Psalm 74 11

Psalm 74:11 kjv

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

Psalm 74:11 nkjv

Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.

Psalm 74:11 niv

Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!

Psalm 74:11 esv

Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!

Psalm 74:11 nlt

Why do you hold back your strong right hand?
Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them.

Psalm 74 verses

Psalm 74 11 Meaning

Psalm 74:11 is a passionate lament from the psalmist to God, expressing anguish and confusion over His perceived inaction in the face of widespread desolation and enemy blasphemy against His sanctuary. It is a bold and direct plea for God to rouse Himself from a state of seeming passivity and unleash His mighty power, symbolized by His "right hand," which the psalmist believes is being withheld. The verse urges God to decisively intervene and defend His honor and people, reflecting a deep theological struggle within the context of suffering and a profound trust that God possesses the ultimate power to rectify the situation.

Psalm 74 11 Context

Psalm 74 is a communal lament attributed to Asaph, addressing God during a period of national catastrophe and the desecration of the sanctuary. Scholars widely interpret this psalm as referring to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, most likely by the Babylonians in 586 BC, although some suggest it could be an earlier event. The psalm vividly describes the burning of the sanctuary (vv. 3, 7-8), the destruction of holy places, the removal of symbols of God's presence, and the enemy's blasphemous boasts (vv. 4-6, 10, 18).

Within this dire situation, the psalmist appeals to God's past acts of creation and deliverance (vv. 12-17), contrasting them sharply with His apparent inactivity in the present. Verse 11 emerges from this context of deep distress, functioning as a desperate rhetorical question that becomes a fervent plea. It is part of the "Why?" series of questions posed to God throughout the lament (vv. 1, 10, 11). The lament questions God's apparent forgetfulness or withdrawal, even while affirming His sovereignty and power, implicitly appealing to Him to act for the sake of His own reputation and covenant. The verse specifically urges God to move from a perceived state of rest or hiddenness to one of overt and destructive intervention against His adversaries.

Psalm 74 11 Word Analysis

Word-by-word analysis:

• Why: Hebrew Lammah (לָמָּה). This interrogative particle expresses bewilderment, grief, and often accusation. It's a common opening for laments, highlighting a deep perplexity or despair at God's seeming inaction or hiddenness. It's not a question implying lack of knowledge but a rhetorical plea for divine intervention, stemming from agony.
• do You withdraw: Hebrew Tashiv (תָּשִׁיב), from the verb shuv (שׁוּב), meaning "to turn back," "return," or "cause to return/withdraw." Here, in the context of the hand, it suggests God is holding back, retracting, or causing His power to remain idle instead of deploying it. The implied complaint is God's cessation of protective or retributive action.
• Your hand: Hebrew Yad (יָד). Symbolically, the hand of God in biblical literature frequently represents His active power, intervention, deliverance, judgment, or provision. The psalmist questions why this active, powerful instrument of God is being restrained.
• even Your right hand: Hebrew V'yemin (וִימִינְךָ). The "right hand" is a heightened symbol of power, authority, and decisive action in the ancient Near East and throughout the Bible. It signifies strength, victory, judgment, and the capacity to deliver. Emphasizing the right hand amplifies the urgency and gravity of the plea: not just any power, but God's mightiest, most effective power is perceived as being withheld.
• Pluck it out: Hebrew Kalleh (כַּלֵּהוּ), an imperative form of the verb kalah (כָּלָה), which means "to complete," "finish," "consume," "bring to an end," or "destroy." When coupled with "hand" in this context, it carries a strong connotation of executing a decisive, often destructive, action against the enemy. The sense is to "deploy it completely," "bring it forth to finish the job," or "consume/destroy (the enemies) with it."
• of Your bosom: Hebrew Mei-cheqka (מֵחֵיקֶךָ). The "bosom" (cheq חֵיק) refers to the area of the chest, near the heart. It signifies a place of intimacy, protection, or where one holds things securely and out of sight, often for safekeeping or comfort. Here, it conveys the idea of God's powerful hand being kept idle, inactive, or concealed, rather than being outstretched to defend and destroy the enemies of His people. It implies a state of resting or withholding.

Words-group analysis:

• "Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?": This opening rhetorical question encapsulates the psalmist's core lament: a profound bewilderment and agony over God's apparent inactivity and lack of intervention in a time of severe crisis. The double emphasis on "hand" and "right hand" intensifies the plea, stressing that not just some power, but God's very ultimate, decisive power is seemingly withheld. It highlights a tension between divine omnipotence and observed suffering.
• "Pluck it out of Your bosom!": This imperative command directly urges God to take decisive action. The imagery of "plucking out" from the "bosom" vividly portrays a shift from a state of concealment, rest, or perceived indifference to immediate, open, and powerful engagement. The "bosom" as a place of closeness suggests God is holding His power tightly, perhaps too close, for the current dire situation, and the psalmist urgently desires its release to annihilate the foes. It is a bold, almost demanding prayer, indicative of the psalmist's deep distress and faith that God can and should act.

Psalm 74 11 Bonus section

The anthropomorphic language used (God having a hand, a right hand, and a bosom) is common in the Old Testament, making God's actions and character relatable to human experience. It is not meant to be taken literally, but to convey God's personal involvement, power, and attentiveness (or perceived lack thereof). This imagery allows the suffering psalmist to express the very human frustration of seeing immense power available but not utilized for their desperate need.

This verse, along with other "Why?" psalms, demonstrates the prophetic and permissible nature of expressing lament and deep theological questions directly to God within a framework of continued faith. It shows that godly individuals are not immune to questioning God's actions or inaction, and that such questioning, when rooted in longing for His glory and justice, is an acceptable part of a trusting relationship with Him. The plea for God to act "for His name's sake" (implied by the sanctuary's desecration elsewhere in the Psalm) is a consistent theme in such prayers, indicating that the petitioners' concern extends beyond their own relief to the vindication of God's character and honor among the nations.

Psalm 74 11 Commentary

Psalm 74:11 serves as a quintessential expression of profound human anguish in the face of perceived divine abandonment. The psalmist, representative of a community suffering immensely from the desecration of God's sanctuary, confronts the Lord with a raw, theological "why?" This isn't a doubt about God's existence or power, but a desperate interrogation of His timing and methods. The central image of God's "right hand" held "in Your bosom" is powerful. The right hand signifies ultimate strength and action – it is the hand of judgment, deliverance, and victory. Its concealment within the "bosom" symbolizes perceived inactivity, repose, or even an intimacy with His power that is not currently extended for the suffering people.

The imperative "Pluck it out!" is a startling, audacious command, reflecting the depths of despair and the desperate longing for God to reassert His character as a God who intervenes powerfully on behalf of His covenant and His name. It's a prayer born not of rebellion, but of fervent faith that believes God is sovereign and capable of overcoming the current desolation. The psalm is a powerful reminder that authentic lament in Scripture includes questioning, struggling with, and even boldly petitioning God in our pain, trusting that He is big enough to handle our honest cries and will ultimately act according to His righteous character and promises. It bridges the chasm between human suffering and divine power, inviting God to manifest His glorious attributes in salvation and judgment.