Maschil of Asaph.

      1 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?   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.   3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.   4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.   5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.   6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.   7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.   8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.   9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.   10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?   11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

      This psalm is entitled Maschil–a psalm to give instruction, for it was penned in a day of affliction, which is intended for instruction; and this instruction in general it gives us, That when we are, upon any account, in distress, it is our wisdom and duty to apply to God by faithful and fervent prayer, and we shall not find it in vain to do so. Three things the people of God here complain of:–

      I. The displeasure of God against them, as that which was the cause and bitterness of all their calamities. They look above the instruments of their trouble, who, they knew, could have no power against them unless it were given them from above, and keep their eye upon God, by whose determined counsel they were delivered up into the hands of wicked and unreasonable men. Observe the liberty they take to expostulate with God (v. 1), we hope not too great a liberty, for Christ himself, upon the cross, cried out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? So the church here, O God! why hast thou forsaken us for ever? Here they speak according to their present dark and melancholy apprehensions; for otherwise, Has God cast away his people? God forbid, Rom. xi. 1. The people of God must not think that because they are cast down they are therefore cast off, that because men cast them off therefore God does, and that because he seems to cast them off for a time therefore they are really cast off for ever: yet this expostulation intimates that they dreaded God’s casting them off more than any thing, that they desired to be owned of him, whatever they suffered from men, and were desirous to know wherefore he thus contended with them: Why does thy anger smoke? that is, why does it rise up to such a degree that all about us take notice of it, and ask, What means the heat of this great anger? Deut. xxix. 24. Compare v. 20, where the anger of the Lord and his jealousy are said to smoke against sinners. Observe what they plead with God, now that they lay under the tokens and apprehensions of his wrath. 1. They plead their relation to him: “We are the sheep of thy pasture, the sheep wherewith thou hast been pleased to stock the pasture, thy peculiar people whom thou art pleased to set apart for thyself and design for thy own glory. That the wolves worry the sheep is not strange; but was ever any shepherd thus displeased at his own sheep? Remember, we are thy congregation (v. 2), incorporated by thee and for thee, and devoted to thy praise; we are the rod, or tribe, of thy inheritance, whom thou hast been pleased to claim a special property in above other people ( Deut. xxxii. 9), and from whom thou hast received the rents and issues of praise and worship more than from the neighbouring nations. Nay, a man’s inheritance may lie at a great distance, but we are pleading for Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt, which has been the place of thy peculiar delight and residence, thy demesne and mansion.” 2. They plead the great things God had done for them and the vast expense he had been at upon them: “It is thy congregation, which thou hast not only made with a word’s speaking, but purchased of old by many miracles of mercy when they were first formed into a people; it is thy inheritance, which thou hast redeemed when they were sold into servitude.” God gave Egypt to ruin for their ransom, gave men for them, and people for their life,Isa 43:3; Isa 43:4. “Now, Lord, wilt thou now abandon a people that cost thee so dear, and has been so dear to thee?” And, if the redemption of Israel out of Egypt was an encouragement to hope that he would not cast them off, much more reason have we to hope that God will not cast off any whom Christ has redeemed with his own blood; but the people of his purchase shall be for ever the people of his praise. 3. They plead the calamitous state that they were in (v. 3): “Lift up thy feet; that is, come with speed to repair the desolations that are made in thy sanctuary, which otherwise will be perpetual an irreparable.” It has been sometimes said that the divine vengeance strikes with iron hands, yet it comes with leaden feet; and then those who wait for the day of the Lord, cry, Lord, lift up thy feet; exalt thy steps; magnify thyself in the outgoing of thy providence. When the desolations of the sanctuary have continued long we are tempted to think they will be perpetual; but it isa temptation; for God will avenge his own elect, will avenge them speedily, though he bear long with their oppressors and persecutors.

      II. They complain of the outrage and cruelty of their enemies, not so much, no, not at all, of what they had done to the prejudice of their secular interests; here are no complaints of the burning of their cities and ravaging of their country, but only what they had done against the sanctuary and the synagogue. The concerns of religion should lie nearer our hearts and affect us more than any worldly concern whatsoever. The desolation of God’s house should grieve us more than the desolation of our own houses; for the matter is not great what becomes of us and our families in this world provided God’s name may be sanctified, his kingdom may come, and his will be done.

      1. The psalmist complains of the desolations of the sanctuary, as Daniel, ch. ix. 17. The temple at Jerusalem was the dwelling-place of God’s name, and therefore the sanctuary, or holy place, v. 7. In this the enemies did wickedly (v. 3), for they destroyed it in downright contempt of God and affront to him. (1.) They roared in the midst of God’s congregations, v. 4. There where God’s faithful people attended on him with a humble reverent silence, or softly speaking, they roared in a riotous revelling manner, being elated with having made themselves masters of that sanctuary of which they had sometimes heard formidable things. (2.) They set up their ensigns for signs. The banners of their army they set up in the temple (Israel’s strongest castle, as long as they kept closely to God) as trophies of their victory. There, where the signs of God’s presence used to be, now the enemy had set up their ensigns. This daring defiance of God and his power touched his people in a tender part. (3.) They took a pride in destroying the carved work of the temple. As much as formerly men thought it an honour to lend a hand to the building of the temple, and he was thought famous that helped to fell timber for that work, so much now they valued themselves upon their agency in destroying it, Psa 74:5; Psa 74:6. Thus, as formerly those were celebrated for wise men that did service to religion, so now those are applauded as wits that help to run it down. Some read it thus: They show themselves, as one that lifts up axes on high in a thicket of trees, for so do they break down the carved work of the temple they make no more scruple of breaking down the rich wainscot of the temple than woodcutters do of hewing trees in the forest; such indignation have they at the sanctuary that the most curious carving that ever was seen is beaten down by the common soldiers without any regard had to it, either as a dedicated thing or as a piece of exquisite art. (4.) They set fire to it, and so violated or destroyed it to the ground, v. 7. The Chaldeans burnt the house of God, that stately costly fabric, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 19. And the Romans left not there one stone upon another (Matt. xxiv. 2), rasing it, rasing it, even to the foundations, till Zion, the holy mountain, was, by Titus Vespasian, ploughed as a field.

      2. He complains of the desolations of the synagogues, or schools of the prophets, which, before the captivity, were in use, though much more afterwards. There God’s word was read and expounded, and his name praised and called upon, without altars or sacrifices. These also they had a spite to (v. 8): Let us destroy them together; not only the temple, but all the places of religious worship and the worshippers with them. Let us destroy them together; let them be consumed in the same flame. Pursuant to this impious resolve they burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land and laid them all waste. So great was their rage against religion that the religious houses, because religious, were all levelled with the ground, that God’s worshippers might not glorify God, and edify one another, by meeting in solemn assemblies.

      III. The great aggravation of all these calamities was that they had no prospect at all of relief, nor could they foresee an end of them (v. 9): “We see our enemy’s sign set up in the sanctuary, but we see not our signs, none of the tokens of God’s presence, no hopeful indications of approaching deliverance. There is no more any prophet to tell us how long the trouble will last and when things concerning us shall have an end, that the hope of an issue at last may support us under our troubles.” In the captivity in Babylon they had prophets, and had been told how long the captivity should continue, but the day was cloudy and dark (Ezek. xxxiv. 12), and they had not as yet the comfort of these gracious discoveries. God spoke once, yea, twice, good words and comfortable words, but they perceived them not. Observe, They do not complain, “We see not our armies; there are no men of war to command our forces, nor any to go forth with our hosts;” but, “no prophets, none to tell us how long.” This puts them upon expostulating with God, as delaying, 1. To assert his honour (v. 10): How long shall the adversary reproach and blaspheme thy name? In the desolations of the sanctuary our chief concern should be for the glory of God, that it may not be injured by the blasphemies of those who persecute his people for his sake, because they are his; and therefore our enquiry should be, not “How long shall we be troubled?” but “How long shall God be blasphemed?” 2. To exert his power (v. 11): “Why withdrawest thou thy hand, and dost not stretch it out, to deliver thy people and destroy thy enemies? Pluck it out of thy bosom, and be not as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save, or will not,” Jer. xiv. 9. When the power of enemies is most threatening it is comfortable to fly to the power of God.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Psalms 74

Cast Off But Not Forever

This Is an Asaph Psalm cry of God’s suffering people, in sore distress and calamity, with their house of God desecrated and idol images and statutes put in their place. Asaph was a seer and chief musician of David’s time, author of Psalms 1, Psalms 73, and Psalms 78; Neh 12:46. All the sacred songs of his sons came to be known as “Songs of Asaph.” The frequently used “forever” is a mashil (instruction) to believers, to hold on to their faith and hope; tho the foe’s desolation and oppression seem “forever,” it will not be so.

Scripture v. 1-23:

Verse 1 inquires why the Lord has cast off his people for ever. He has not, and does not, tho it may seem this way in times of His chastening visitation, as expressed Heb 12:11; La 5:20. He adds, “why doth thine anger smoke (arise like smoke) against the sheep (Israel) of thy pasture?” Smoke is a symbol of the consuming fire of God’s chastening or judgment anger, Psa 18:8; Psa 80:4; Deu 29:20: Psa 79:13; Hos 13:6; Jer 25:36; Jer 25:38. See also Psa 100:3; Jer 23:1; Eze 34:8; Eze 34:31.

Verse 2 appeals to the Lord to remember His congregation (Israel), whom He purchased or ransomed of old, or ancient times, out of Egypt. They are called the rod or tribe of His heritage, whom He has redeemed; And to remember Mount Zion wherein He dwelt, Deu 32:9; Jer 10:16. See also Isa 43:3; Eze 40:3; Isa 63:17; Jer 51:19.

Verse 3 continues, “Lift up thy feet,” thyself in thy might,” unto the perpetual desolations (or temple ruins), even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary,” as requested also Psa 7:6; Psa 94:2. His people cried to be remembered as the sheep of His pasture, wholly dependent upon Him, Isa 59:20; Joh 15:5. They asked that He come quickly in His might to rescue them, Psa 145:18-19.

Verse 4 charges “Thins enemies roar (rage) in the midst of the congregations, place or places of public worship 1Sa 9:12; 1Sa 10:5; 1Sa 19:20-24. It is added that enemies of God set up their ensigns for signs, their military standards: Where all formerly testified of the dominion of God, heathen symbols were now erected, as described Dan 6:27; Jer 6:1; Mat 24:15; Luk 21:20.

Verses 5-7 first commend people of God for having:
1) made one famous as he lifted up axes to destroy the thick trees (of Lebanon), to build the temple, but now
2) they, the enemies, destroyed the carved work of the temple, desecrating it with destructive blows of axes and hammers, as the Babylonians did, Jer 52:12-17; 2Ki 15:13; 2Ch 36:18.
3) Third, they had “cast fire” into the sanctuary of the Lord, after having removed the gold, as related 1King ch. 6, 7. They burned or sacked the temple, La 2:2.

Verse 8 relates the boast of the Babylonian enemy, “They said in their hearts (with premeditated resolve), let us destroy them together,” adding, ‘They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land,” or houses of sacred worship, where the people prayed and read the Law publicly, 2Ch 17:7-9.

Verse 9 laments “we see not our signs” of Israel’s God or dominion. It is added, “There is (exists) no more any prophet. Neither is there among us anyone that knows how long this judgment may last,” 1Sa 3:1; Amo 8:11-12; Mic 3:6. These removed signs of Israel’s God were: 1) The Passover 2) the Sabbath, 3) the Temple, 4) the Altar, 5) the Sacrifices, 6) -miracles wrought in Israel’s behalf, Exo 12:13; Exo 31:13; Psa 78:43. Jeremiah had once told how long, but he was carried away, to die in Egypt, Zec 1:12; Eze 3:26; Eze 24:27; La 2:9.

Verse 10, 11 inquire, fervently inquire,. if God will permit the enemy to degrade and blaspheme His holy name and honor forever, asking, just why He drew or held back His right hand of omnipotent judgment power from falling on His enemies. They appeal, “pluck it out of your bosom,” and use it! is the idea, Psa 13:2; Pro 19:24; La 2:3; Psa 59:13. “Put an end to them,” is the cry of Israel.

Verse 12 vows “God is my king of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth,” Psa 44:4. This especially alludes to Him as Guardian “of the land of Palestine,” and of the people of Israel from old times. His past care and deliverance of them implies that He will keep His covenant with them, to work for their salvation from their enemies again, Exo 8:22; Isa 10:23.

Verses 13, 14 relate that as absolute King-ruler He had “divided the sea,” by His strength, and broken the “heads of the dragons (or crocodiles) in the waters.” This refers to the destruction of Pharaoh and his princes and his armies in the Red Sea, in the salvation of Israel from Egypt, is the idea, Psa 66:6; Eze 29:19. The crocodiles were rulers of the waters of the Nile river as Pharaoh and his princes were of the land of Egypt, is the idea, Isa 51:9-10; Job 26:12-13.
Verse 14 adds that He had broken the heads of leviathan in pieces and given him to be meat (food) to the people (of Israel) who were living in the wilderness. The terms crocodiles (Heb Tamin) and leviathan, equal to many heads, Job 41 refer to Saurian and Cetacean tribes in Pharaohs extended empire, beyond the Nile Valley, from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. God gave these defeated armies at the Red Sea, their bodies, supplies, and horses to be bread and meat for the Israelites in the wilderness, as alluded to Num 14:9; Pro 30:25-26; Psa 72:9.

