Psalms 74:5
3 Turn Your steps to the everlasting ruins, to everything in the sanctuary the enemy has destroyed.
4 Your foes have roared within Your meeting place; they have unfurled their banners as signs,
like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees
6 and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks.
7 They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground; they have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees
- KJV
- A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
- WEB
- They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.
- ASV
- They seemed as men that lifted up Axes upon a thicket of trees.
- DARBY
- [A man] was known as he could lift up axes in the thicket of trees;
- BLB
- He made himself known like one bringing on high axes against a thicket of tree;
- ÅB
- Det var et syn som når økser løftes i tykke skogen.
- OTB
- Det virker som en som løfter
En øks inn i en skog av trær. - B1930
- Det var et syn som når økser løftes i tykke skogen.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Jeremiah 46:22–23
Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees.
Read in context2 Chronicles 2:14
He is the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and his father is a man of Tyre. He is skilled in work with gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, purple, blue, and crimson yarn, and fine linen. He is experienced in every kind of engraving and can execute any design that is given him. He will work with your craftsmen and with those of my lord, your father David.
Read in context1 Kings 5:6
Now therefore, order that cedars of Lebanon be cut down for me. My servants will be with your servants, and I will pay your servants whatever wages you set, for you know that there are none among us as skilled in logging as the Sidonians.”
Read in context