Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 74:2
Remember thy congregation, [which] thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, [which] thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
2. Remember ] Cp. Psa 74:18 ; Psa 74:22; Lam 5:1; Isa 62:6.
purchased redeemed ] Reminiscences of the Song of Moses (Exo 15:13; Exo 15:16). Cp. Psa 77:15; Psa 78:35; Deu 32:6.
the rod &c.] Render with R.V.,
Which thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of thine inheritance.
The nation is called a tribe, as in Amo 3:1 it is called a family. So too in Jer 10:16 (= Psa 51:19); cp. Isa 63:17.
this mount Zion ] Omit this: the pronoun here serves for the relative.
dwelt ] Cp. Psa 68:16. The verb is that from which later Judaism derived the term Shechinah to denote the abiding Presence of God among His people.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Remember thy congregation – The word rendered congregation means properly an assembly, a community, and it is frequently applied to the Israelites, or the Jewish people, considered as a body or a community associated for the service of God. Exo 12:3; Exo 16:1-2, Exo 16:9; Lev 4:15; Num 27:17. The word used by the Septuagint is sunagoge – synagogue – but refers here to the whole Jewish people, not to a particular synagogue or congregation.
Which thou hast purchased of old – In ancient times; in a former age. That is, Thou hast purchased them to thyself, or as thine own, by redeeming them from bondage, thus securing to thyself the right to them, as one does who redeems or purchases a thing. See the notes at Isa 43:3.
The rod of thine inheritance – Margin, as in Hebrew, tribe. The Hebrew word – shebet – means properly a staff, stick, rod; then, a shepherds staff, a crook; then, a scepter; and then it is used to denote a tribe, so called from the staff or scepter which the chief of the tribe carried as the symbol of authority. Exo 28:21; Jdg 20:2. The word inheritance is frequently applied to the children of Israel considered as belonging to God, as property inherited belongs to him who owns it – perhaps suggesting the idea that the right to them had come down, as inherited property does, from age to age. It was a right over them acquired long before, in the days of the patriarchs.
Which thou hast redeemed – By delivering them out of Egyptian bondage. So the church is now redeemed, and, as such, it belongs to God.
This mount Zion – Jerusalem – the seat of government, and of public worship – the capital of the nation.
Wherein thou last dwelt – By the visible symbol of thy presence and power. – On all these considerations the psalmist prays that God would not forget Jerusalem in the present time of desolation and trouble.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old] We are the descendants of that people whom thou didst take unto thyself; the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Wilt thou never more be reconciled to us?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Remember; show by thine actions that thou hast not utterly forgotten and forsaken them.
Thy congregation; thy church or people. Purchased; or, redeemed, as it follows; or, bought, as it is Deu 32:6; or, procured, though without price, as this word is used, Rth 4:9,10.
Of old; when thou broughtest them out of Egypt, and formedst them into a commonwealth, and gavest them laws, and didst enter into covenant with them at Sinai.
The rod of thine inheritance; that people which thou hast measured out as it were by rod, to be thy portion or inheritance, as they are called also Deu 32:6 See also Psa 16:5,6; Jer 10:16. Or, the tribe (as this word commonly signifies)
of thine inheritance, i.e. the tribe of Judah, which thou hast in a special manner chosen for thine inheritance, and for the seat of the kingdom, and for the birth of the Messiah. And thus here is an elegant gradation from the general to particulars; first the congregation, consisting of all the tribes; then the tribe of Judah; and lastly,
Mount Zion. Nor is it strange that he mentions this tribe particularly, because the calamity and captivity here remembered did principally befall this tribe and Benjamin, which was united with it and subject to it, and the most that returned were of this tribe; for the generality of the other tubes were long before dispersed into other lands, and continue in their captivity to this day. Mount Zion; which is oft put for the temple, or the hill of Moriah, on which it was built.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. The terms to denote God’srelation to His people increase in force:”congregation””purchased””redeemed””Zion,”His dwelling.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old,…. Alluding to the redemption of the congregation of Israel out of Egypt, when they were said to be “purchased”, Ex 15:16 and as that people were typical of the people of God, they may be said to be “purchased then”, even of old; though the purchase in reality was not made till the blood of Christ was shed, with which he purchased his church, Ac 20:28, indeed he was the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world, in the purpose and promise of God, and in the typical sacrifices so early offered up, Re 13:8, and besides, the words may be considered as the words of the church of God groaning under antichristian oppression and cruelty, hundreds of years since the death of Christ, and so may be said to be of old purchased; and which is called a “congregation”, because a select number, chosen of God, and called out of the world, and brought into one body, and into fellowship with Christ and one another; and though they may not meet together in one place, they are all of one body, and will one day make one general assembly and church of the firstborn, called “the congregation of the righteous”, Ps 1:5 now it is desired of the Lord for these, that they might be remembered with his lovingkindness and tender mercies, with his covenant and promises, and be delivered and saved out of the hands of their enemies:
the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; the Targum adds, out of Egypt; but this is to be understood not of the redemption of the people of Israel, but of the redemption of the church of God from sin, Satan, the law, the world, hell, and death; who are chosen by the Lord for his inheritance, his peculiar treasure and portion; and which he highly values and esteems, and is dear unto him as such, as the redemption of them by the blood of Christ shows:
this Mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt; meaning the church of God, which often goes by this name, both in the Old and in the New Testament, comparable to the mount of Zion for its height, holiness, and immoveableness; where the Lord has promised to dwell, and where he does dwell, and will for evermore. As the reference to Sion literally understood, it is called “this Sion”, because well known, and because the psalm might be composed or said in it, as Kimchi observes; and which shows that it was written before the destruction of the city and temple, and while Zion was the seat of religious worship, and therefore a prophecy of future times.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
2. Remember thy congregation, which thou hast possessed of old. (214) Here they boast of having been the peculiar people of God, not on account of any merit of their own, but by the grace of adoption. They boast in like manner of their antiquity, — that they are not subjects who have come under the government of God only within a few months ago, but such as had fallen to him by right of inheritance. The longer the period during which he had continued his love towards the seed of Abraham, the more fully was their faith confirmed. They declare, therefore, that they had been God’s people from the beginning, that is, ever since he had entered into an inviolable covenant with Abraham. There is also added the redemption by which the adoption was ratified; for God did not only signify by word, but also showed by deed at the time when this redemption was effected, that he was their King and Protector. These benefits which they had received from God they set before themselves as an encouragement to their trusting in him, and they recount them before him, the benefactor who bestowed them, as an argument with him not to forsake the work of his own hands. Inspired with confidence by the same benefits, they call themselves the rod of his inheritance; that is to say, the heritage which he had measured out for himself. The allusion is to the custom which then prevailed of measuring or marking out the boundaries of grounds with poles as with cords or lines. Some would rather translate the word שבט, shebet, which we have rendered rod, by tribe; but I prefer the other translation, taking the meaning to be, that God separated Israel from the other nations to be his own proper ground, by the secret pre-ordination which originated in his own good pleasure, as by a measuring rod. In the last place, the temple in which God had promised to dwell is mentioned; not that his essence was enclosed in that place, — an observation which has already been frequently made, — but because his people experienced that there he was near at hand, and present with them by his power and grace. We now clearly perceive whence the people derived confidence in prayer; it was from God’s free election and promises, and from the sacred worship which had been set up among them.
(214) Archbishop Secker thinks that this verse may be read thus: “Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased, hast redeemed of old; the tribe of thine inheritance; this mount Zion,” etc.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Purchased.Or, as in LXX., acquired. This word, together with the word redeemed in the next clause, and right hand in Psa. 74:11, show that Exodus 15 was in the writers mind. (See especially Psa. 74:12-13; Psa. 74:16 of that chapter.)
The word congregation here, as in the Mosaic books, presents the people in its religious aspect, as the expression rod (or, tribe) of thine inheritance presents it in its political character.
The rod of . . .Better, which thou hast redeemed as the tribe of thine inheritance, i.e., as thine own tribe.
The expression, rod of thine inheritance, comes from Jer. 10:16; Jer. 51:19. (Comp. Isa. 63:17.) It refers not to the shepherds crook, but to the sceptre, or leading staff, of the prince of a tribe, and so passes into a term for the tribe itself (Exo. 28:21; Jdg. 20:2).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Thy congregation That is, thy Church. Compare Psa 22:22; Heb 2:12.
Purchased The language is that of endearment. Deu 9:29; Psa 78:54. Compare Isa 43:3: “I gave Egypt for thy ransom.”