Verse 15 adds also “Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood.” or cause the fountain of water supply to break forth, to supply Israel water, Exo 17:5-6; Num 20:11; Job 28:10. It is further added “Thou driest up mighty rivers,” rivers of strength, the Jordan and those rivers that fed it, Jos 3:13. The Chaldiac adds to the Jordan Amon and the Jabbok, perhaps alluded to Num 21:14; Deu 2:36-37.

Verses 16, 17 assert that day and night, the light, and the sun have been prepared by and belong to the mighty King’s dominion, v. 12; Gen 1:3; Gen 1:14-16; Jos 10:12. He is further said to have fixed or set all the “borders of the earth,” its boundaries, toward the sea, Job 38:8; Psa 24:2; Act 17:26. He too “made summer and winter,” Gen 8:22.

Verse 18 calls on the covenant keeping God to remember that the self-wise and foolish people, His and Israel’s enemies, had reproached the Lord and blasphemed His name, v. 2, 11; Psa 39:8; Rev 16:19.

Verses 19, 20 appeal to the Lord to “deliver not the soul (life) of His turtle dove (His people Israel) to the multitude of the wicked,” those who reproached His name. David simply said, “Lord don’t stand off any longer; do something to save us, if you care for us still,” Psa 68:13; Son 2:14; Son 6:9; Isa 60:8; Mat 10:16. He would have the Lord forget riot the assembly of the poor, in delaying to rescue them for ever.

Verse 21 cries “O let not the oppressed (of the Lord) return ashamed,” adding the refrain of petitionary prayer, “let the poor and needy (be caused) to praise thy name,” Psa 9:18. The idea is, give them cause to praise you before the heathen, by saving or delivering them from the cruelty of the oppressors.

Verses 22, 23 conclude “Arise (stand up for defense) O God, plead thine own cause, remember (recall) how the foolish man reproaches you daily,” and react by destroying them, is David’s desire, Isa 37:23. He added “Forget not the voice (clamor-voice) of thine enemies: The tumult (insurrection cries) of those who rise up (in rebellion) against thee continually increases,” or rises up, Jon 1:2; Gen 4:10; Gen 18:21; Gen 19:13.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

1. O God! why hast thou east us off for ever? If this complaint was written when the people were captives in Babylon, although Jeremiah had assigned the 70 year of their captivity as the period of their deliverance, it is not wonderful that waiting so long was to them a very bitter affliction, that they daily groaned under it, and that so protracted a period seemed to them like an eternity. As to those who were persecuted by the cruelty of Antiochus, they might, not without reason, complain of the wrath of God being perpetual, from their want of information as to any definite time when this persecution would terminate; and especially when they saw the cruelty of their enemies daily increasing without any hope of relief, and that their condition was constantly proceeding from bad to worse. Having been before this greatly reduced by the many disastrous wars, which their neighbors one after another had waged against them, they were now brought almost to the brink of utter destruction. It is to be observed, that the faithful, when persecuted by the heathen nations, lifted up their eyes to God, as if all the evils which they suffered had been inflicted by his hand alone. They were convinced, that had not God been angry with them, the heathen nations would not have been permitted to take such license in injuring them. Being persuaded, then, that they were not encountering merely the opposition of flesh and blood, but that they were afflicted by the just judgment of God, they direct their thoughts to the true cause of all their calamities, which was, that God, under whose favor they had formerly lived prosperous and happy, had cast them off, and deigned no longer to account them as his flock. The verb זנה, zanach, signifies to reject and detest, and sometimes also to withdraw one’s self to a distance. It is of no great moment in which of these senses it is here taken. We may consider the amount of what is stated as simply this, that whenever we are visited with adversities, these are not the arrows of fortune thrown against us at a venture, but the scourges or rods of God which, in his secret and mysterious providence, he prepares and makes use of for chastising our sins. Casting off and anger must here be referred to the apprehension or judgment of the flesh. Properly speaking, God is not angry with his elect, whose diseases he cures by afflictions as it were by medicines; but as the chastisements which we experience powerfully tend to produce in our minds apprehensions of his wrath, the Holy Spirit, by the word anger, admonishes the faithful to acknowledge their guilt in the presence of infinite purity. When, therefore, God executes his vengeance upon us, it is our duty seriously to reflect on what we have deserved, and to consider, that although He is not subject to the emotions of anger, yet it is not owing to us, who have grievously offended him by our sins, that his anger is not kindled against us. Moreover, his people, as a plea for obtaining mercy, flee to the remembrance of the covenant by which they were adopted to be his children. In calling themselves the flock of God’s pastures, they magnify his free choice of them by which they were separated from the Gentiles. This they express more plainly in the following verse.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

INTRODUCTION

Superscription.A Maschil of Asaph, i.e., an Instruction of Asaph, a Didactic Song by Asaph. See introduction to Psalms 1.

But here we cannot have the least idea of the authorship belonging to Davids time. We must not, however, on this account convict the title of a mistake: for just in proportion as the contents are decidedly and manifestly inconsistent with Davids age, was it unlikely that the title would announce that the Psalm was composed at that time. Asaph was the founder of a family of singers, who went by the name of the sons of Asaph, even in the time of Isaiah (Comp. 2Ch. 35:15), yea, even in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ez. 2:41; Ezr. 3:10; Neh. 7:44; Neh. 11:22). That the Holy Ghost, who inspired the founder, continued to exert His influence upon the members of this family from age to age, is manifest from the example of Jehaziel, one of the sons of Asaph in Jehoshaphats time, on whom the spirit of the Lord came down in the midst of the assembly (2Ch. 20:14). All the sacred compositions of the members of this family were designated songs of Asaph, just as in the title of the 62. Psalm, Jeduthun stands for the Jeduthunic choir. If the family had not possessed a founder so very famous in this department, these Psalms, like those which bear the name of the sons of Korah, would have had inscribed on their titles the sons of Asaph.Hengstenberg.

Occasion.On this expositors are not agreed. Some think that it was written by Asaph, in Davids time, with a prophetical reference to the destruction by the Chaldeans. Others look upon it as historical, and having reference to the destructions wrought at the time of the Maccabees. Others, who regard it as historical, consider that it refers to the Chaldean destruction. The occasion cannot be determined certainly; but the last-named opinion seems to us most likely to be the correct one. It was written at a time of great misery, the temple was desolated and destroyed, the land was ravaged, the enemies of the Church triumphed, and God seemed to have forgotten or cast away His people. The Psalmist bewails their sad condition and prays for deliverance.

THE SUFFERING CHURCH POURING OUT ITS COMPLAINTS UNTO GOD

(Psa. 74:1-11.)

I. The description of the Church.

The sheep of Thy pasture; Thy congregation which Thou hast purchased, &c. The Church is here represented as

1. Shepherded by God. We use the word shepherded, because we do not know of any other which expresses the various duties of the shepherd to his flock. That Jehovah is the Shepherd of His people is an idea of frequent occurrence in the Scriptures. (Psa. 80:1; Psa. 95:7; Psa. 100:3; Isa. 40:11; Eze. 34:11-16.) The relationship involves His Guidance. With infallible knowledge and tender care He goeth before His people through all their journeyings. By the mystic and majestic pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night He led His people in their forty years journey through the wilderness. And still He leads His people, though by different means. He guides us now by the indications of Providence, by influencing our convictions, and by the teaching of His Word. The relationship involves Protection. The shepherd had to guard his flock against the attacks of robbers and beasts of prey; and frequently displayed great faithfulness and courage in so doing. In this way David, while a mere stripling, slew a lion and a bear (1Sa. 17:34-36). So Jehovah guards His people. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people, &c. The relationship involves Provision. It was the duty of the shepherd to provide for his sheep, and when one pasture was bare to lead them to another, or when the herbage was deficient to cut down the tender shoots of trees for them to eat, and to see that they had water to drink. In thus providing for them the shepherd frequently underwent long and severe labour. Jehovah thus provides for His people, and the sheep of His pasture. The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. His provisions are varied, abundant, exhaustless.

2. Redeemed by God. The Church is spoken of as purchased of old by God, and as an inheritance redeemed by Him. From Egyptian bondage He redeemed them at an immense cost. The Church is an ancient possession of the Lords. He has the most indefeasible right to it as His inheritance. It is His because He called it into being. It owes its origin to Him. He has preserved it in being, watching over it in all the vicissitudes of its fortune. Much of its history resembles the burning bushthe bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed, and the secret of its mysterious preservation must be traced to Him. He has redeemed it. His ancient people He frequently redeemed out of the hand of their enemies. And the Church to-day He has redeemed with a nobler, Diviner redemption. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold; but with the precious blood of Christ. He gave Himself for us. What a SELF to give! And how freely was He given by both His Father and Himself! How unspeakably precious is this redemption! How complete and indisputable Gods title to an inheritance so redeemed!

3. Inhabited by God. Mount Zion wherein Thou hast dwelt. The mysterious Shekinah, the symbol of Gods special presence, dwelt in the holy of holies. In the Psalms God is represented as both dwelling in His people, and the dwelling-place of His people. God is in the midst of her. In Salem is His tabernacle, and His dwelling-place in Zion. So in the Christian Church God is specially present. Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. He dwells in His Church to hear and answer prayer, to reveal His will, to bestow His grace, to make known His salvation, and to manifest His glory. He dwells in every humble and believing heart as in His temple by the Holy Ghost.

Reflect how the consideration of these aspects of the Church in relation to God would affect His people. They were the sheep of His pasture, yet they were in captivity, and oppressed by their enemies, and far away from Zion. How could they reconcile these things with the guidance, protection, and provision of their Shepherd? They were redeemed by Him at a great cost, yet now they were once more in bondage. Had He ceased to value the inheritance which He had purchased of old? They were inhabited by God, but now the glory of His presence has departed. Had He then cast them off for ever? Thus there have often been times when the position and sufferings of the Church have seemed utterly irreconcilable with their most fundamental relations to God.

II. The distress of the Church.

1. Their enemies triumphed over them and spread ruin around them. They had destroyed everything in the sanctuary, had broken down the carved work, had burnt it with fire, and desecrated it to the ground. The Jews gloried in their temple. They spoke of it as a holy and beautiful house. It was a costly and magnificent edifice. Around it were gathered many precious and sacred memories. Its associations were most interesting and treasured. To see it ruthlessly destroyed and profaned must have been a great distress to them. The Church in all ages has had its enemies who have sought its destruction. With captious and destructive criticism men seek to destroy the Church, by endeavouring to overthrow the faith of her members in many precious truths in which they have rested. The Church has had foes who have persecuted her by fire and sword, bonds and imprisonments, pains and penalties. Different are the weapons which are used to-day. The theories and arguments of cold intellectual menmen often of large heads, but infinitesimally small hearts; whose knowledge has grown from more to more, but in whom no reverence dwellsare the weapons by which it is now sought to overthrow the Church. She has spiritual foes also. The gates of hell are arrayed against her. And many in this world by word and deed are foes to the cause of God.

2. Their enemies blasphemed the name of God. Where God had been reverently worshipped by devout hearts they madly shouted their war cry, in the temple they had set up their military standards, and they had reproached and blasphemed the name of God. This was a great grief to the people of God. And to those of them who were faithful and pious the grief would be most deep and acute. The godly heart is most deeply pained in its tenderest part when anything is done by which God is dishonoured. And this blasphemy had been long continued, adding amazement to the grief of the Psalmist, and causing him to inquire, O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name for ever?

(1) Man is free to reproach and blaspheme God if he will. We may praise and adore Him, or revile and curse Him if we will. God has made us thus morally free. He allows us the exercise of this freedom.

(2) God has long patience even with the profanest and most outrageous sinners. For a long season He tolerates even blasphemers, giving them time for repentance. He waits to show mercy even to the chief of sinners. He wills not that any should perish.

(3) Gods patience with blasphemers causes sore amazement to His people. They cannot understand why He does not pluck His hand out of His bosom and smite them. They cry, O God, how long? Assuredly, not for ever. If the wicked turn not, He will whet His sword; He hath bent His bow, and made it ready. But while judgment lingers, and men continue to blaspheme, the people of God are distressed by the blasphemy, and amazed at the delay of judgment.

3. The prophetic voice was silent. The prophetical office of Jeremiah terminated with the destruction of the temple. It was assuredly the cessation of his office that more immediately gave occasion to the painful cry: there is no longer any prophet. This standing ruin of the prophetical class proclaimed, even in louder accents than the non-appearance of other prophets, that God was no longer Israels King. It was necessary that along with the other signs of the dominion of God, this one also should cease for a long period of time, that the people might be taught how they had treated it, wherein they had offended, and might, at the same time, be led with tears of repentance to seek its return.Hengstenberg. The cry of the Psalmist reminds me of the words of Saul to the apparition of Samuel, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Well may he be distressed! Man cut off from Godsevered from the great central Life and Light of the universeappealing to heaven, and being answered only by stony-hearted silence! How appalling! God had threatened, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, &c. (Amo. 8:11-12; Comp. Eze. 7:26.) That time had come. Her prophets found no vision from the Lord. Distress had come upon the people; and no prophets voice was heard, either in merciful encouragement, or faithful rebuke, or stern threatening. They have treated the prophetic message with scornful indifference at times, and at times they have cruelly persecuted the Heaven-sent messenger; and now they cry for some word from heaven, some communication from the Divine, and the only answer they receive is inexorable silence. Surely there is warning for us here. How do we treat the great and precious privileges which are granted unto us? The Word of God, do we prize it? The opportunities of worship, are they dear to us? The influence of the Holy Spirit, do we value it? do we profit by it? If we fail to appreciate our spiritual privileges, and practically despise them, God may withdraw them from us, and we may awake to a sense of their value too late.

