Psalms 74 · Verse 11

Psalms 74:11

Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.
Psalms 74:11, King James Version

Psalms 74:11 in other translations

BSBWhy do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!
WEBWhy do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!
ASVWhy drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom and consume them.
YLTWhy dost Thou turn back Thy hand, Even Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom remove it.
DARBYWhy withdrawest thou thy hand, and thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom: consume them.
BBEWhy are you keeping back your hand, and covering your right hand in your robe?
WebsterWhy withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

What does Psalms 74:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. Why cease to help us? (Compare Psa 3:7; 7:6; 60:5).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand - It has been remarked, that as the outward habit of the easterns had no sleeves, the hands and arms were frequently covered with the folds of the robe; and in order to do any thing, the hand must be disentangled and drawn out. The literal version of the Hebrew is: "To what time wilt thou draw back thy hand; yea, thy right hand, from within thy bosom?" Consomme; that is, manifest thy power, and destroy thy adversaries. I have, in the introduction to the book of Psalms, spoken of the old metrical version by Sternhold and Hopkins, and have stated that it was formed from the original text. A proof of this may be seen by the learned reader in this and the preceding verse; where, though their version is harsh, and some of their expressions quaint almost to ridicule, yet they have hit the true mean ing which our prose translators have missed: - Psa 74:10 When wilt thou once, Lord, end this shame,And cease thine en'mies strong?Shall they always blaspheme thy name,And rail on thee so long? Psa 74:11 Why dost thou draw thy hand aback,And hide it in thy lap?O pluck it out, and be not slackTo give thy foes a rap!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 74:1-11

This psalm appears to describe the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Chaldeans. The deplorable case of the people of God, at the time, is spread before the Lord, and left with him. They plead the great things God had done for them. If the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was encouragement to hope that he would not cast them off, much more reason have we to believe, that God will not cast off any whom…

Read the full comment on Psalms 74:1-11 →

Psalms 74:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לָ֤מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
תָשִׁ֣יבta.Shivdo you draw backH7725
יָ֭דְךָYa.de.khahand yourH3027
וִֽימִינֶ֑ךָvi.mi.Ne.khaand right [hand] yourH3225
מִקֶּ֖רֶבmi.Ke.revfrom [the] midst ofH7130
חֵֽיקְךָ֣chei.ke.Chabosom yourH2436
כַלֵּֽה\׃kha.LehdestroyH3615

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 74:11

  • Lamentations 2:3

    He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.

  • Psalms 78:65-66

    Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

  • Isaiah 64:12

    Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

  • Psalms 44:23

    Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
withdrawest.
Isa 64:12; La 2:3
pluck it out.As the outward habit of the easterns has no sleeves, the hands and arms are frequently covered with the folds of the robe; and, in order to do anything, the hand must be disentangled, and drawn out.
44:23; 78:65,66

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 74:10

    O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

  • Psalms 74:11

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

  • Psalms 74:12

    For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

Read all of Psalms 74

Psalms 74:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Por qué retraes tu mano, y tu diestra? ¿ por qué la escondes dentro de tu seno?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Pourquoi détournes-tu ta main, et ta droite? Tire-la de ton sein: détruis!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Warum ziehst du deine Hand und deine Rechte zurück? Hervor aus deinem Busen, mache ein Ende!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et omnia cornua peccatorum confringam, et exaltabuntur cornua justi.