Psalm 74:11
New International Version
Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!

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

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

Berean Standard Bible
Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!

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

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

New American Standard Bible
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Extend it from Your chest and destroy them!

NASB 1995
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? From within Your bosom, destroy them!

NASB 1977
Why dost Thou withdraw Thy hand, even Thy right hand? From within Thy bosom, destroy them!

Legacy Standard Bible
Why do You turn back Your hand, even Your right hand? From within Your bosom, destroy them!

Amplified Bible
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand [from judging the enemy]? Remove Your hand from Your chest, destroy them!

Christian Standard Bible
Why do you hold back your hand? Stretch out your right hand and destroy them!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why do You hold back Your hand? Stretch out Your right hand and destroy them!

American Standard Version
Why drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom and consume them.

Contemporary English Version
Why don't you punish them? Why are you holding back?

English Revised Version
Why drawest thou back thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom and consume them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Why do you hold back your hand, especially your right hand? Take your hands out of your pockets. Destroy your enemies!

Good News Translation
Why have you refused to help us? Why do you keep your hands behind you?

International Standard Version
Why do you not withdraw your hand— your right hand—from your bosom and destroy them?

Majority Standard Bible
Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them!

NET Bible
Why do you remain inactive? Intervene and destroy him!

New Heart English Bible
Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it out of your pocket and consume them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

World English Bible
Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Why do You turn back Your hand, "" Even Your right hand? Remove [it] from the midst of Your bosom.

Young's Literal Translation
Why dost Thou turn back Thy hand, Even Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom remove it.

Smith's Literal Translation
Wherefore wilt thou turn back thy hand, and thy right hand? from the midst of thy bosom completely.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever ?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Why do you turn your hand away, even your right hand, from the midst of your sinews, until the end?

New American Bible
Why draw back your hand, why hold back your right hand within your bosom?

New Revised Standard Version
Why do you hold back your hand; why do you keep your hand in your bosom?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy strength from the midst of thy congregation?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Why have you turned your hand and your right hand from within your assembly?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? Draw it out of Thy bosom and consume them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Wherefore turnest thou away thine hand, and thy right hand from the midst of thy bosom for ever?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Why Have You Rejected Us Forever?
10How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You? Will the foe revile Your name forever? 11Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them! 12Yet God is my King from ancient times, working salvation on the earth.…

Cross References
Isaiah 51:9
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?

Exodus 15:6
Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.

Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.

Isaiah 63:12
who sent His glorious arm to lead them by the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to gain for Himself everlasting renown,

Habakkuk 3:4
His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.

Job 40:9
Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?

Isaiah 59:1
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.

Psalm 89:13
Mighty is Your arm; strong is Your hand. Your right hand is exalted.

Psalm 44:23-26
Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping? Arise! Do not reject us forever. / Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and oppression? / For our soul has sunk to the dust; our bodies cling to the earth. ...

Isaiah 52:10
The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

Jeremiah 32:17
“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

Ezekiel 20:33-34
As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you. / With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered.

Luke 1:51
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

Acts 4:30
as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

Revelation 1:16
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.


Treasury of Scripture

Why withdraw you your hand, even your right hand? pluck it out of your bosom.

withdrawest

Isaiah 64:12
Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

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.

pluck it out.

Psalm 44:23
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Psalm 78:65,66
Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine…

Jump to Previous
Bosom Consume Covering Destroy Draw Drawest Folds Garment Hand Hold Keeping Midst Pluck Remove Right Robe Withdraw Withdrawest Within
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Bosom Consume Covering Destroy Draw Drawest Folds Garment Hand Hold Keeping Midst Pluck Remove Right Robe Withdraw Withdrawest Within
Psalm 74
1. The prophet complains of the desolation of the sanctuary
10. He moves God to help in consideration of his power
18. Of his reproachful enemies, or his children and of his covenant.














Why do You withdraw Your hand?
The phrase "withdraw Your hand" in Hebrew is "תָּשִׁיב יָדְךָ" (tashiv yadkha). The "hand" of God is often symbolic of His power and intervention in the world. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the hand was a symbol of strength and action. The psalmist is questioning why God seems to be withholding His power and not acting on behalf of His people. This reflects a deep yearning for divine intervention and justice, a common theme in the Psalms where the faithful cry out for God to demonstrate His might and deliverance.

Stretch out Your right hand
The "right hand" (יְמִינְךָ, yemincha) is frequently associated with God's power and authority. In biblical times, the right hand was considered the hand of favor and strength. The psalmist is imploring God to actively engage and demonstrate His power. This plea is rooted in the belief that God's right hand is capable of delivering His people from their enemies, as seen in other scriptural references where God's right hand brings salvation and victory (e.g., Exodus 15:6).

from Your bosom
The term "bosom" (חֵיק, cheq) refers to the chest or the fold of a garment, symbolizing closeness and intimacy. In this context, it suggests that God's power is near and readily available, yet it is being withheld. The imagery of the bosom conveys a sense of potential energy and readiness, emphasizing the psalmist's desire for God to unleash His power that is so close at hand.

to consume them!
The word "consume" (כַּלֵּם, kalem) implies a complete and utter destruction. The psalmist is calling for God's judgment upon the enemies of His people. This reflects a common biblical theme where the righteous seek God's justice against those who oppose His will. The plea for consumption is not merely for retribution but for the restoration of God's order and the vindication of His people. It underscores the belief in God's ultimate sovereignty and justice, where evil will be decisively dealt with by His mighty hand.

(11) Why withdrawest thou.--Literally, returnest, i.e., into the ample folds of the Eastern robe. The poet is thinking of Exodus 4:7.

Pluck it out of thy bosom.--Literally, out of the midst of thy bosom consume. For the same absolute use of this verb comp. Psalm 59:13. The clause is an instance of pregnant construction (comp. Psalm 74:7), and is plainly equivalent to, Why dost thou not pluck out thy right hand to consume?

Verse 11. - Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? Why dost thou keep back the right hand of thy power, hiding it in thy besom? Why not show forth thy power, and consume them, as it were, in a moment? (See the next clause.) Pluck it out of thy bosom; rather, out with it frown thy bosom, and consume them. The psalmist sees no reason why the Babylonians should not be consumed, and Israel delivered, at once. He has an insufficient sense of the greatness of Israel's sin.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Why
לָ֤מָּה (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

do You withdraw
תָשִׁ֣יב (ṯā·šîḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

Your hand?
יָ֭דְךָ (yā·ḏə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

Stretch out
מִקֶּ֖רֶב (miq·qe·reḇ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center

Your right hand
וִֽימִינֶ֑ךָ (wî·mî·ne·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3225: The right hand, side, the south

and destroy them!
כַלֵּֽה׃ (ḵal·lêh)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent


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OT Poetry: Psalm 74:11 Why do you draw back your hand (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 74:10
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