Like birds whose beauties languish, half-conceald
Till mounted on the wing, their glossy plumes
Expanded shine with azure, green, and gold;
How blessings brighten as they take their flight.Young.

Let us prize the gifts of God while we have them, lest God should remove them from us for ever.

4. God in anger had cast them off. So they thought; and it was true that their miseries came upon them in consequence of their sins. God was visiting them with the rod of chastisement because of their idolatry, their spiritual apostasy, and rebellion. Their Babylonian enemies were unwittingly the agents of God to punish them. But God had not cast them off for ever. When they turned unto Him in true repentance, He turned unto them and had mercy upon them. Yet at this time they could see no sign of His favour. His anger seemed to smoke against them. Such were some of the distresses of the ancient Church. Their foes were triumphant and were spreading ruin on every side, even destroying their best treasures; the name of God was blasphemed, the prophetic voice was silent, and God seemed to have abandoned them. Their distresses are a picture and parable of sufferings which have befallen the Church in other ages. Their distresses were on account of their sins. So also in subsequent times, in some instances, the Church has been tried and chastened by reason of error, or unfaithfulness, or lukewarmness. In every time of suffering let the Church seek to ascertain the cause and meaning of her suffering; and if it be Gods expostulation with her for her sins, let her repent and do her first works, or He will remove her candlestick out of its place.

III. The prayers of the distressed Church.

1. That God would remember them. God seemed to have forgotten them. They seemed to have passed away from His mind. He bestows no attention upon them. They entreat Him to remember them, thinking that, if He turned His attention to them and saw their miseries, He would surely deliver and save them.

2. That God would interpose for them. Lift up thy footsteps unto the eternal ruins. The Psalmist speaks of eternal ruins, because the complete destruction had cut off all human hope of a restoration. Man could not deliver them. Their only hope was in God. They pray Him to hasten His approach to them. In the day of their distress they have to seek help from Him whom they neglected in their prosperity, for He alone can help them.

3. That God would interpose for them speedily. Gods help seemed to them long delayed. They were weary of waiting for His appearing. O God, how long shall the adversary approach? shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name for ever? They longed to hear the sound of the chariot wheels of their Deliverer. They knew not that the waiting for His coming was itself a blessing. Their sufferings made the time seem long. Their anxiety made them impatient. But God delays His salvation until the captivity has fulfilled its mission to them, and suffering has done its work in them, and waiting itself has blessed them.

There is something very touching and effective in the form of expression adopted by the Psalmist in addressing the Lord. The sheep of Thy pasture. Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast purchased of old; Thine inheritance, which Thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion in which Thou hast dwelt. He thus brings before Him His interpositions for them in former times, His ancient loving-kindness for them, His relation to them, and His having dwelt in Zion. Thus he pleads not their own misery only, but His mercy also; not their need only, but His fulness and power also, and their relation to Him. Surely He will listen to such pleadings. He will not leave His sheep to perish, or lose His ancient purchase, or suffer His inheritance to be entirely desolated, or leave His glorious dwelling-place a ruin for ever.
CONCLUSION.

1. Let the enemies of the Church of God take warning. Let them not interpret His silence as nonexistence, or construe His patience into powerlessness. He lives, and His arm has lost none of its ancient strength.

2. Let those who are richly blessed with spiritual privileges remember that they involve corresponding responsibilities. Be wise, prize them, improve them, lest they be the occasion of greater condemnation to you.

3. Let the favoured Church be warned. Be faithful, or God may write Ichabod upon your temples and altars.

4. Let the suffering Church take encouragement from her relationship to God, and from His past interpositions on her behalf, and learn how to plead them at His throne.

THE CONSTRUCTIVE AND THE DESTRUCTIVE

(Psa. 74:5-6.)

Destruction is sometimes a wise and good employment. It is wise and good to destroy disease, error, evil. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. But destruction is inferior to construction.

I. The constructive is greater and more difficult than the destructive. An idiot might destroy St. Pauls Cathedral, London; but it needed the genius of Sir C. Wren to design it. A child might destroy a young oak sapling; but the mightiest man cannot create a daisy. A fool might unsettle a mans faith and destroy his character; but the wisest and holiest of men cannot of himself establish a mans faith and build up his character.

II. In the kingdom of the truth it is wiser and nobler to aim at building up the true than destroying the false.

1. It is wiser; for you may destroy one error only to make room for another. One evil spirit is expelled, but other spirits more wicked than himself enter in his place. But he who builds up the true is effectually destroying old errors and guarding against the entrance of new ones.

2. It is nobler. In destroying even the false and bad, men are often actuated by mean and base motives and feelings, but in aiming at edification in the true and good the motives and feelings are noble.

III. How terrible is it to destroy the true and good! To destroy a noble building, a magnificent city; to destroy life, virtue, truth, beauty, how heinous is this!

IV. God is the great constructor of the good. He is ever engaged in overcoming error and evil by building up souls in truth and grace.

Let us imitate Him in this.

THE SUFFERING CHURCH RECOUNTING THE DOINGS OF GOD IN THE PAST AS AN ARGUMENT FOR HIS HELP IN THE PRESENT

(Psa. 74:12-17.)

The poet, in calling to mind and celebrating the interpositions of God on behalf of His people in former times, brings into prominence the Divine Sovereignty. From that Sovereignty, as it had been manifested in past deliverances and blessings, he drew encouragement for himself and the people in their present distresses.

I. The history of Gods dealings with His people reveals His universal sovereignty.

1. He is sovereign over His people. God is my King. The people of God loyally and heartily recognise His sovereignty over them. He is sovereign over all men; but His sovereignty is not acknowledged by all men. There are those who disown it and rebel against it; there are others who meanly and slavishly submit to it from base motives. But His own people recognise its righteousness, and wisdom, and goodness, and cordially own Him as their King. To them His law is holy, and His commandment holy, and just, and good. He occupies the throne of their affections. In the hearts of His people He is supreme. They serve Him with willing minds. They bow to His authority with loyalty, and love, and reverence.

2. He is sovereign over His enemies. Expositors are pretty generally agreed that by the dragons and the leviathan whose heads were broken in the waters, the poet intended to set forth the Egyptians and their Pharaoh who were destroyed in the Red Sea. God manifested His sovereignty over them by destroying them for their rebellion against Him, and for their oppression of His people. They would not submit themselves to His authority, so He crushed them by His power. God is sovereign over all men, whether they acknowledge Him or not. The rebellion of the wicked in no way diminishes His right to reign, or His power to do all His pleasure. He is King. He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet.

3. He is sovereign over nature. The Psalmist speaks of Him as dividing the sea, cleaving the fountain and flood, drying up mighty rivers, preparing the light and the sun, setting all the borders of the earth, making summer and winter. God is not only the great Creator of the universe, but its Sustainer also. We discover in nature not only wise and beneficent laws, but a Lawgiver also. We are acquainted with great forces, and are persuaded that there must be some intelligent and almighty Being who originated and sustains them. We mark a beautiful order and arrangement in nature, and regard them as signs of a Divine presence and power. He is but a superficial student of nature who never pursues his investigations beyond the discovery of mere laws and forces. To the devout and earnest listener nature is eloquent of God. God is the sovereign of nature. He controls her forces. He regulates her operations. He presides over all her processes. He is supreme in all. There is no province of His universe from which He is excluded. His sovereignty is complete and universal. He rules over all nature and all life. The life of the ephemera sporting its little hour in the rays of the summer sun, and the life of the archangel standing in His own presence, are both subject to Him.

II. The History of Gods dealings with His people reveals the beneficence of His sovereignty.

God is a King working salvation in the midst of the earth. God is actively engaged in every department of His universe. He is the supreme Worker. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. In the operations of nature He ceaselessly works. In the events of history He works, aiding His servants, restraining the wrath of His foes, directing and controlling all things, so that in the end truth and righteousness and love may be triumphant everywhere. And He works in human souls, delivering them from sin, and educating them into holy living and useful working. The Psalmist recognised the work of God in the past history of His people. He had brought them forth from Egypt with a high hand and an outstretched arm. He had smitten their enemies with destruction. He had led them through the sea as on dry land. He had wrought for their salvation. It is of the very nature of His sovereignty to work beneficently. And the salvation which He works is gloriously complete. This the Psalmist indicates by the words, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. The words denote the comprehensive nature of the salvation: whoever has obtained possession of the interior of a country has got the ascendency over the whole boundaries,whatever is done there extends to the whole circumference (Exo. 8:22; Isa. 10:23). What God undertakes He carries to completion. His salvation is unto the uttermost. He is mighty to save. Let us rejoice in Gods sovereignty. The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad. Man has sadly misrepresented His sovereignty. We have contemplated with horror representations of a Being of unlimited and arbitrary power, which power is often used to crush and curse his creatures, a power which, except in the case of a favourite few, works destruction in the midst of the land. Such is not the sovereignty of God. His rule is a thing of infinite wisdom, and goodness, and beauty. He doeth all things well. Under His sovereignty the race is advancing not to darkness and night, but to the glad and beautiful morning of eternal day. The beneficence of the work of God is seen by the Psalmist when he looks at it through the intervening years. While it is yet in process we cannot discover the significance or beauty of His work. While events are in progress they often seem chaotic, and sometimes even maleficent. Wait until the work has advanced to a period, and then the design of the great Worker will be before you a thing of joy and beauty.

III. The history of Gods dealings with His people is full of encouragement to them.

The poet recounts the doings of Israels King to encourage their hearts in their time of distress. His past interpositions are so many reasons for our placing our trust in Him in every time of need. God is unchangeable and eternal,the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. He is unchangeable in power: what He has done already He can do again. He is unchangeable in purpose. The design and tendency of His government is to work salvation. He is not a man that He should lie, or the son of man that He should repent. He is unchangeable in goodness: what He willed to do in the past He will do again. He abideth faithful. So past deliverances and blessings encourage us to plead with Him, and to trust Him for help in present distresses. Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.

CONCLUSION.

1. Let us rejoice in the beneficence and universality of the Divine Sovereignty. Godthe Supremely Goodis King. He rules in righteousness, wisdom, and love.

2. Let the troubled heart take encouragement from Gods relationship to him, and past dealings with him. He who has led you hitherto will never fail you or forsake you.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

(Psa. 74:12.)

In the time of trouble to which this Psalm refers the Psalmist took encouragement from the consideration of Gods sovereignty. His kingship implies authority. As a Sovereign He proclaims His laws for the government of His subjects. And these laws involve penalties for those who violate them, and rewards for those who obey and honour them. Gods kingship implies the protection of His people. It is the duty of kings to protect their subjects in the enjoyment of their rights. God is our shield. Gods sovereignty is moral. He rules by reason, not by force. The laws which He prescribes are in harmony with the laws of our own nature. Thus, He has made us morally free, and His sovereignty never invades our freedom. He never coerces man into obedience.

In the text His sovereignty is presented in several aspects.

I. As loyally acknowledged. My King. The sovereignty of God is universal in its extent, but is only partially acknowledged. There are those who utterly deny it, and are avowed rebels against His government. There are others who acknowledge it as slaves. If they obey His rule at all, it is because they feel compelled to do so by dread of the lash. There are others who acknowledge it as hirelings. They avoid transgression lest they should incur severe penalties; they obey that they might receive the reward of obedience. But there is no spontaneity or heartiness in their obedience. There are others who acknowledge it heartily as loyal subjects. They recognise and admire the justice and benevolence of His laws, and the wisdom of their administration; they cordially acknowledge His right to reign; they venerate Him as their King and God. What is our relation to this government? Are we rebels? slaves? hirelings? or loyal subjects?

II. As of ancient date. Of old. Gods sovereignty has existed from everlasting as regards Himself. His fitness for rule, His right to rule, His purpose to rule, are all eternal as Himself. In the solitude of the awful eternity He was supreme. As to His sovereignty over the Jews, by the term of old the Psalmist referred to the days when God brought His people out of Egypt with signs, and wonders, and great power. His sovereignty over them may be traced back to the call of Abram. His sovereignty over us began with the beginning of our being, and is coextensive with our being. Earthly monarchs pride themselves upon the antiquity of their dynasties. Here is a dynasty which no beginning knew. Thy kingdom is established of old; Thou art from everlasting.

III. As beneficent in operation. Working salvation. Gods sovereignty is,

1. Operative. God works. He is not sitting down in what men call everlasting repose, calmly or indifferently marking the operations of the universe, and luxuriating in a peace which no storm can invade. That is not the kind of God which guilty, weary, broken-hearted man requires. He works in nature, in history, in redemption.

