Psalm 74:1
New International Version
A maskil of Asaph. O God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

New Living Translation
O God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?

English Standard Version
O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

Berean Standard Bible
A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

King James Bible
Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

New King James Version
A Contemplation of Asaph. O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

New American Standard Bible
A Maskil of Asaph. God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

NASB 1995
A Maskil of Asaph. O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

NASB 1977
O God, why hast Thou rejected us forever? Why does Thine anger smoke against the sheep of Thy pasture?

Legacy Standard Bible
A Maskil of Asaph. Why, O God? Have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

Amplified Bible
A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem, of Asaph. O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

Christian Standard Bible
A Maskil of Asaph. † Why have you rejected us forever, God? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, God? Why does Your anger burn against the sheep of Your pasture?

American Standard Version
Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

Contemporary English Version
Our God, why have you completely rejected us? Why are you so angry with the ones you care for?

English Revised Version
Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
[A [maskil] by Asaph.] Why, O God, have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep in your care?

Good News Translation
Why have you abandoned us like this, O God? Will you be angry with your own people forever?

International Standard Version
Why, God? Have you rejected us forever? Your anger is burning against the sheep of your pasture.

Majority Standard Bible
A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

NET Bible
A well-written song by Asaph. Why, O God, have you permanently rejected us? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?

New Heart English Bible
[A contemplation by Asaph.] God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

Webster's Bible Translation
Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thy anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

World English Bible
A contemplation by Asaph. God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
AN INSTRUCTION OF ASAPH. Why, O God, have You cast off forever? Your anger smokes against the flock of Your pasture.

Young's Literal Translation
An Instruction of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast off for ever? Thine anger smoketh against the flock of Thy pasture.

Smith's Literal Translation
Understanding to Asaph. Wherefore, O God, didst thou reject forever? will thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy feeding?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Understanding for Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end: why is thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of thy pasture?

Catholic Public Domain Version
The understanding of Asaph. O God, why have you rejected us to the end. Why has your fury become enraged over the sheep of your pasture?

New American Bible
A maskil of Asaph. Why, God, have you cast us off forever? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?

New Revised Standard Version
O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O GOD, why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why hath thine anger become inflamed against the sheep of thy flock?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
God, why have you forgotten me forever and have hardened your wrath against the sheep of your pasture?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Maschil of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast us off for ever? Why doth Thine anger smoke against the flock of Thy pasture?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A Psalm of instruction for Asaph. Wherefore hast thou rejected us, O God, for ever? wherefore is thy wrath kindled against the sheep of thy pasture?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Why Have You Rejected Us Forever?
1A Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture? 2Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance—Mount Zion where You dwell.…

Cross References
Lamentations 5:20-22
Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long? / Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old, / unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.

Isaiah 63:15-19
Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation. Where are Your zeal and might? Your yearning and compassion for me are restrained. / Yet You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. / Why, O LORD, do You make us stray from Your ways and harden our hearts from fearing You? Return, for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage. ...

Jeremiah 12:7
I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My inheritance. I have given the beloved of My soul into the hands of her enemies.

Jeremiah 14:19
Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.

Isaiah 64:9
Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray; we are all Your people!

Hosea 9:12
Even if they raise their children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe be to them when I turn away from them!

2 Kings 17:20
So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.

Deuteronomy 29:24-28
So all the nations will ask, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land? Why this great outburst of anger?’ / And the people will answer, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. / They went and served other gods, and they worshiped gods they had not known—gods that the LORD had not given to them. ...

2 Chronicles 36:15-17
Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. / So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar,

Ezekiel 39:23-24
And the nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity, because they were unfaithful to Me. So I hid My face from them and delivered them into the hands of their enemies, so that they all fell by the sword. / I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and transgressions, and I hid My face from them.

Romans 11:1-2
I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. / God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:

Matthew 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

Romans 11:11
I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...


Treasury of Scripture

O God, why have you cast us off for ever? why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

A.

Psalm 78:1
Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

O God

Psalm 10:1
Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Psalm 42:9
I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psalm 44:9
But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

smoke

Psalm 79:5
How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

Deuteronomy 29:20
The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

the sheep

Psalm 79:13
So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

Psalm 95:7
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

Psalm 100:3
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

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Psalm 74
1. The prophet complains of the desolation of the sanctuary
10. He moves God to help in consideration of his power
18. Of his reproachful enemies, or his children and of his covenant.














