Psalm 74: How long?

This is a psalm of trouble, and speaks of a time when the city of God and the sanctuary are under a literal assault. It is said to be a

maschil

, or teaching psalm, of Asaph.However, the type of calamity spoken of in the psalm did not occur in the time of Asaph,and so it has been suggested that it is prophetic of future troubles, or possibly that it is written by his descendants who would have led worship in a later century. The firstpossibility seems more likely.In a pattern typical of David, the present troubles are recited and complained of to God,followed by an appeal to God’s covenant with His people and His general reputation.The language is stirring and portrays the horrors of the destruction of the city.

(1)

Maschil of Asaph.

O God, why have you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

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It was not possible for Jews to see the destruction of their holy places and things without thinking that God has cast them off forever. We should remember how much their sense of calling was connected with the land itself. God not only wanted to bring them out of slavery, He wanted to bring them

into

something.The ability to live their life before God depended on having a place of their own.

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There is an immediate appeal to the shepherd heart of God.

Psalms Bible Study Psalm 74-75

(2) Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, the rodof your inheritance, which you have redeemed; this mount Zion, in which you have dwelt. (3) Lift up your feet to the perpetual desolations, even allthat the enemy has done wickedly in the sanctuary.

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God was viewed in a real sense as having “bought” His people. They were Hisinheritance – a thing owned by Him. The “rod” here means a tribe, because eachtribe had its own staff which its chief carried.

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There is also an appeal to God to save the place, on the basis that it was His“home” on earth, He having literally shown His glory on Mount Zion. He asksGod to drawn near to the destruction that seemed permanent.

(4) Your enemies roar in the midst of your assembly; they set up theirensigns for signs. (5) A man was famous according to how he had lifted upaxes upon the thick trees. (6) But now they break down its carved work atonce with axes and hammers.

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The enemy now shows that he is sovereign by being able to raise up his bannersin the holy places.

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Verse 5-6 mean that formerly a man was known for strength and skill for how hehandled an ax to cut trees, but now he is known for how he destroys the beautifulcarved work of the Temple with axes and hammers.

(7) They have cast fire into your sanctuary, they have defiled by castingdown the dwelling place of your name to the ground. (8) They said in theirhearts, “Let us destroy them together.” They have burned up all the

Psalms Bible Study Psalm 74-75

synagogues of God in the land. (9) We do not see our signs; there is nolonger any prophet, neither is there any among us who knows how long.

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In 2 Kings 25 we read that the Babylonians not only destroyed the Temple, butliterally every house in the city, burning them all. Some did want to destroy themcompletely. The Bible also singles out the Edomites for judgment because they rejoiced so much:

Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, “Raze it, raze it, even to its foundation.” (Psalm 137:7)

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The reference to “no signs” is interesting. These might have been the signs of theTemple sacrifices, which we know were said to have stopped before the Romansdestroyed the city. The people did not feel there were any prophets either; there were no miracle-workers to stop the invaders, only prophets of judgment such asJeremiah.

(10) O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever? (11) Why do you withdraw your hand, eventhy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom. (12) For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

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This is an appeal to God’s reputation. All these terrible events are seen aspersonal insults against the Lord. He is pictured as a relaxed person with hishand at rest. People in that day kept things, perhaps even their hands, in the foldsof their garments. For us this is akin to telling God to get His hands out of Hispockets!

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There is an appeal to His kingship and the greatness of His saving power.