2. Operates beneficently. The King works salvation. Gods sovereignty has been grievously misinterpreted. Human notions of favouritism have been set down to Gods sovereignty. Men have formulated a doctrine of reprobation, and have had the audacity to call it Gods sovereignty. Most firmly do we believe in His sovereignty, but we believe in it as working salvation. Of the King it was predicted, He is just and having salvation. God rules to bless. He works to save men, not to destroy them.

But is it really so? Does Gods government work beneficently? At this time, as the Psalm indicates, His people were in a most desolate and afflicted state. Was the King working for their salvation? Their misery arose from their sin, from their rebellion against His government. At present darkness, suffering, and sorrow are here; but they are here because sin is here. God rules to bless.

IV. As a plea for His help. So the Psalmist uses it on this occasion. He mentions what God had done for them in olden time, and pleads that as their King He would interpose for them again. As their King,

1. He would possess sovereign authority. None could stay His hand or say unto Him, what doest Thou? He could smite down their foes, and set them free and prosper them.

2. He would be faithful to His sovereign obligations. He would keep His promises and respect the covenant, as they entreated Him to do (Psa. 74:20).

3. He was immutable. He was the same when this Psalm was written as when He divided the Red Sea. He changes not. And still He has sovereign power to save, and is faithful and unchangeable; and still we may urge His sovereignty as a reason why He should help us. A powerful reason it is. It appeals to His honour, acknowledges His beneficence, &c. This plea may be used by us,

(1) As communities forming part of His Church. When any portion of His Church languishes, or is afflicted, or is in difficulty, it may plead with the King for help.

(2) As individuals on our own behalf. In our times of perplexity and distress let us go to our King, and plead with Him for guidance and deliverance.

GOD IN NATURE

(Psa. 74:16-17.)

The poet was neither,

1. An atheist. He believed in God. Nor,

2. A pantheist. He believed in God as distinct from nature. Nor,

3. A mere naturalist, seeing nothing in nature higher than order, and law, and development. He recognised God in nature. He regards God as

I. The Creator of nature. Thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth. Thou hast made summer and winter. God being the Creator of nature, nature is a revelation of God, and as such should be studied by us. He is a superficial or partial student who has not advanced beyond the discovery of laws. Nature reveals the Divine,

1. Power in her stupendous forces.

2. Unchangeableness in the regularity and order of her revolutions.

3. Wisdom in her marvellous and beautiful adaptations of means to ends.

4. Goodness in her ample provisions for the needs of both man and beast

5. Delight in beauty in the countless forms of loveliness, sublimity, and grandeur in earth and sea and sky.

These are Thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty, Thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then!
Unspeakable, who sittst above these heavens
To us invisible, or dimly seen
In these Thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power Divine,Milton.

II. The Proprietor of nature. The day is Thine, the night also is Thine. He who created has the most indubitable right to His own creations. God being Proprietor of nature, it follows:

1. That we are but stewards. The wealthiest man cannot call an acre absolutely his own.

2. Large possessions involve large responsibilities. We hold our possessions in trust for Him. He who holds most has most accountability.

3. God will call all men to give an account of their stewardship.

III. The Sustainer of nature. The boundaries of the earth remain. Day and night, summer and winter, still alternate as of old. Gods sustenance of nature should inspire man to trust in Him.

THE SUFFERING CHURCH PLEADING THE FAITHFULNESS AND HONOUR OF GOD AS AN ARGUMENT FOR HIS INTERPOSITION

(Psa. 74:18-23.)

The sorrowful complaint of the suffering people of God passed into a rehearsal of His former glorious doings on their behalf, which was eminently adapted to inspire and strengthen their faith. And now that rehearsal passes into earnest pleading with God, such pleading that has power with God and prevails. The Psalmist pleads

I. The attitude of their enemies to Him.

The enemies of Israel were arrayed in avowed hostility to God, they blasphemed His name daily, they rose tumultuously against Him, therefore His people call upon Him to plead His own cause and subdue His foes and theirs.

1. Their enemies blasphemed Him. Remember this, the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and the foolish people have blasphemed Thy name: remember how the foolish man reproacheth Thee daily. What was done against the people of God may in an important sense be said to be a reproach offered to Him. But more than that is meant here. These cruel persecutors were also profane and daring blasphemers. By oppressing and reviling His people they offered insult and hurled reproach to Him. They had also directly and scandalously blasphemed Him. Yet God forbore to smite them. No lightnings strike them. No thunders alarm them. And His people were amazed at this. These blasphemers were foolish people. The foolish people have blasphemed Thy name, the foolish man reproacheth Thee daily. Wickedness is essential folly. The sinner is a great fool. He is so because

(1) He is wilfully pursuing a course which is incompatible with his true well-being. The conditions upon which alone the noblest capacities and faculties of his being can be developed he rejects with scorn. The highest and divinest joys of life he is a stranger to.

(2) He is educating himself for a dark and miserable hereafter. He is qualifying himself for hellthe hell of sinful habits, evil and furious passions, accusing and tormenting memories, and black and threatening prospects.

(3) He is contending against irresistible forces. Truth, righteousness, love are against him, and they are eternal and must conquer. God is against him. The sinner is a worm fighting against Almightiness. The enemies of God, unless they submit to Him, must be crushed. No sinners are greater fools than those who ridicule religion and reproach the religious. If religion be true, then the folly of those who ridicule it is utter, egregious, and ruinous. If religion be false, then it becomes the duty of those who have made the discovery to lead the religious to truth and reality, and not to treat them with reproach.

2. Their enemies loudly opposed Him. Forget not the voice of Thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against Thee increaseth continually. The wicked were clamorous in their fury against Him, and for the destruction of His people. They were making war against Him with loud and defiant cries, like the shouts of battle. They were challenging God to combat.

3. All this is urged by the inspired poet as a reason why God should arise in defence of His own cause and that of His people. These enemies were doing their utmost to tarnish and sully the glory of His name; would He submit to that? They were openly aspersing His honour; would He not appear in self-vindication? Fools were loudly bidding Him defiance; would He not smite them with perpetual dumbness? If He did not care for the sufferings of His people, was He not jealous of His own glory? If He was indifferent as to their cause, was He also indifferent as to His own? Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause, and so send us deliverance from our enemies, for they are Thy foes. It is well when the suffering Church can plead for deliverance on the ground that her enemies are also the enemies of God, and that His interests and hers are identical. It is also well when the suffering Church, in strong assurance of the identity of her interests and Gods, can wait with confident expectation and calm patience for His interposition.

II. Their own relation to Him.

1. They were His turtle-dove. O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude. By comparing themselves to a turtle-dove they plead

(1) Their helplessness. They were weak and utterly defenceless against the fierce host of their foes, if His protection were withdrawn. This is a plea which moves the heart of God. When I am weak, then am I strong.

(2) The plaintiveness and incessancy of their cry to Him. The turtle pours forth from every garden, grove, and wooded hill its melancholy yet soothing ditty, unceasingly from early dawn till sunset. It is from its plaintive note, doubtless, that the Psalmist, in pouring forth his lament to God, compares himself to a turtle-dove.Smiths Bible Dict. The cry of Gods defenceless people was rising constantly and mournfully to Him for His help. Could He close His ear to such appeals?

(3) Their constancy to Him in the future. From its habit of pairing for life, and its fidelity for its mate, the turtle was a symbol of purity and faithfulness of affection. The suffering people could not plead their faithfulness to Him in the past. They had wandered far from Him, and often. The turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord. But henceforth, as His turtle-dove, they will be constant in their love to Him. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? Let Him have mercy upon them, and they would never forsake Him again.

2. They were the congregation of His poor. God had manifested frequently a special interest in the poor. Those who were specially needy were the objects of His special care. He was pre-eminently the Friend of the fatherless and widow, the afflicted and broken in heart. He had issued particular commands for the treatment of the poor. I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. Some of the sternest denunciations of the prophets were directed against those who oppressed the poor. God has chosen the poor of this world. They plead that they were His poor, yet they were sorely distressed, and He seemed as though He had forgotten them. Would He forget them for ever? They were HIS poor, they were HIS turtle-dove; would He not appear on behalf of His own? Was their night of oppression to last for ever? Oh, when would He cause their day to dawn by coming to their help?

3. They were His covenanted people. Have respect unto Thy covenant. This is the sublimest and most effectual plea of all. Circumstances such as they were now placed in had been described by God through His servant Moses, and He had said, If then their hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity; then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land (Lev. 26:33-45). God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said it, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good? My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips (Psa. 89:30-34). The appeal is made to the truth and faithfulness of God. If we believe not, He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself. How much more will He abide faithful if His people, even in darkness and distress, do believe, and plead His promises, and urge Him to fulfil them! Certainly, if their punishment has done its work in them, if they are truly and sufficiently humbled and penitent, He will respect His covenant by delivering them from their distresses. But, if their sufferings have not led them to genuine and thorough repentance of their sins, He will respect His covenant by withholding His help until they turn to Him with all their heart. He cannot forget His covenant. His faithfulness cannot fail. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His words shall not pass away.

CONCLUSION.Here are, at least, three lessons for suffering Christians or churches in their pleadings with God.

1. Let us urge His mercy towards us rather than the claims of our miseries upon Him. Perhaps our miseries are all deserved.

2. Let us trust His promises rather than the force or fervour of our petitions. The heartiest prayer does not merit any blessing.

3. If we have broken our share of the covenant, let us be thankful that He abideth faithful, and that in His covenant provision is made for the pardon and restoration of transgressors. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him.

THE CHURCH A TURTLE-DOVE

(Psa. 74:19.)

I. The church of God is like a turtle-dove.

1. In innocence and inoffensiveness.

2. In defencelessness. We have no defence, but God. Left to ourselves, we are helpless.

3. In purity. Purifying your hearts by faith.

4. In fidelity of affection. (See Smiths Bible Dict., Art. Turtle-Dove.)

II. The church of God is exposed to enemies.

III. The church of God can suffer no real harm unless God should deliver her to her enemies.

IV. The church of God is dear to Him, therefore He will not abandon her. Thy turtle-dove.

HINTS FOR A MISSIONARY SERMON

(Psa. 74:20.)

I. The state of the heathen world.

1. Darkness. Not without the light of nature, reason, or conscience; but without the light of Revelation 2. Cruelty. Missionary records, and the narratives of explorers afford sadly numerous and painful illustrations of this.

II. The covenant of God in relation to the heathen world. That the heathen are included in it is manifest from both prophecies and promises of the Word (Psa. 2:8; Psa. 72:8-17; Isa. 11:9, et al.)

III. The duty of the church in relation to the heathen world.

1. To plead Gods covenant on its behalf.

2. To carry out the command of God for the fulfilment of the covenant. Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Psalms 74

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE

Ruthless Injuries to the Sanctuary and Oppression in the Land by an Enemy, call forth Expostulation with God for his quiescence.

ANALYSIS

Stanza I., Psa. 74:1-3 a, In Expostulation for Present Rejection, the Psalmist Reminds God how he had Acquired, Redeemed, and Exalted His Inheritance. Stanza II., Psa. 74:3 b7, Profanation of the Sanctuary Described. Stanza III, Psa. 74:8-9, Extent of the Desolation. Stanza IV., Psa. 74:10-11, Renewed Expostulation with God. Stanzas V., VI., VII., Psa. 74:12-13; Psalms 14, 15; Psalms 16, 17, Divine Activities Aforetime in History and in Creation. Stanzas VIII., IX., X., Psa. 74:18-19; Psalms 20, 21; Psalms 22, 23, Earnest Pleadings for Divine Interposition.

(Lm.) An Instructive PsalmBy Asaph.

1

Wherefore O God hast thou cast off utterly?

wherefore smoketh thine anger against the flock of thy shepherding?

2

Remember thy congregation (which) thou acquiredst aforetime?

(which) thou redeemest to be the tribe of thine inheritance,
Mount Zion wherein thou didst make thy habitation,

3

which thy footsteps exalted to perpetual dignity.[14]

[14] So Br., who says: Requires no change in the unpointed text.

Everything hath the enemy marred in the sanctuary:

4

roared have thine adversaries in the midst of thy place of meeting,

they have set up their signs for signs.

5

A man used to become known as one who had wielded on high

in a thicket of trees axes![15]

[15] Supply, perhaps, in thought: when the sanctuary was built.

6

But now the doors[16] thereof all at once

[16] So it shd. be (w. Sep., Syr., Vul.)Gn.

with hatchets and hammers they smite!

7

They have thrust into the fire thy holy things,[17]

[17] So in some cod. (w. 3 ear. pr. edns.)Gn.

to the ground have they profaned the habitation of thy name.

8

They have said in their heartWe will force them down altogether![18]

[18] So Del.

they have caused to cease all the festivals of God in the land:[19]

[19] So Sep. M.T.: They have burned up all the meeting-places of God in the land.

9

Our signs we see not,

there is no longer a prophet;

nor is there with us one who knoweth how long.

10

How long O God shall an adversary reproach?

shall an enemy blaspheme thy name perpetually?

11

Wherefore shouldst thou draw back thy hand?

and thy right hand in the midst of thy bosom retain[20]?

[20] So Br. From the midst of thy bosom (pluck it forth) and consume. So Driver and others, following M.T. and supplying pluck forth. Ginsburg says that kalleh, consume, shd. be selah (? lift up, as in Psa. 68:4).