Rod of thine inheritance “The inheritance rod is the staff with which the inheritance is measured; the land surveyor’s rod.
Eze 40:3
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 74:2. Remember thy congregation i.e. The Israelites who are thy church, and whom, at the expence of so many miracles, thou didst make thy peculiar people. The rod, in the next clause, is put for the land itself, which was the portion of God’s peculiar inheritance, the Israelites; and which, as was the custom, was measured out to them by rods or lines. See Psa 16:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
It is blessed under afflictions to be enabled to remind God of his covenant love and engagements. Pleading with God on this ground is blessed pleading. Reader! can you explain that paradox; the humblest believer is the boldest pleader. Yes! for he that hath seen most of Christ, and his covenant blood and righteousness, hath seen most of his own unworthiness void of Christ. And therefore he that is humblest in himself, is strongest in Christ.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 74:2 Remember thy congregation, [which] thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, [which] thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
Ver. 2. Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased ] His complaints end not in murmuring and grunting against God; but in humble petitions, so intermingled with sighs and groans, as that his speech is not so plain and perfect as at other times. That which he mainly urgeth is the covenant, that hive of heavenly honey, as one calleth it.
The rod of thine inheritance
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
congregation = assembly. The subject of Book II.
purchased = acquired as a possession. Hebrew. kanah. Compare Psa 78:54.
of old = aforetime. Refers to Exo 15:16.
rod = sceptre.
redeemed. Hebrew. ga’al. See note on Exo 6:6.
This. Shows that the writer wrote while the scenes described were enacted. Compare Psalm 79 and Lam 2:1-9.
mount Zion. See App-68.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
redeemed
Heb. “goel,” Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield “Isa 59:20”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
purchased: Exo 15:16, Deu 9:29, Act 20:28
rod: or, tribe
thine: Psa 33:12, Psa 106:40, Psa 135:4, Deu 4:20, Deu 32:9, Jer 10:16
redeemed: Isa 51:11, Isa 62:12, Tit 2:14, Rev 5:9
this mount: Psa 48:1, Psa 48:2, Psa 78:68, Psa 78:69, Psa 132:13, Psa 132:14
Reciprocal: Exo 32:11 – why doth Deu 9:26 – which thou hast redeemed Deu 32:6 – hath bought 2Ki 21:7 – In this house Neh 1:10 – whom Psa 68:10 – Thy congregation Psa 79:1 – into Psa 100:3 – we are his Isa 62:6 – make mention of the Lord Isa 63:17 – Return Isa 64:9 – wroth Jer 14:21 – remember Jer 14:22 – vanities Jer 50:11 – ye destroyers Jer 51:19 – the rod Lam 5:18 – of the Eze 7:21 – General Eph 1:14 – the redemption 1Pe 5:3 – heritage Rev 14:4 – redeemed Rev 20:9 – the camp
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 74:2. Remember thy congregation That is, the Israelites, who are thy church, and whom at the expense of so many miracles, thou didst make thy peculiar people; show by thine actions that thou hast not utterly forgotten and forsaken them; which thou hast purchased Hebrew, , kanita, rendered bought, Deu 32:6, but which also signifies acquired or procured, though without price, as Rth 4:9-10. Of old When thou didst bring them out of Egypt, and form them into a commonwealth; gavest them laws, and didst enter into covenant with them at Sinai. The rod of thine inheritance That people which thou hast measured out, as it were, by rod, to be thy portion: or, the tribe (as the word , shebet, here rendered rod, commonly signifies) of thine inheritance, that is, the tribe of Judah, which thou hast, in a special manner, chosen for thine inheritance, and for the seat of thy church and kingdom, and the birth of the Messiah. And thus here is an elegant gradation from the general to particulars: First, the congregation, consisting of all the tribes; then the tribe of Judah; and lastly, mount Zion. Nor is it strange that he mentions this tribe particularly, because the calamity and captivity here lamented principally befell this tribe and Benjamin, which was united with it, and subject to it; and those who returned from the captivity were generally of this tribe. This mount Zion Which is often put for the temple, or the hill of Moriah, on which it was built.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
74:2 Remember thy congregation, [which] thou hast purchased of old; the {b} rod of thine inheritance, [which] thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
(b) Which inheritance you have measured out for yourself as with a line or rod.