Psalms 74

Psalm 74 is a lament from Asaph, questioning God's apparent abandonment of His people amidst the enemy's violent destruction of the sanctuary and synagogues. The psalmist describes the desecration and the absence of divine signs, then recalls God's mighty acts of creation and deliverance in the past. The psalm concludes with an earnest plea for God to remember His covenant, defend His own cause, and deliver His oppressed congregation from their blasphemous foes.

Psalm 74, a Maschil of Asaph, opens with a poignant lament, asking God why He has seemingly cast off His congregation and allowed His anger to smoke against His sheep. The psalmist vividly describes the enemy's destructive acts: roaring in the sanctuary, setting up their ensigns, breaking down the carved work, and burning both the sanctuary and all the synagogues in the land. This devastation is compounded by the absence of divine signs or prophets, leading to a desperate plea for God to intervene and cease the adversary's reproach. A pivotal shift occurs as the psalmist then recounts God's eternal sovereignty and His powerful acts of old, such as dividing the sea, breaking the heads of leviathan, and establishing the natural order of day, night, and seasons. This remembrance of God's past might serves as the foundation for a renewed, fervent appeal. The psalm concludes with an urgent call for God to remember the enemy's blasphemy, deliver His vulnerable people, respect His covenant, and arise to plead His own cause against the continually increasing tumult of His foes.

Psalm 74, attributed to Asaph, commences as a profound lament, questioning God's apparent and enduring abandonment of His chosen people, asking why His anger burns against the sheep of His pasture. The psalmist implores God to remember His congregation, purchased and redeemed of old, and Mount Zion, His dwelling place, urging Him to witness the perpetual desolations wrought by the enemy. A detailed account follows, describing how the adversaries roar within the sanctuary, setting up their ensigns as signs of conquest, and systematically destroying the sacred carved work with axes and hammers. They cast fire into the sanctuary, defiling the dwelling place of God's name, and declare their intent to utterly destroy, having already burned all the synagogues in the land. The lament deepens with the confession that no divine signs are seen, no prophet remains, and no one knows how long this suffering will endure, prompting a direct appeal for God to cease His withdrawal and intervene. A significant turning point occurs as the psalmist shifts from lament to a declaration of God's eternal sovereignty, affirming Him as King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. He recalls God's mighty acts of creation and deliverance: dividing the sea, breaking the heads of dragons and leviathan, cleaving fountains, and drying up mighty rivers. The psalmist further acknowledges God's dominion over all creation, asserting that both day and night are His, that He prepared the light and the sun, and that He set the borders of the earth, establishing summer and winter. This powerful remembrance of God's past deeds serves as a theological foundation for the renewed plea. The psalm concludes with an earnest supplication for God to remember the enemy's reproach and blasphemy, to deliver the soul of His "turtledove" and the congregation of His poor, and to have respect for His covenant, as the dark places of the earth are full of cruelty. The final verses implore God to arise, plead His own cause against the foolish, and not forget the increasing tumult of His enemies.