12

And yet God was my king from aforetime,

working victories[21] in the midst of the earth.

[21] Or: a great salvation (pl. intensive).

13

Thou didst divide in thy strength the sea,

didst shatter the heads of (river) monsters[22] upon the waters:

[22] So Dr.

14

Thou didst crush the heads of the crocodile,

didst give him as food to the creatures[23] that dwell in the deserts.

[23] Ml.: people. Dr.: folk as in Pro. 30:25-26.

15

Thou didst cleave open fountain and torrent,

thou didst dry up rivers of steady flow.

16

Thine is the day yea thine the night,

thou didst establish light-bearer[24] and sun:[25]

[24] Prob.: moon.
[25] Sep.: sun and moon.

17

Thou didst set up all the bounds of the earth,

summer and autumn thou didst fashion them.

18

Remember this! an enemy hath reproached Jehovah,

yea the people of a vile[26] person have blasphemed thy name.

[26] Or: senseless. Cp. on Psalms 14.

19

Do not give up to a wild beast the life[27] of thy turtle-dove,[28]

[27] U.: soul.
[28] Sep.: a soul giving thanks unto thee.

the living host of thy humbled ones do not forget perpetually.

20

Look well to thy[29] covenant,

[29] So it shd. be (w. Sep., Syr., Vul.)Gn.

for filled are the dark places of the land[30] with the habitations of violence.

[30] Or: earth. Cp. Intro., Chap. III., Earth.

21

May the crushed one not turn back confounded!

the humbled and the needy let them praise thy name.

22

Arise! O God O plead thine own plea,

remember the reproach of thee from the vile person all the day:

23

Do not forget the voice of thine adversaries,

the noise of them who rise up against thee ascending continually.

(Lm.) To the Chief Musician. (CMm.) Do not destroy.

PARAPHRASE

Psalms 74

O God, why have You cast us away forever? Why is your anger hot against usthe sheep of Your own pasture?
2 Remember that we are Your peoplethe ones You chose in ancient times from slavery and made the choicest of Your possessions. You chose Jerusalem[31] as Your home on earth!

[31] Literally, Mount Zion.

3 Walk through the awful ruins of the city, and see what the enemy has done to Your sanctuary.
4 There they shouted their battle cry and erected their idols to flaunt their victory.
5, 6 Everything lies in shambles like a forest chopped to the ground. They came with their axes and sledgehammers and smashed and chopped the carved paneling,
7 And set the sanctuary on fire, and razed it to the groundYour sanctuary, Lord.
8 Lets wipe out every trace of God, they said, and went through the entire country burning down the assembly places where we worshiped You.
9, 10 There is nothing left to show that we are Your people. The prophets are gone, and who can say when it all will end? How long, O God, will You allow our enemies to dishonor Your name? Will You let them get away with this forever?
11 Why do You delay? Why hold back Your power? Unleash Your fist and give them a final blow.
12 God is my King from ages past; You have been actively helping me everywhere throughout the land.
13, 14 You divided the Red Sea with Your strength; You crushed the sea-gods heads! You gave him to the desert tribes to eat!
15 At Your command the springs burst forth to give Your people water; and then You dried a path for them across the everflowing Jordan.
16 Day and night alike belong to You; You made the starlight and the sun.
17 All nature is within Your hands; You make the summer and the winter too.
18 Lord, see how these enemies scoff at You. O Jehovah, an arrogant nation has blasphemed Your name.
19 O Lord, save me! Protect Your turtle-dove from the hawks.[32] Save Your beloved people from these beasts.

[32] Literally, the wild beasts.

20 Remember Your promise! For the land is full of darkness and cruel men.
21 O Lord, dont let Your downtrodden people be constantly insulted. Give cause for these poor and needy ones to praise Your name!
22 Arise, O God, and state Your case against our enemies. Remember the insults these rebels have hurled against You all day long.
23 Dont overlook the cursing of these enemies of Yours; it grows louder and louder.

EXPOSITION

It is clear that the composition of this psalm was occasioned by the desecration of the Temple and the oppression of the Land by some foreign invader; but precisely which event of this kind is here intended, is uncertain, Some have confidently pointed to the time of the Maccabees, when the temple was desecrated under Antiochus: against which may be urged the standing unlikelihood that any psalm had so late an origin, and yet found its way as did this, and the rest, into the ancient Septuagint version of the Old Testament; and the particular objection that the very line in the psalm which might otherwise have seemed to point to a Maccabean origin, viz. Psa. 74:8, And they have burned up all the meeting-places of God in the land, appears in the Sep. in the milder form, And they have caused to cease all the festivals of God in the land. It may be true, that the erection of synagogues cannot be traced further back than to the time of the Maccabees; but it is inconceivable that the Greek translators should have obliterated such an allusion, had it existed in their Hebrew exemplars, though quite possible that later Sopherim should have adapted the Hebrew of the old psalm, so as to conform it to later and more startling events. Others again, have advocated the time of the Chaldean invasion under Nebuchadnezzar, as having probably given birth to this psalm. And that is a possible date; although the lament over the want of a prophet or one who knew how long but ill agrees with the presence of Jeremiah and Ezekiel in those days. Even if, to avoid this awkwardness, the origin of the psalm be thrown further down the Exile, and in favour of that time the words be cited, Lift up thy footsteps to the perpetual desolations, as showing that now the desolation of Jerusalem had lasted a long time,then it is at least disconcerting to note, what Briggs says, that the same consonants, otherwise vowel-pointed, may be read (surely more in harmony with the immediate context) Which thy footsteps exalted to perpetual dignity. Under these circumstances, it may be questioned whether the Speakers Commentary has not more nearly hit the mark in suggesting as the probable time and occasion of origin, the invasion of the Egyptian monarch Shishak in the days of Rehoboam. In favour of this comparatively early date, may be mentioned: the care which the psalmist observes to express rather a desecration than a demolition of the temple; and the aptness of his language in Psa. 74:5-6 to apply to a time when the building of the temple was yet a comparatively recent event. While yet the honour of having lifted an axe in the Lebanon to supply cedar for the erection, of the temple was well remembered, here are profane hatchets and hammers engaged in ruthlessly tearing off the plates of gold which covered the doors. It seems as though the psalm was written while this profanation was going on; and not merely concerning a conflagration viewed from afar! Given, a psalmist well remembering the glory of the erection of the temple; given also, the instinctive horror felt by such a man on occasion of the first intrusion of foreign feet within the sacred precincts;and you have probably a more fitting psychological condition to suit the origin of this psalm than any other that can be imagined with due regard to known facts. It is difficult to say why the psalm does not contain a confession of sin, as the true reason why such a foreign invasion was permitted, especially as this is made so prominent in the history; but we may perhaps surmise that this element lay, for the moment, comparatively dormant in the psalmists mind, because of his ignorance of the lengths to which the invader might be permitted to go, and the vividness with which he saw in those broader views of Gods gracious purposes in calling Israel to be his people and in making Mount Zion his dwelling-place, such weighty pleas against the destruction which at the time appeared imminent. Whatever the cause of this absence of confession from the psalm, it should be remembered that the fact of its omission bears as much upon one foreign invasion as another: any such invasionwhether Egyptian, Chaldean or Syrianmust have in reality seemed permissible only because of grievous national sin committed.

The course of thought which the psalm actually pursues is noteworthy, especially in respect of the broad collateral facts in history and in nature by which the psalmist strengthens his pleading with God.
After reminding God of the wonderful way in which he had made the Hebrew congregation peculiarly his own (Psa. 74:1-3 a); and then vividly depicting the present devastation of the sanctuary (Psa. 74:3 b Psa. 74:7), and the forlorn condition of the land, especially as regards religious privileges (Psa. 74:8-9); and after pleading with God no longer to delay his silencing of the profanity of the invader (Psa. 74:10-11);the psalmist then enlarges on the almighty deeds of Israels King. He introduces the great facts clustering around the deliverance from Egypt and the admission into the promised land (Psa. 74:12-15)facts which constituted an almighty handling of the powers of nature and pressing them into the service of creating and redeeming a Nation. At this point, in a stanza of great simplicity and beauty (Psa. 74:16-17) the poet passes on to a notice of the Divine relation to day and night, moon and sun, earth and seas, summer as presupposing spring and autumn as bringing after it winter. These allusions are not only beautiful in themselves, and a poetic relief to the mind of the reader but they are true aids to devotion, and give pleasing force to the petitions which they introduce. They suggest more than they formally articulate. They seem to say: Such, O God, are the praises, which habitually ascend to thee from this holy place; but now, only hear the reproaches and the defiance which are from this very spot directed against thy Holy Name! Canst thou be the Divine King whom we thus adore, and not be able and willing to hearken to our prayers? And then follows a volley of petitions: rememberdo not give updo not forgetlook wellariserememberdo not forget. The very close of the prayer is intercessionally dramatic. Instead of a final benediction, we hear the gentle but undaunted voice of this petitioner making a last effort to turn the sustained din and roar of the adversary in the sanctuary into so much prayer for speedy Divine Intervention. Noting these things, even Christian intercessors may learn valuable lessons from this psalm, as to the reality, boldness and scope of prayer. Moreover, it would be upardonable to forget what we owe to Dr. Thirtle for the collateral warrant he affords for moving the inscription Do not destroy, from the beginning of the next psalm, where its applicability is not very evident, to the foot of this, where its appropriateness must strike every unprejudiced mind: that has really been the prayer of this psalmDo not destroy!

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.

The Temple is desecratedbut when? By whom? Give and defend your opinion.

2.

List the descriptive terms for the nation of Israel. Remember we are the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16).

3.

List the great works of Jehovah which prove He could overcome these profainers of His holy Temple.

4.

To what three attributes of God does the psalmist appeal as reasons for the restoration of worship in the Temple?

5.

Give at least two possible explanations as to why God sometimes delays His blessings.

6.

Notice the petitions addressed to Godwhich also could be addressed to ourselves in relation to God.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(1) Why hast . . .Better, why hast thou never ceased abandoning us?

Anger.Literally, nostril, as in Psa. 18:8, there went a smoke from his nostril.

The sheep of thy pasture.An expression peculiar to the Asaphic psalms and Jer. 23:1.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

1. Why hast thou cast us off for ever The rejection and desolation appeared absolute and without remedy. See Psa 74:3; Psa 74:10. In the first three verses the psalmist utters a fervent prayer, which is suspended by the recitals of Psa 74:4-9, and then resumed to the end.

Sheep of thy pasture See Psa 80:1.

Smoke Compare under Psa 80:4. The smouldering ruins of the temple and city fitly illustrated the dark and fiery breath of wrath.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Prayer for the Preservation of the Church.

Maschil, a didactic poem, of Asaph, a prophetic psalm, foretelling some of the afflictions which would befall the Church of God, in the Old Testament as well as in the New.

v. 1. O God, why hast Thou cast us off forever? this being the conclusion reached by the psalmist in considering the condition of the spiritual Israel as he saw it in spirit. Why doth Thine anger smoke, the smoking of the nostrils as with an inner fire being the picture frequently used in the Hebrew language to denote violent anger, against the sheep of Thy pasture? this being a common designation of the believers throughout the Bible. Cf John 10.

v. 2. Remember Thy congregation, not only thinking of it in mercy, but showing His favor in deeds of kindness, which Thou hast purchased of old, which had become His possession by the deliverance from the serfdom of Egypt; the rod of Thine inheritance, the tribe or nation of His possession, which Thou hast redeemed, this statement pointing both backward to the purchase out of Egypt’s slavery and forward to the eternal redemption by Jesus Christ; this Mount Zion, His own holy Church of all times, wherein Thou hast dwelt. Note the climax in the terms to denote the relation of God to the people of His covenant.

v. 3. Lift up Thy feet, in long and hurried steps, unto the perpetual desolations, the ruins of His spiritual Temple; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the Sanctuary, the desecrations of the Old Testament being due principally to idolatry, those of the New Testament consisting in false doctrine and the perversions of the means of grace.

v. 4. Thine enemies roar in the midst of Thy congregations, in the place where God revealed Himself in the assembled congregation in His Word; they set up their ensigns for signs, heathen customs and ceremonies taking the place of the forms of Worship instituted or approved by God. That this was done in the Chaldean and the Maccabean periods is a matter of historical fact; that it is being done today is evident to every observer.

v. 5. A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees, or, He, the enemy, shows himself, makes known himself, as one who raises axes on high in the thicket of the woods;

v. 6. but now they break down the carved work thereof, the costly and artistic; paneling of the Temple, at once with axes and hammers, in deliberate and ruthless vandalism, exactly as the present-day enemies attempt to desecrate the spiritual temple of the Lord.

v. 7. They have cast fire into Thy sanctuary, deliberately burning the house of Jehovah; they have defiled, by casting down, the dwelling-place of Thy name, where the Lord revealed Himself to His people in the Word, to the ground, the profanation of all things holy being the delight of the Lord’s enemies always.

v. 8. They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together, bringing the believers into subjection with cruelty and violence; they have burned up all the synagogs of God in the land, all the places of assembly, whether the schools of prophets are here meant or the synagogs proper as they existed after the Exile.

v. 9. We see not our signs, the customs of regular worship had been discontinued; there is no more any prophet, this lament containing a true description not only of the last centuries of the pre-Christian era, but also of many other periods of the Church’s life; neither is there among us any that knoweth how long, that is, how long the time of such persecution and tribulation would last.

