Psalm 74:5
ESV
They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees.
NIV
They behaved like men wielding axes to cut through a thicket of trees.
NASB
It seems like one bringing up His axe into a forest of trees.
CSB
It was like men in a thicket of trees, wielding axes,
NLT
They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest.
KJV
A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
NKJV
They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees.
What does Psalm 74:5 mean?
Please see our chapter commentary on Psalm 74, verse-level content coming soon!Psalm 74:1–11 mourns what the psalmist sees as God's inaction in the face of a terrible enemy. This invader has destroyed the temple of God. Beyond that devastation, the nation has no prophetic voice. No one speaks God's truths. The psalmist wonders how long God will allow the enemy to act in such an unholy way, scoffing and reviling God's name. He urges God to arise and destroy the evil invaders, and to do so quickly. This is followed by a confident declaration of the Lord's mighty power.
This is a "maskil," probably referring to a musical arrangement. The psalmist mourns that God has allowed an enemy to obliterate the temple: the sanctuary of God in Israel. The nation is overrun and there is no prophetic voice. Though this is a low point, the psalmist knows that the Lord is all-powerful and all-knowing. He prays that God will reverse these terrible events soon, bringing justice to Israel's enemies.
