Verse

Psalm 74:8

ESV They said to themselves, "We will utterly subdue them"; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
NIV They said in their hearts, "We will crush them completely!" They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.
NASB They said in their heart, 'Let’s completely subdue them.' They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
CSB They said in their hearts, "Let us oppress them relentlessly." They burned every place throughout the land where God met with us.
NLT Then they thought, 'Let’s destroy everything!' So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped.
KJV They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
NKJV They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy them altogether.” They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

What does Psalm 74:8 mean?

Please see our chapter commentary on Psalm 74, verse-level content coming soon!
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Context Summary
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.
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Chapter Summary
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.
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