v. 10. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? sneeringly state that Israel had been forsaken by God. Shall the enemy, by such jeering remarks, blaspheme Thy name, the entire revelation of the power and attributes of Jehovah, forever?

v. 11. Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? this being the symbol of God’s almighty power. Pluck it out of Thy bosom, where it seemed that the Lord had hidden it; He should show His might, the psalmist pleads, by sending destruction upon the enemies.

v. 12. For God is my King of old, in spite of the gloominess of the present outlook the poet clings to this trust, working salvation in the midst of the earth, that is, throughout the habitable world He makes known and works His redemption.

v. 13. Thou didst divide the sea by Thy strength, cleaving the Red Sea asunder for the passage of Israel; Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters, the expression referring to the Egyptian tyrants.

v. 14. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan, the crocodile, the most powerful animal of Egypt, in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness, food for the wilderness dwellers, the wild beasts of the desert consuming the carcasses of the Egyptians after their overthrow in the Red Sea. Thus the monsters mentioned here are emblems of Egypt, whose power was overthrown by the might of Jehovah.

v. 15. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood, in giving the Israelites water out of the rock, Exo 17:5; Num 20:11; Thou driedst up mighty rivers, the reference being chiefly to the passage of Jordan, Jos 3:13.

v. 16. The day is Thine, the night also is Thine, He, as the great Sovereign, has fixed the laws governing their course; Thou hast prepared the light and the sun, the light-bodies being His creatures and subject to Him.

v. 17. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth, not only by dividing it from the sea, but also by fixing the natural boundaries of nations; Thou hast made summer and winter, the seasons also being His creatures and therefore subject to His command. Thus the absolute, limitless power of God is described, this description serving as a basis of the supplication following.

v. 18. Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people, the enemies gone mad with their rejection of Jehovah, have blasphemed Thy name, v. 10.

v. 19. O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove, the individual believer and the entire Church being included in this designation on account of the manner in which the dove seeks refuge when danger is near, unto the multitude of the wicked, the band which is so active in planning its destruction. Forget not the congregation of Thy poor, the meek sufferers for the sake of His name, forever.

v. 20. Have respect unto the covenant, regarding His promise to uphold the fellowship between Himself and His people; for the dark places of the earth, the eaves and hiding-places of the persecuted believers, are full of the habitations of cruelty, since it happened repeatedly in the history of the Church that the enemies searched out and killed the faithful even in the mountain fastnesses (period of the Maccabees, the Huguenot persecution, etc. ).

v. 21. O let not the oppressed return ashamed, on account of the Lord’s refusal to give him the assistance he craved; let the poor and needy, the afflicted members of His Church, praise Thy name, thanking Him for the deliverance which He was requested to provide.

v. 22. Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause, for it was, after all, Jehovah’s cause which was in danger on account of the action of the enemies; remember how the foolish man reproacheth Thee daily, Jehovah’s own honor thereby being assailed.

v. 23. Forget not the voice of Thine enemies, their sneering blasphemies; the tumult of those that rise up against Thee, in open rebellion against His sovereign rule, increaseth continually, rising up threateningly against the throne of the Most High. That is a prayer which is bound to have its effect, when the believers boldly point out to the Lord that it is His own interests in the world which are endangered on account of the attitude of the enemies.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

“THE misery of the Jews is here at its deepest”. The psalmist describes Jerusalem as fallen into “perpetual ruins” (Psa 74:3). The temple is violated (Psa 74:3); its carved work is ruthlessly cut down (Psa 74:6); the aid of fire has been called in to destroy it, and its walls are cast down to the ground (Psa 74:7). Nor has Jerusalem alone suffered. The object has been to “make havoc” of Israel “altogether;” and the enemy have spread themselves, and “burnt up all the houses of God in the land” (Psa 74:8). The prophets have succumbed; their voices are heard no more (Psa 74:9). A blasphemous enemy lords it over the entire country (Psa 74:10, Psa 74:23), and sets up its banners as signs of its dominion (Psa 74:4). Three periods have been assigned for the composition of the psalm:

(1) the time of the invasion of Shishak;

(2) that of the Babylonian conquest; and

(3) the early Maceabean period, or the reign of Judas Maccabaens.

In favour of the first is the ascription of the psalm in the “title” to Asaph. But all other considerations are against it. There is no evidence that Shishak ever entered Jerusalem. He certainly did not break down the carved work of the temple, or set the temple on fire, much less “cast it down to the ground.” His invasion was a mere raid, and Rehoboam seems to have bought his retreat by the sacrifice of the temple treasury (2Ki 14:25-28; 2Ch 12:2-12). The circumstances described in the psalm are also unsuitable to the reign of Judas Maccabaeus, in whose time the temple suffered desecration at the hands of the Syrians, but was not seriously damaged, much less demolished. Thus the only date suitable for the composition of the psalm is that immediately following the capture of the city under Nebuchadnezzar. We must explain the “title” by the consideration that Asaph, like Jeduthun and Heman, became a tribe name, attaching to all the descendants of the original Asaph, and was equivalent to “sou of Asaph” (see Ezr 2:41; Ezr 3:10; Neh 7:44; Neh 11:22).

The psalm consists of three portions:

1. A complaint to God, including a description of all the horrors of the situation (Psa 74:1-11).

2. An enumeration of God’s mercies in the olden time, as a foundation for hope that he will yet rescue Israel (Psa 74:12-17).

3. An earnest prayer for relief and restoration, and the re-establishment of the covenant (Psa 74:18-23).

Psa 74:1

O God, why hast thou cast us off forever? It could only have been in the extremity of distress that a devout Israelite believed, even for a time, that Israel was “cast off forever“ (comp. Psa 79:5, which must have been written nearly at the same period as this). Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? God’s anger “smokes” when it is hot and furious (see Psa 18:8; Psa 104:32; Psa 44:5). It is now smoking “against the sheep of his pasture”his own flock (Psa 78:53), his peculiar people (comp. Jer 23:4; Jer 50:6, Jer 50:17; and Psa 79:13).

Psa 74:2

Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; or, which thou didst purchase of old. The reference is to the redemption out of Egypt (see Exo 15:16). God is besought, though he has forgotten, once more to remember his people, and urged to do so by the memory of his former mercies (comp. Psa 74:12-17). The rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; rather, which thou didst redeem to be the tribe of thine inheritance; i.e. the people of thine inheritance. “The conventional expression, ‘the tribes of Israel,’ was not always used after the fall of the northern kingdom” (Cheyne); comp. Jer 10:16; Jer 51:19. This Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt (comp. Psa 73:1-28 :68). The expression, “this Mount Zion,” implies that the psalm is composed either by one of the exiles before he is removed from the Holy Land, or by one of those who were left behind by the conquerors (2Ki 25:12, 2Ki 25:22; Jer 42:10; Jer 52:16).

Psa 74:3

Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; or, the perpetual ruins. God is asked to visit and protect, or else to visit and inspect, the desolate ruins with which the Babylonians have covered Mount Zion. Even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. The Babylonians had plundered the temple of all its treasures, breaking the precious Phoenician bronze work into pieces, and carrying off everything of value that was portable (2Ki 25:13-17). They had also “burnt the house of the Lord “(Psa 74:9), and “broken down the walls of Jerusalem” (Psa 74:10) and the walls of the temple to a large extent (see below, Psa 74:7). It is quite certain that neither Shishak nor the Syrians under Antiochus Epiphanes created any such devastation.

Psa 74:4

Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; or, have roared; i.e. have created disturbances, or raised tumults. The temple did not pass into the enemy’s hands without fighting and bloodshed; the battlecry of the assailants and their shouts of triumph when victorious resounded through it (comp. Lam 2:7) They set up their ensigns for signs. Probably for tokens of victory and dominion. Scarcely as objects of worship, since their intention was to destroy the temple and leave Jerusalem desolate.

Psa 74:5

A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees; rather, they seemed as men that plied aloft hatchets in a thicket of trees (so Kay, Canon Cook, Professor Cheyne, and the Revised Version); i.e. they plied their hatchets with as little reverence as if they had been hewing timber in a copse of wood.

Psa 74:6

But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. The “carved work” (pittuchim) of the temple consisted of the cherubim and palm trees and open flowers which formed the decoration of the temple walls (see 1Ki 6:29, where the same word, pittuchim, is used). This superficial carved work may have been broken down for the sake of the gold with which it was overlaid (1Ki 6:22, 1Ki 6:32, 1Ki 6:35).

Psa 74:7

They have cast tire into thy sanctuary; or, they have set thy sanctuary fire (Revised Version). The temple of Solomon was burnt by Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki 25:9; 2Ch 36:19). That of Zerubbabel was never burnt, but was entirely rebuilt, and on a much larger scale, by Herod the Great. That of Herod the Great was burnt in the siege by Titus. They have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy Name to the ground (comp. Lam 2:6; Lam 4:1). The very foundations of the second temple had to be laid by Zerubbabel (Ezr 3:6, Ezr 3:12).

Psa 74:8

They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them altogether. It was, no doubt, the intention of Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Israel as a nation. Hence the complete destruction of the city and temple (2Ki 25:9, 2Ki 25:10; 2Ch 36:19; Lam 2:1-9, etc.); hence the deportation of all the strength of the nation (2Ki 24:14-16; 2Ki 25:11), and their settlement in the far off region of Babylonia; hence the desolation, not only of Jerusalem, but of “all the habitations of Jacob” (Lam 2:2), all the “strongholds of the daughter of Judah” (Lam 2:2, Lam 2:5). They have burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land. The synagogue system was first introduced by Ezra, according to Jewish tradition; and it has been argued that the mention of “synagogues” hereliterally, “sacred meeting places”proves the psalm to be Maccabean. But meeting places for worship, other than the temple, always existed in Palestine, both before and after its erection. Mesha speaks of having plundered a “house of Jehovah” in his war with Ahab; and it is plain from 2Ki 4:23 that religious meetings were held by the prophets, probably in houses devoted to the purpose, during the period of the divided monarchy. Hezekiah’s destruction of the high places (2Ki 18:4) is not likely to have interfered with the use of these buildings, to which no savour of idolatry can have attached in the mind of the most violent iconoclast. I should therefore believe, with Leopold Low, that buildings existed before the Exile, in which religious instruction was given by authorized teachers.

Psa 74:9

We see not our signs. Some suppose “standards” to be meant, as in Psa 74:4, where the same word is used; but it is, perhaps, better to understand, with Dr. Kay, “Divine ordinances, which were standing signs of God’s presenceas the tabernacle, the sacrifices, the sabbaths.” There is no more any prophet. It has been said that this shows the psalm not to have been written on the occasion of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, since Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel were, all of them, then living. But the writer only means to say that there are no prophets in Palestine, where he is residing. Jeremiah in Egypt, Ezekiel on the banks of Chebar, Daniel in Babylon, are nothing to him, even if he knows of their existence, and in no way fill up the gap whereof he complains. Neither is there among us any who knoweth how long. Jeremiah’s prophecy of the seventy years (Jer 25:11, Jer 25:12) did net remove the doubt, since it was uncertain from what event the seventy years were to be counted. Jeremiah’s prophecies, moreover, were not yet, in all probability, collected into a volume, and so may not have been known to the psalmist.

Psa 74:10

O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name forever? There is no contradiction between these two clauses. The psalmist wishes to ask two things:

1. Is the present distress to continue forever?

2. And if not, how long is it to endure?

It is true that he inverts the natural order of the questions; but this is so common a mode of speech, that grammarians have given it a name, and call it -.

Psa 74:11

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.

Psa 74:12-17

Comfort springs from the thought of God’s previous deliverances of his people, and of his other great mercies. The deliverance from Egypt has the foremost place (Psa 74:13,Psa 74:14), as the most striking. Then the deliverance from the wilderness, and the passage of Jordan (Psa 74:15). From these the poet passes to God’s mercies in natureday and night, light and sun, set bounds of earth and sea, alternations of the seasonsall formed and arranged by the Almighty (Psa 74:16, Psa 74:17).

Psa 74:12

For God is my King of old (comp. Psa 44:4). As “King,” he has power to perform all that he wills, to set up and to cast down, to give into the enemy’s hand and to deliver. Working salvation in the midst of the earth. Not in any imaginary earth centre, but, as Professor Cheyne says, “quite broadly, in various parts of the earth” (comp. Exo 8:22).

Psa 74:13

Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength. A clear reference to Exo 14:21 (comp. Psa 77:16; Psa 78:13; Psa 106:9). Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. The dragon (tannim) is frequently used as a symbol of Egyptian power (see Isa 51:9; Eze 29:3; Eze 32:2). The allusion here is to the destruction of Pharaoh’s host in the waters of the Red Sea (Exo 14:27-30; Exo 15:4).

Psa 74:14

Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces. Here the metaphor is only slightly varied, leviathan, “the crocodile,” being substituted for tannim, “the dragon,” or “sea monster,” as the representative of the might of Egypt. And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. The corpses of the Egyptians thrown up upon the Red Sea shores (Exo 14:30) are certainly the “meat” intended. Whether the “people of dwellers in the wilderness” are cannibal tribes, or jackals and hyenas, is perhaps doubtful.

