Psalms 73-77 - Prayer Tents

73[A psalm of Asaph.] Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.H4210H623H430H2896H3478H1249H3824 2But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.H7272H4592H5186H5186H838H369H8210 3For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.H7065H1984H7200H7965H7563 4They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.H2784H4194H193H1277 5They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.H5999H582H5060H5973H120 6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.H1346H6059H2555H5848H7897 7These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!H5869H3318H2459H5674H3824H4906 8They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.H4167H1696H7451H6233H1696H4791 9They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.H8371H6310H8064H3956H1980H776 10And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.H5971H7725H7725H1988H4325H4392H4680 11“What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”H559H410H3045H3426H1844H5945 12Look at these wicked people—enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.H7563H7961H5769H7685H2428 13Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?H2135H3824H7385H7364H3709H5356 14I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.H3117H5060H8433H1242 15If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.H559H5608H3644H898H1755H1121 16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!H2803H3045H5999H5869 17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.H935H4720H410H995H319 18Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.H7896H2513H5307H4876 19In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.H8047H7281H5486H8552H1091 20When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.H2472H6974H136H5782H959H6754 21Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.H3824H2556H8150H3629 22I was so foolish and ignorant—I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.H1198H3045H929 23Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.H8548H270H3225H3027 24You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.H5148H6098H310H3947H3519 25Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.H8064H776H2654 26My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.H7607H3824H3615H430H6697H3824H2506H5769 27Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.H7369H6H6789H2181 28But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.H589H2896H7132H430H7896H4268H136H3069H5608H4399

74[A psalm of Asaph.] O God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?H4905H623H430H2186H5331H639H6225H6629H4830 2Remember that we are the people you chose long ago, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession! And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.H2142H5712H7069H6924H7626H5159H1350H2022H6726H7931 3Walk through the awful ruins of the city; see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary.H7311H6471H5331H4876H341H7489H6944 4There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries; there they set up their battle standards.H6887H7580H7130H4150H7760H226H226 5They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest.H3045H935H4605H7134H5442H6086 6With axes and picks, they smashed the carved paneling.H1986H6603H3162H3781H3597 7They burned your sanctuary to the ground. They defiled the place that bears your name.H7971H784H4720H2490H4908H8034H776 8Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!” So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped.H559H3820H3238H3162H8313H4150H410H776 9We no longer see your miraculous signs. All the prophets are gone, and no one can tell us when it will end.H7200H226H5030H3045H5704 10How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you? Will you let them dishonor your name forever?H430H6862H2778H341H5006H8034H5331 11Why do you hold back your strong right hand? Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them.H7725H3027H3225H3615H7130H2436H2436 12You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth.H430H4428H6924H6466H3444H7130H776 13You split the sea by your strength and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.H6565H3220H5797H7665H7218H8577H4325 14You crushed the heads of Leviathan① and let the desert animals eat him./ ①The identification of Leviathan is disputed, ranging from an earthly creature to a mythical sea monster in ancient literatureH7533H7218H3882H5414H3978H5971H6728 15You caused the springs and streams to gush forth, and you dried up rivers that never run dry.H1234H4599H5158H3001H386H5104 16Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun.H3117H3915H3559H3974H8121 17You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter.H5324H1367H776H3335H7019H2779 18See how these enemies insult you, Lord. A foolish nation has dishonored your name.H2142H341H2778H3068H5036H5971H5006H8034 19Don’t let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves. Don’t forget your suffering people forever.H5414H5315H8449H2416H7911H2416H6041H5331 20Remember your covenant promises, for the land is full of darkness and violence!H5027H1285H4285H776H4390H4999H2555 21Don’t let the downtrodden be humiliated again. Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name.H1790H7725H3637H6041H34H1984H8034 22Arise, O God, and defend your cause. Remember how these fools insult you all day long.H6965H430H7378H7379H2142H5036H2781H3117 23Don’t overlook what your enemies have said or their growing uproar.H7911H6963H6887H7588H6965H5927H8548

75[For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph. A song to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”] We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.H5329H516H4210H7892H623H430H3034H3034H8034H7138H6381H5608 2God says, “At the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked.H3947H4150H8199H4339 3When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. InterludeH776H3427H4127H8505H5982H5542 4“I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’ I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!H559H1984H1984H7563H7311H7161 5Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens or speak with such arrogance.’”H7311H7161H4791H1696H6277H6677 6For no one on earth—from east or west, or even from the wilderness—should raise a defiant fist.H7311H2022H4161H4628H4057 7It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.H430H8199H8213H7311 8For the Lord holds a cup in his hand that is full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs.H3027H3068H3563H3196H2560H4392H4538H5064H2088H8105H7563H776H4680H8354 9But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.H5046H5769H2167H430H3290 10For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.”H7161H7563H1438H7161H6662H7311

76[For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph. A song to be accompanied by stringed instruments.] God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel.H5329H5058H4210H7892H623H3063H430H3045H8034H1419H3478 2Jerusalem is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home.H8004H5520H4585H6726 3There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war. InterludeH7665H7565H7198H4043H2719H4421H5542 4You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains.H215H117H2042H2964 5Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us.H47H3820H7997H5123H8142H582H2428H4672H3027 6At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob, their horses and chariots lay still.H1606H430H3290H7393H5483H7290 7No wonder you are greatly feared! Who can stand before you when your anger explodes?H3372H5975H6440H227H639 8From heaven you sentenced your enemies; the earth trembled and stood silent before you.H1779H8085H8064H776H3372H8252 9You stand up to judge those who do evil, O God, and to rescue the oppressed of the earth. InterludeH430H6965H4941H3467H6035H776H5542 10Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon.H2534H120H3034H7611H2534H2296 11Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.H5087H7999H3068H430H5439H2986H7862H4172 12For he breaks the pride of princes, and the kings of the earth fear him.H1219H7307H5057H3372H4428H776

77[For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of Asaph.] I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!H5329H3038H4210H623H6817H430H6963H430H6963H238 2When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.H3117H6869H1875H136H3027H5064H3915H6313H5315H3985H5162 3I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help. InterludeH2142H430H1993H7878H7307H5848H5542 4You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray!H270H5869H8109H6470H1696 5I think of the good old days, long since ended,H2803H3117H6924H8141H5769 6when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now.H2142H5058H3915H7878H3824H7307H2664 7Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me?H136H2186H5769H3254H7521 8Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed?H2617H656H5331H562H1584H1755H1755 9Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? InterludeH410H7911H2589H639H7092H7356H5542 10And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.”H559H2470H8141H3225H5945 11But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.H2142H2142H4611H3050H2142H6382H6924 12They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.H1897H6467H7878H5949 13O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you?H1870H430H6944H1419H410H430 14You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.H410H6213H6382H3045H5797H5971 15By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. InterludeH2220H1350H5971H1121H3290H3130H5542 16When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths.H4325H7200H430H4325H7200H2342H8415H7264 17The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed.H5645H2229H4325H7834H5414H6963H2687H1980 18Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook.H6963H7482H1534H1300H215H8398H776H7264H7493 19Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!H1870H3220H7635H7227H4325H6119H3045 20You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.H5148H5971H6629H3027H4872H175