Why have You rejected us forever
The phrase begins with a poignant question, "Why," which reflects a deep sense of confusion and distress. The Hebrew root for "rejected" is "זָנַח" (zanach), which conveys a sense of being cast off or forsaken. Historically, this lament likely arises from a period of national crisis, possibly during the Babylonian exile when the Israelites felt abandoned by God. The word "forever" intensifies the plea, suggesting a fear of permanent separation from God's favor. This reflects a common biblical theme where the people of God, despite their unfaithfulness, cry out for restoration and divine presence.

O God?
The invocation "O God" is a direct appeal to the divine, emphasizing a personal relationship with the Creator. The Hebrew term "אֱלֹהִים" (Elohim) is used here, a plural form that denotes majesty and power. This name for God underscores His sovereignty and ability to intervene in human affairs. The psalmist's use of this title reflects both reverence and a plea for the Almighty's attention and action.

Why does Your anger smolder
The imagery of "anger smoldering" is vivid, suggesting a slow-burning wrath. The Hebrew word for "anger" is "אַף" (aph), which can also mean "nose" or "nostrils," metaphorically describing the flaring of nostrils in anger. This anthropomorphic expression conveys God's righteous indignation towards sin and disobedience. The historical context may point to the consequences of Israel's idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness, which led to divine discipline. Yet, the smoldering aspect implies that God's anger is not yet fully unleashed, leaving room for repentance and reconciliation.

against the sheep of Your pasture?
The metaphor of "sheep" and "pasture" is rich with pastoral imagery, portraying God as the Shepherd and His people as His flock. The Hebrew word for "sheep" is "צֹאן" (tso'n), and "pasture" is "מִרְעֶה" (mir'eh), both evoking a sense of care, guidance, and provision. This imagery is deeply rooted in the biblical narrative, where God is often depicted as the Shepherd who leads, protects, and nurtures His people (e.g., Psalm 23). The psalmist's lament highlights the incongruity of the Shepherd's anger towards His own flock, underscoring the urgency for divine mercy and restoration. This plea resonates with the Christian understanding of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep, offering hope and redemption.

(1) Why hast . . .--Better, why hast thou never ceased abandoning us?

Anger.--Literally, nostril, as in Psalm 18:8, "there went a smoke from his nostril."

The sheep of thy pasture.--An expression peculiar to the Asaphic psalms and Jeremiah 23:1.

THE misery of the Jews is here at its deepest (Four Friends, p. 291). The psalmist describes Jerusalem as fallen into "perpetual ruins" (ver. 3). The temple is violated (ver. 3); its carved work is ruthlessly cut down (ver. 6); the aid of fire has been called in to destroy it, and its walls are cast down to the ground (ver. 7). Nor has Jerusalem alone suffered. The object has been to "make havoc" of Israel "altogether;" and the enemy have spread themselves, and "burnt up all the houses of God in the land" (ver. 8). The prophets have succumbed; their voices are heard no more (ver. 9). A blasphemous enemy lords it over the entire country (vers. 10, 23), and sets up its banners as signs of its dominion (ver. 4). Three periods have been assigned for the composition of the psalm:

(1) the time of the invasion of Shishak;

(2) that of the Babylonian conquest; and

(3) the early Maceabean period, or the reign of Judas Maccabaens. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A Maskil
מַשְׂכִּ֗יל (maś·kîl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4905: Instructive, a didactic poem

of Asaph.
לְאָ֫סָ֥ף (lə·’ā·sāp̄)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 623: Asaph -- 'gatherer', the name of several Israelites

Why
לָמָ֣ה (lā·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

have You rejected us forever,
זָנַ֣חְתָּ (zā·naḥ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2186: Reject, forsake, fail

O God?
אֱ֭לֹהִים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

Why does Your anger
אַ֝פְּךָ֗ (’ap·pə·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

burn
יֶעְשַׁ֥ן (ye‘·šan)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6225: To smoke, be angry

against the sheep
בְּצֹ֣אן (bə·ṣōn)
Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

of Your pasture?
מַרְעִיתֶֽךָ׃ (mar·‘î·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4830: A pasturing, shepherding, pasturage


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OT Poetry: Psalm 74:1 A contemplation by Asaph (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 73:28
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