Psa 74:15

Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood; rather, and the torrent (comp. Exo 17:6; Num 20:11). Thou driedst up mighty rivers; i.e. the Jordan (Jos 3:13, et seqq.).

Psa 74:16

The day is thine, the night also is thine; thou hast prepared the light and the sun (see Gen 1:5, Gen 1:15, Gen 1:16); rather, thou hast prepared him light and sun. “Luminary” () is probably a class name for the heavenly lights generally. The sun is then particularized, as so much the most important of the luminaries. But the result is “an imperfect parallelism” (Cheyne).

Psa 74:17

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth. The “borders of the earth” are the boundaries of land and sea, which are ascribed to God in Gen 1:9 (comp. Job 26:10; Job 38:8; Psa 33:7; Pro 8:29; Jer 5:22). Thou hast made summer and winter; literally, summer and winter thou didst form them; i.e. they are the result of thy arrangement of creation.

Psa 74:18-23

In conclusion, the psalmist prays earnestly that God will deliver his people from their wicked oppressors (Psa 74:18, Psa 74:19), that he will remember his covenant (Psa 74:20), cause the oppressed ones to praise him (Psa 74:21), and assert himself against those who insult and oppose him (Psa 74:22, Psa 74:23).

Psa 74:18

Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy Name. Every nation of idolaters is a “foolish people” to the sacred writers, whatever cleverness or intellectual capacity it may possess. Nabal, the word translated “foolish,” designates a folly that is closely akin to wickedness.

Psa 74:19

O deliver net the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the wicked; rather, O deliver not thy turtle dove unto the greedy multitude. Israel is beautifully compared to a pet dove, the gentlest and tenderest of birds. The Babylonians are the “greedy multitude” ready to kill and devour it. Forget not the congregation (or, the multitude) of thy poor forever. The “multitude of God’s poor” is being carried off into a cruel captivity, or else left as a miserable remnant in an exhausted and desolated landin either ease needing much God’s protection and “remembrance.”

Psa 74:20

Have respect unto the covenant. The “covenant” intended is probably that made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whereby Canaan was assured to their descendants, as “the lot of their inheritance.” Israel is being deprived of its inheritance, and dragged off into “dark places.” Will not “respect for his covenant” induce God to interpose, and even now at the last gasp deliver his afflicted ones? For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. Israel is being dragged into “dark places of the earth”benighted lands, where there is no glimmer of the light of God’s truthand lands, moreover, which are “full of habitations of cruelty,” abodes, i.e; where captives taken in war are treated with harshness and violence.

Psa 74:21

O let not the oppressed return ashamed; i.e. let not this oppressed nation turn their back on thee in shame and confusion at thy forsaking them. Rather, let the poor and needy praise thy Name; i.e. show them some mercy, some deliverance, which may turn their shame into joy, and call forth from them songs of praise.

Psa 74:22

Arise, O God, plead thine own cause; i.e. assert thyself, show forth thy power, avenge thyself on thine enemies. Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily (comp. Psa 74:18, and see the comment ad loc.). In the ancient world the conquest of a people was always regarded as a triumph over the people’s god or gods. Naturally, insults to the god found a place in the victor’s songs of triumph (see 2Ki 19:10-13; Isa 10:8-11).

Psa 74:23

Forget not the voice of thine enemies. God does not forget insults of this kind, but punishes them (see 2Ki 19:28, “Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into my ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou earnest”). He punished Babylon after a time with extreme severity (see Jer 50:1-46 and Jer 51:1-64). The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually; rather, ascendeth continuallygoes up before God’s throne, crying for vengeance (comp. Gen 4:10; Gen 18:20, Gen 18:21; Exo 3:9, etc.).

HOMILETICS

Psa 74:22

God’s cause that of his people.

“Arise . thine own cause.” The great problems of life, and the inner depths of human experience, are the same in all ages. The surface of society changes marvellously; but heart still answers to heart. Asaph’s questions and troubles and prayers find their echo in ten thousand Christian hearts today. It would be extremely interesting if we could certainly tell to what crisis of Israel’s history this noble psalm refers. Some say the Chaldean invasion; others, the Maecabean tyranny. Very strong reasons are given in the ‘Speaker’s Commentary’ for believing that it refers to the Egyptian invasion in the reign of Rehobeam (2Ch 12:1-16). As that was the first time when the kingdom of David fell under the power of a heathen conqueror, so the trial to the faith of God’s people was correspondingly severe. It seemed as though God had forgotten his covenant, and Church and state (to use our modern phrase) were to Perish in common ruin. The spiritual lesson is not affected by any uncertainty as to the historic reference. The psalmist takes refuge in God. His plea is that it is God’s own cause which is at stake. In effect, it is the same which Moses urged (Exo 32:11, ff.; Num 14:13, ff.); and Joshua, “What wilt thou do unto thy great Name?” (Jos 7:9). “Arise,” etc.

I. THE CAUSE OF GOD‘S CHURCH IS GOD‘S OWN CAUSE. The word so rendered means “strife,” “controversy” (comp. Hos 4:1; Hos 12:2; Mic 6:2; Jer 25:31). The Lord’s cause, then, is that ancient controversy which began when sin entered the world; and will never cease till sin is conquered, and death, the last enemy, destroyed, and all things placed Under the feet of Christ. The strife between truth and lies, holiness and sin, right and wrong, between “the things that make for peace” and the things about which men cry, “Peace! peace!” but God says, “There is no Peace to the wicked.” One of the moral dangers of our time is a feeble sense of the reality, greatness, infinite issues, of the conflict. Society is awake, sensitive, as never before, to human suffering and misery; but no corresponding sense of man’s sin and guilt. Criminals are often more pitied for their punishment than condemned for their wickedness. We can understand (or think we can) our Saviour’s tears over the approaching calamities of Jerusalem; but, perhaps, fail to see that the deepest source of his grief was the unbelief and the sin of which those impending calamities would be the outcome (Luk 19:42; Mat 23:37). We see how dreadful it is for savages to run about naked and eat one another, to be enslaved or massacred. But do we see how far more terrible it is for them to be without God in the world, without Christ, without hope? We do not want to be less humane, soft-hearted, sympathetic; but we do want to measure by a juster standard, to see that God‘s cause is the supreme interest of human history, that there is nothing we can pray for, work for, live for, to be compared with thisthat his Name be hallowed, his kingdom triumph, his will be done. We can see that this is God’s own cause; but how is it the cause of his people, of Israel in ancient days, of the Church of Christ in our own? Just because this is the very end for the sake of which the Church exists, for the sake of which the nation of Israel was called into being. Christians are in danger of just the mistake into which the Jews fell. They thought they were the chosen, favoured people of Jehovah, to the exclusion of all other nations, and that they might despise and hate the Gentiles. Whereas the truth was, it was for the sake of all mankind that they were chosento be God’s witnesses, that all nations might be blessed in their promised King and Saviour. So Christians are not saved simply for their own sake, but to be the “salt of the earth” and “light of the world; firstfruits” (Jas 1:18).

II. Therefore, secondly, THE CAUSE OF GOD IS THE CAUSE OF MANKIND. Attempts have been made to set in opposition “the service of God” and “the service of man.” In actual fact, none have rendered such service to men as those devoted to the service of God. No power but the gospel of Jesus Christ can take a horde of naked cannibals and, in a single generation, change them into peaceful, intelligent, useful members of the great community of nationsmany of them willing martyrs for truth and charity. The moral ideas of universal justice, personal liberty, human brotherhood, the value of each human being, the duty of the rich to the poor, which have abolished slavery and serfdom, and are working so mightily towards the regeneration of society, find room only in Christianized nations, and have their fountain in the gospel. But the gospel aims at something very different from regenerating society with ideas, however true and Divine. It aims to bring each human being, as a lost wanderer, home to God. Alone among systems, the gospel goes to the heart and root of all man’s wretchedness and degradationsin. The estrangement of the individual heart and life from God, and disobedience to his law of love. If you want an unanswerable proof that the gospel is God’s word, not man’s, you may find one (among innumerable others) in the view given of sin and God’s dealing with it. Take just four passages:

(1) Joh 1:29;

(2) 1Jn 4:10 (“our sins;” q.d. “of the whole world,” 1Jn 2:2);

(3) Joh 6:51, “the bread,” etc.);

(4) Joh 16:8.

III. THE SUCCESS OF GOD‘S CAUSE DEPENDS ON GOD HIMSELF PLEADING IT. Asa’s plea (2Ch 14:11). We may be in danger of forgetting this. If we see full subscription lists, large congregations, plenty of new societies, we think God’s work is surely prospering. If the reverse, we are downcast, perhaps almost despairing. One way in which God wonderfully holds the work in his own hand is in the raising up of workers. What would the religious history of mankind have been without Abraham, Moses, St. Paul? Such men as John Wesley, J. F. Oberlin, Felix Neff, Robert Moffat, are not results of any law of evolution and human progress. Each is uniquea gift from God. God only is the Judge, in what way best to plead his own cause. Sometimes by letting men take their own blind, proud way, and eat the fruit of their doings. Spain has never recovered the withering blight brought on her by the Inquisition, which trampled out her noblest life. Nor France the massacre of the Huguenots and the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

IV. Therefore we are WARRANTED, ENCOURAGED, CONSTRAINED, TO OFFER THIS PRAYER. “Arise,” etc. Beware of playing as though we were more zealous for God’s cause than God himself, more earnest for his glory, more compassionate towards perishing men. Yet we are not to treat prayer as a mere form. Sometimes it seems inscrutable, almost incredible, that our poor, weak prayers can be of any account in the world’s historythe fulfilment of God’s promises. But God knows best. He has made prayer one of the great laws of his spiritual universe. Ours not to question, but obey. What infinite comfort to turn from our own failures, the world’s unbelief and misery, and the mysteries of providence to God’s plain word. of promise and command (Mat 6:9)!

HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY

Psa 74:3-8

Hell’s carnival.

This is what is portrayed to us in these lamentations over the desecrations and destructions wreaked upon the temple at Jerusalem, probably at the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion (see 2Ch 36:17, etc.). As the destroyer acted then, so he acts now when the like work is on hand of profaning God’s sanctuary. What the ancient temple was, the Church of God isthe sanctuary of God. And it has once and again come under the destroyer’s power.

I. THE TEMPLE IS LAID WASTE. (Psa 74:3.)

1. That at Jerusalem was. The sacred service had come to an end; the throng of worshippers were driven away: the ministers of the temple no longer served at the altar; there was desolation everywhere. “The holy and beautiful house wherein the fathers of Israel had worshipped has been plundered and desecrated by a heathen soldiery. Instead of the psalms and hymns and sacred anthems which once echoed within those walls, has been heard the brutal shout of the fierce invaders, roaring like lions over their prey.”

2. And there have been similar desecrations. Our own land, and other’s, are sprinkled over with the ruins of desecrated shrines. They are beautiful even now in their decay, and suggest to us how glorious they must have been when they stood erect and complete in all their grandeur; when, instead of being given over, as now, to mouldering ruin, they were thronged with devout worshippers, and the sublime music of the praises of God reverberated through their high-roofed naves and choirs, and down the long vistas of their vaulted aisles. One can, even now, scarce keep back the bitter curse upon those brutal iconoclasts who in these once magnificent houses of God have wrought such cruel havoc and desolation, and the effects of whose blind fanaticism or wanton wickedness and greed can now never be repaired. The sacred rage which breathes in this psalm finds place yet in many hearts against those detestable destroyers of the most beautiful products of God-inspired genius and devotion that the world has ever seen or will see.

3. But the desolation of the spiritual temple is worse still, and what most concerns us all. And the wasters of that are not wicked men who assail us from without, but spiritual foes whom we have sheltered within. It is unbelief which lays waste the spiritual temple. Worse than fire, or axe, or sword, it makes havoc of the soul. And wickedness following hard on its footsteps completes the work which it has begun. Then comes

II. THE EXULTATION OF THE ADVERSARY. (Psa 74:4.) No doubt this literally occurred at Jerusalem, as it has in many another sanctuary of God which has been brought to ruin. But most assuredly that “roar” has been heard when the Church of Godhis temple in the soulhas been laid waste. The adversaries of God point the finger of scorn; they scoff and jibe and mock; they never weary of holding up to contempt the loud, lofty pretensions and vast claims of the Christian Church, as they bid all men see what a wretched fraud she has at last proved to be. They contrast what she said and what she is, and the roar of execration and exultation over her is heard far and wide as that contrast is seen. Let none of us by our infidelities add to that bitter shame.

III. THEY SET UP THEIR STANDARDS AS TRUE. (Psa 74:4.) In the temple at Jerusalem the invaders, no doubt, piled their military trophies, banners, and ensigns; or the “signs” spoken of may mean religious emblems, heathen rites and ceremonies (cf. 1 Macc. 1:54, 59; 3:48). But both meanings may be combined, as the temple may have been turned both into a barrack and heathen altar at the same time. The incident, however, suggests what is so continually seen when the spiritual temple of God is laid waste. Then men take their standards of truth for those of God; they assert their miserable theories of things for the verities which the Holy Scriptures have taught us; they bid us welcome some age of reason instead of the time-honoured truths on which the Church is founded. Their ensigns for signs, man’s speculations for God’s revelations.

