New International VersionA maskil of Asaph. O God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
New Living TranslationO God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?
English Standard VersionO God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
Berean Standard BibleA Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
King James BibleMaschil 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 VersionA 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 BibleA Maskil of Asaph. God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
NASB 1995A Maskil of Asaph. O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
NASB 1977O God, why hast Thou rejected us forever? Why does Thine anger smoke against the sheep of Thy pasture?
Legacy Standard BibleA Maskil of Asaph. Why, O God? Have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Amplified BibleA 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 BibleA Maskil of Asaph. † Why have you rejected us forever, God? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?
Holman Christian Standard BibleA Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, God? Why does Your anger burn against the sheep of Your pasture?
American Standard VersionMaschil 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 VersionOur God, why have you completely rejected us? Why are you so angry with the ones you care for?
English Revised VersionMaschil 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 TranslationWhy have you abandoned us like this, O God? Will you be angry with your own people forever?
International Standard VersionWhy, God? Have you rejected us forever? Your anger is burning against the sheep of your pasture.
NET BibleA 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 TranslationMaschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thy anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleA Maskil of Asaph. Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
World English BibleA 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 VersionAN 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 TranslationUnderstanding to Asaph. Wherefore, O God, didst thou reject forever? will thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy feeding? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleUnderstanding 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 VersionThe 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
Amaskil 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 rejectedus, 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 Maskilof Asaph. Whyhave You rejected us forever,O God?Why does Your angersmolderagainst the sheepof 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 5:20-22Why 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 63:15-19Look 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 12:7I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My inheritance. I have given the beloved of My soul into the hands of her enemies.
Jeremiah 14:19Have 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 64:9Do 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 9:12Even 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 17:20So 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 29:24-28So 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 36:15-17Again 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 39:23-24And 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 11:1-2I 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 27:46About 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 13:5Keep 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 11:11I 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 19:41-44As 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 thouthyself 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 heis our God; and weare 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 heis God:it is hethat hath made us, and not we ourselves;we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Jump to Previous AnAngerAsaphAsaph&GtCareCastContemplationFireFlockForeverInstructionMaschilMaskilPastureRejectedSheepSmokeSmokingSmolderWrathJump to Next AnAngerAsaphAsaph&GtCareCastContemplationFireFlockForeverInstructionMaschilMaskilPastureRejectedSheepSmokeSmokingSmolderWrathPsalm 74 1.The prophet complains of the desolation of the sanctuary10.He moves God to help in consideration of his power18.Of his reproachful enemies, or his children and of his covenant.A Maskil of Asaph.The term "Maskil" refers to a type of psalm that is meant for instruction or contemplation. Asaph was a prominent Levite musician appointed by King David, and several psalms are attributed to him or his descendants. This indicates the psalm's purpose as a teaching tool, possibly reflecting on Israel's history and God's dealings with His people. Why have You rejected us forever, O God?
This phrase reflects a deep sense of abandonment and distress. Historically, this could be linked to events such as the Babylonian exile, where the Israelites felt forsaken due to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Theologically, it expresses the feeling of divine rejection, a theme also seen in Lamentations. It raises questions about God's covenant promises, echoing the cries of other biblical figures who felt abandoned, such as Job. Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?
The imagery of "sheep" and "pasture" is pastoral, reflecting the relationship between God and His people as a shepherd to his flock, a common biblical metaphor. This phrase suggests a prolonged period of divine displeasure, possibly due to Israel's sin and idolatry. It connects to passages likeEzekiel 34, where God promises to be the true shepherd of Israel. The smoldering anger implies ongoing judgment, yet the shepherd imagery also hints at hope for restoration and care, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). Persons / Places / Events 1. GodThe central figure in this verse, God is addressed directly by the psalmist, expressing a deep sense of abandonment and seeking understanding of His anger. 2. The PsalmistLikely Asaph or a descendant of Asaph, who is expressing a communal lament on behalf of Israel, feeling rejected by God. 3. The Sheep of Your PastureThis metaphor refers to the people of Israel, God's chosen people, who are seen as His flock under His care. 4. IsraelThe nation experiencing distress and feeling the weight of God's anger, possibly during a time of national crisis or exile. 5. Rejection and AngerThe emotional and spiritual state of the relationship between God and Israel, characterized by feelings of divine rejection and anger. Teaching Points Understanding Divine DisciplineGod's anger and rejection are often responses to sin and disobedience. Reflect on personal and communal areas where repentance is needed. The Role of Lament in FaithLament is a valid and important expression of faith. It allows believers to bring their deepest concerns and questions before God honestly. God's Faithfulness Despite Perceived AbsenceEven when God seems distant, His covenant promises remain. Trust in His ultimate plan and faithfulness. The Shepherd's CareRemember that God is the Good Shepherd who cares for His flock. Seek His guidance and comfort in times of distress. Community in CrisisWhen feeling rejected or abandoned, turn to the community of faith for support, prayer, and encouragement. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 74
In Psalm 74:3, how do we reconcile the psalm’s reference to the destruction of the sanctuary with uncertain dating that some scholars place centuries later than the temple’s fall in 586 BCE?
In Psalm 74:9, the claim of having no prophet conflicts with other biblical texts that record active prophets around that era—how can both accounts be true?
Psalm 6:1 - How can a God of perfect love express anger or rebuke His faithful servant?
Since Psalm 60:1 portrays God as angry and distant, how does this align with the Bible's broader portrayal of His mercy and love?(1) Why hast . . .--Better, why hast thou never ceased abandoning us?Anger.--Literally,nostril,as inPsalm 18:8, "there went a smoke from his nostril." The sheep of thy pasture.--An expression peculiar to the Asaphic psalms andJeremiah 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 Maskilמַשְׂכִּ֗יל(maś·kîl)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4905:Instructive, a didactic poemof Asaph.לְאָ֫סָ֥ף(lə·’ā·sāp̄)Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 623:Asaph -- 'gatherer', the name of several IsraelitesWhyלָמָ֣ה(lā·māh)Interrogative
Strong's 4100:What?, what!, indefinitely whathave You rejected us forever,זָנַ֣חְתָּ(zā·naḥ·tā)Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2186:Reject, forsake, failO God?אֱ֭לֹהִים(’ĕ·lō·hîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativeWhy does Your angerאַ֝פְּךָ֗(’ap·pə·ḵā)Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 639:The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ireburnיֶעְשַׁ֥ן(ye‘·šan)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6225:To smoke, be angryagainst the sheepבְּצֹ֣אן(bə·ṣōn)Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6629:Small cattle, sheep and goats, flockof 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.) |
