!

Remember how fools insult you all day long!

74:23 Do not disregard what your enemies say,

or the unceasing shouts of those who defy you.