Psalms 74:23 Meaning: When Enemies’ Mockery Ascends to Heaven
Don’t forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.
Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.
Forget not the voice of thine adversaries: The tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually.
Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, The noise of Thy withstanders is going up continually!
Forget not the voice of thine adversaries: the tumult of those that rise up against thee ascendeth continually.
Meaning in one sentence
What does Psalm 74:23 mean? This verse is a final plea for God to hear the arrogant shouts of His enemies and act to defend His honor and His people.
Context
Psalm 74 is a communal lament, written after enemies invaded and destroyed the temple. The people feel abandoned, as though God has forgotten them. The writer recalls God’s mighty acts of old and then pleads with Him to arise and defend His own cause. Verse 23 is the final petition: do not ignore the enemies’ voice, for their uproar keeps rising to You. The psalmist is not asking for personal revenge but for God to uphold His covenant and vindicate His name. The cry comes out of deep distress, but it is anchored in trust that God will not let evil have the last word.
Key Words
Three words carry the weight here. The verb translated “forget” (shakach) is the same one the psalmist used earlier about God forgetting His people (v.19). Now he turns it around: do not forget the enemies’ voice. The plea is that God would pay attention to the blasphemy, not ignore it as He seemed to ignore Israel’s suffering.
The word “tumult” (sha’on) means a roar or uproar, the crash of waves or the noise of a crowd. It captures the proud, relentless shouting of the enemies as they mock God and His people.
And “ascends” (alah) means to go up, as a cry rises to heaven. The psalmist pictures the enemies’ noise climbing higher and higher, never pausing. It is like the cry of injustice that reached God from Sodom and Gomorrah. The psalmist is saying: this noise has not stopped, and You have not yet answered. He trusts that God hears, and that this persistent evil will not escape His notice forever.
How Christians Read This Verse
Some Christians read this as an imprecatory prayer, a call for God to bring judgment on those who oppose Him. Others, like Barnes, emphasize that it is a prayer for “just retribution,” not personal vengeance. Calvin notes that the people confess their own sins even as they plead God’s covenant. Across traditions, believers agree that God hears the cries of the oppressed and will uphold justice in His time. The debate is not about whether God will act, but about the heart of the one praying. The psalmist grounds his plea in God’s honor, not his own hurt.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that this verse is a prayer for personal revenge against one’s enemies. In fact, the psalmist is pleading for God’s own honor, because the enemies are mocking God. He asks for divine justice, not personal satisfaction. The surrounding verses show he is concerned with God’s covenant and the distress of the poor (vv.19, 21). This is a prayer that God would defend His cause, not a request to destroy someone the writer dislikes.
Living This Out
This week, when you hear people speak arrogantly against God or against what is right, you can bring that to God in prayer. Instead of taking offense into your own hands, you can remind God of His promises and ask Him to act. The psalmist’s honesty gives you permission to be real about the wrongs you see, trusting that God hears every boast and every cry. You do not have to carry the weight of setting things right. You can lift it to Him.
Main takeaway: God hears the arrogant noise of His enemies and will not forget it; He will act to vindicate His name and His people.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people said mean things about God. The writer asked God to listen and help. You can tell God whenever someone is unkind.
For ages 9, 12
In this verse, the psalmist was upset because enemies were shouting against God. He didn’t try to get even himself; he asked God to take care of it because it was God’s honor that was insulted. We can trust God with the unfair things we see and hear, knowing He sees and hears everything.
Questions People Ask
Is Psalm 74:23 a prayer for revenge?
Not exactly. The psalmist is asking God to act because the enemies are mocking God. It is a prayer for God to defend His own honor and to bring justice, not for personal revenge. Barnes' Notes describes it as a prayer for 'just retribution.'
What does 'tumult' mean in this verse?
The Hebrew word is sha’on, meaning a roar or uproar, like the crashing of waves or the noise of a crowd. It pictures the enemies shouting proud and blasphemous things, a noise that keeps going up to heaven.
Why does the psalmist say the enemies' tumult 'ascends continually'?
The word 'ascends' (alah) pictures something going up, like a cry or like the sins of Sodom that 'cried out' to God. It means God is aware of it; it keeps rising to Him. The psalmist uses this to urge God to respond.
How can Christians pray this verse today without sounding vengeful?
You can bring the injustices and arrogant words you witness to God, asking Him to uphold righteousness and to vindicate His name. Like the psalmist, you trust God’s judgment, not take revenge yourself. This aligns with Jesus’ teaching to love enemies and leave judgment to God.
Who are the 'adversaries' in this verse?
They are the enemies who destroyed the temple and mocked God (see Psalm 74:4, 10). Historically, this likely refers to the Babylonians who conquered Jerusalem. The psalmist sees their opposition as ultimately against God, not just against Israel.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study