IV. THE BEAUTY AND GRACE OF THE TEMPLE THEY BREAK DOWN. (Psa 74:6.) So has it been with material sanctuaries of God, and the like has been done in those which are spiritual. For a while the unbeliever filches from the fair fabric of Christian truth those gracious and winsome doctrines which have ever commended the faith of Christ to men, and he claims them as the mere product of reason, as evolved by the processes of human thought. But when his work of destruction is complete, and the spiritual sanctuary of God is all laid waste, faith utterly gone, then it will be found that this “carved work of the sanctuary” will be broken down, and the love and care of men will depart with the love and faith of God.

V. THE WORK GOES ON UNTIL ALL IS DESTROYED. (Psa 74:7.) It was so with the material temple; but, thank God, all is not lost in the spiritual There may be, however, individuals and groups of men in which the dread work is complete, and “God is not in all their thoughts.”

VI. EVERY RELIC AND TRACE OF THE WORSHIP OF GOD IS GOT RID OF. (Psa 74:8.) Besides the temple, there were, doubtless, synagogues, places of assembly, where religious men met for worship, though we do not meet with the actual mention of synagogues until the times of the New Testament. And when the first temple was destroyed, we may reasonably believe that such places existed, as we know they did afterwards. But there are, alas! places and human hearts where every relic and trace of God’s worship have been swept utterly away, as if burned with fire. So long as any place where the soul can meet with God is left, the great enemy’s triumph is not complete; he is not satisfied till what is said in Psa 74:8 has been done. But from this may God keep us all!S.C.

Psa 74:9

We see not our signs.

It is said that there were five signs in the first temple which the second had notthe ark of the covenant, the fire from heaven, the Shechinah, the Urim and Thummim, and the spirit of prophecy. So in the Church of Christ there are signs which are very blessed for us to see.

I. SIGNS OF WHAT? it will be asked. Of the presence, the power, the love of the Lord in our midst. This was what the signs in the first temple told of.

II. WHAT ARE THESE SIGNS?

1. The attention of men around.

2. The work of conversion going on.

3. Witness of believers.

4. Their love to one another and to their fellow men, because of their love to God.

5. Their peace and joy in God.

III. THE DIFFERENT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SEEING AND THESE SIGNS.

1. There tray be neither. It is better there should be no fancied seeing, if the reality be not there.

For:

2. There may be the seeing, and not the signs.

3. There may be the signs, and yet not the seeing.

4. There may be both. This is most blessed of all.S.C.

Psa 74:17

Summer teachings.

The four seasons, it has been well said, are God’s four evangelists of the natural world. The sternness of winter; the hopefulness of spring; the richness of summer; the bounty of autumn;each season has its own message from God to our souls. Note

I. THE NATURAL SUMMER. This is what is referred to in our text: the psalmist appeals to it as a plea for God’s much-needed help. His infinite power, which had made summer and winter, and had been manifested in so many marvellous ways, was able to help Israel in their great distress, and their trust was that he would.

1. Israel had to maintain stoutly the truth that God made all things. A whole mob of idol gods was put forward and worshipped by the heathen as the authors and creators of the powers of nature.

2. And our missionaries to the heathen have to maintain the same truth of God the Creator of all. It is by no means universally or generally believed even yet.

3. And in our day and in our own land, professedly Christian as it is, we may not slacken our testimony to this truth. It is not that we have to contend with rival gods, as Israel had, and the missionary still has, but the existence of any God at all is either openly questioned or flatly denied. It is not polytheism, but atheism, that confronts and opposes the Christian advocate today and here at home. Natural law is everything; as if a law could do anything without an executive to put it in force. The ancient Greeks were pantheists, but our men of science have, too many of them, sunk down to a lower depth than that. The Greek saw gods everywhere and in all things; we see God nowhere. Shall we give in to this proud yet miserable atheism? God forbid! Let us still maintain with the psalmist, “Thou hast made summer.” As we look round on all the rich glories of the season, let us confess, with our great Puritan poet

“These are thy works, Parent of good,” etc.

II. THE SUMMER OF GOD‘S PROVIDENCE. How many are enjoying this! God’s daily gifts of life, health, and joy are lavished upon them. They bask in the sunshine of his love. Everything bids them rejoice. But forget not the Giver of your joyhim who made the summer. That holy memory will be to you like the string attached to the child’s kite, which is soaring away up in the blue heavens to the child’s exuberant delight. But let that string be broken which now steadies and sustains, it, not hindering but aiding it in its upward way through the sunlit air, and then you know that at once it will come tumbling ignominiously to the ground. So if we let ourselves forget our God, and we be in thought and affection separated from him, then our poor joy, like that child’s kite, will soon fall to the ground, and our gladness will soon be at an end. It is the remembrance,” Thou hast made summer,” which does not hinder but help our joy, steadying and sustaining it as did that cord the child’s toy. Let us not forget this. And we would bid you remember God, because, else, the summer of God’s providence, like the natural summer, is apt to breed many forms of evil life, like those many creeping, noisome, and miserably destructive insects, etc; which the summer sun calls forth, and which in our fields and gardens we are ever seeking to be rid of. How full the Bible is of records of the ill that the summer of God’s providence has occasioned to many unwatchful and God-forgetting souls! Remember, too, that such seasons let that live which is not really strong, and which the first frost of winter will speedily kill. So is it easy, when no trial or persecution arises because of Christ, to appear as if we were really his. But when they do arise, what then?

III. THE SUMMER OF GOD‘S GRACE.

1. This may be in usis so when the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. It is very delightful; is independent of every other summer; comes by degrees; is the result of conflict; unlike the natural summer, it never ends, though it may be interrupted. And:

2. It is above us, waiting for us in the future world. There is the “land of pure delight.” The lovely scenes of earth are reminders of it. It is the true, real, most blessed, because unending, summer of the soul.S.C.

Psa 74:17

Winter.

Winter: what has that to say to us of God and of his ways?Winter, with its cold, chilling breath, compelling even the strong to wrap themselves round with all manner of protection, and making all who can, shelter within their well built homes, and draw close their warm curtains, and heap up the blazing fires. Winter, pinching so cruelly the ill-clad, the ill-fed, the ill-housed, making want more terrible, all sickness more deadly, and all misery more miserable. Winter, grim, gaunt, bearing down in its cruel might all less strong than itself. Winter, with its snowy shroud covering the fields and hills which all lie as silent and as still as if they were laid out for burial, and the snow over them were a real winding sheet instead of only a seeming one. And sometimes it is a real one, when winter bids the snow fall quickly, closely, softly, continuously; then, blinding the eyes of the unfortunate wanderer on the moor, so that he can make out neither road, nor path, nor track, nor waymark; beating persistently against his mouth and nostrils, taking away his breath, numbing all his senses, until the poor lost one staggers on in hopeless search of the way he has lost. “Oh, thou winter snow, who more cruel, deadly, treacherous, than thou? Thou wilt not cease thy work until the poor traveller, weary and heartbroken, falls down exhausted; and then, as he dies, thou wilt smite him in the face, cover him up softly as with kisses, tenderly as with eider down, like a sleek white murderer as thou art!” (Alex. Smith). And not only so is winter terrible; its keen northerly blast, tearing over the seas and lands, driving the ships across the waves, and rendering the mariners all but powerless to struggle against their foe. Their fingers freeze to the rigging, and the stiffened sails refuse to bend to their will, and happy are they if, “amid this howling wintry sea,” they find some port of refuge. Shepherds and their flocks in some seeming shelter on Scotch hills are caught by the whirling, blinding, smothering, snow, and all are lost. Oh, the terrible winter, ruthlessly tearing the foliage off the trees, stripping the flowers from all gardens and fields, banishing most of the birds, and silencing all that remain; rejoicing seemingly in darkness and cold, in all that is drear, deadly, desolate;such is winter, bearable by the rich and strong, but terrible to the poor and weak, and would be terrible to all were it not for the sure hope of the blessed spring. And yet, though we have spoken hardly of it, God made it even as he made the summer. And he has promised that it shall not fail. Certainly, therefore, it must be for other than only evil; it must serve some beneficent purpose. And it does; we have proof upon proof. Winter, as well as the other seasons, is one of the gifts of our Father-God, the gifts of his love. Let us listen a while to some of the voices of the winterthe wise, warning, winning words it utters to those who will hearken. And

I. IT SEEMS TO US TO SAY, “BE YE ALSO READY.” It is certain to come; it is no chance arrangement, and none but a fool would fail to make provision for it. Every one does to the best of his power.

“All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin.”

Let it be so in regard to the winter that is sure to visit our souls, our circumstances, our lives. Be ready for it when it comes. Let our treasure be where winter cannot come, even in God and the eternal life.

II. TRUST. For the winter is God’s ordering: he makes it drear and dark and even dreadful, as it often seems to be. It is the product of no blind fate, no mere soulless relentless law; but it is of God. If we will hold fast to this sure faith, we shall be able to hope and patiently wait for the salvation of our God, and meanwhile even to rejoice.

III. SUBMIT. Winter is irresistible. Everything must bend before it. Who can resist his will? Great is the part that the winter has played in the humiliation of haughty men. As it lays hold even upon the raging seas, and binds them down in motionless silence, hushing their turbulence till they lie still as a stone; so has God, by the same agency, often baffled and destroyed the power of man. See Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow. And how easily! The gently, persistingly failing snow did it all. Shall man, then, war against God? Submit.

IV. SING OF MERCY AS WELL AS OF JUDGMENT. See how in the winter these are blessedly mingled. True, God giveth snow, but it is “like wool” (Psa 147:16, Psa 147:17). It wraps up warmly the seed sown in the earth.

“His flakes of snow like wool he sends,
And thus the springing corn defends.”

And “he scattereth the hoar frost,” but it is “like ashes,” cleansing, purifying, making healthful that on which they are cast. And the frost is a cleansing power, ridding gardens and fields of the foul, noxious creatures that swarm and creep and devour. And does not that humiliation and sorrow of which the sprinkled ashes told do the like in the region of the soul? “He casteth forth his ice,” but they are “like morsels”like the crumbs which feed the hungry. So the ice prepares the soil, breaks it up, and fits it for the growth of the seed.

V. THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH. Abundant lifesee that throng of shouting, laughing boys careering on the iceheeds not the cold, rather rejoices in it. So let there be in us fuluess of Divine life, the life which Christ gives, and we shall be able to “stand before his cold.”S.C.

HOMILIES BY C. SHORT

Psa 74:7-8, Psa 74:12

The destructive work of man and the constructive work of God.

The prayer in Psa 74:1, Psa 74:2, to help the people sunk in the deepest misery, is followed by its basis or ground, which consists of a picture of this misery (Psa 74:3-9); the sanctuary is destroyed, and all traces of the presence of God among his people have disappeared. The short prayer in Psa 74:10, Psa 74:11 seeks support and stay in the thought of the omnipotence of the God of Israel (Psa 74:12-17). The prayer is renewed at the close in an expanded form (Gen 17:7, Gen 17:8). It shows how the Church of God and individual believers are to conduct themselves in times when everything appears to be lost and to lie in ruins. The whole psalm may suggest two general points for considerationthe destructive work of man, and the constructive work of God.

I. THE DESTRUCTIVE WORK OF MAN. (Psa 74:3-9.) The enemy had destroyed everything in the sanctuary, and burnt up the holy place itself. Look at some destructive work in our day.

1. The material tendencies of physical science. Leading to a denial of God and immortality, and striking at the foundation of morals by denying the freedom of man’s nature. Ideas destructive, as well as conduct.

2. The critical spirit which is abroad. A spirit of denial, almost universally pulling down, and not building up. This and that not truein history and creed.

3. The selfish spirit, wherever it rules, is destructive. In politics and commerce, and in our social relationstending to antagonism and separation, and breaking all lawmoral, Divine, and social.

4. The absence of true prophetsinspired menis also a sign of the destructive process. (Psa 74:9.) The true prophet is the constructor, and not the destroyer; the inspirer, and not the critic.

II. THE CONSTRUCTIVE WORK OF GOD.

1. God‘s greatest work of old was redemptive. (Psa 74:12-15.) “For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” His work in Christ is reconstructive, building men up after the highest pattern. Christ came not to destroy, but to fulfil.

2. His work in the physical creation is constructive. (Psa 74:16, Psa 74:17.) He prepared the light and the sun, made summer and winter. The same mind ordained and continues the precious seasons as ordained the laws and works of redemption.

3. God‘s covenant is a covenant of salvation. (Psa 74:20.) And the world is still in urgent need of redemption. “The dark places,” etc.

4. The work of redemption is God‘s own“his own cause.“ (Psa 74:22). And therefore he will not abandon it. We can therefore pray as the psalmist did.S.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Psalms 74.

The prophet complaineth of the desolation of the sanctuary: he moveth God to help, in consideration of his power, of his reproachful enemies, of his children, and of his covenant.

Maschil of Asaph.

Title. maskiil leasaph. This psalm seems to have been composed just upon the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Chaldeans. The author, after lamenting the calamities of his country, and the insults of his enemies, calls to remembrance the glorious exploits which God had performed in ancient days for his people, and prays him to exert himself afresh in their cause, which by the blasphemous defiance of the enemy was now become his own. It could not certainly have been composed by the same Asaph who wrote the foregoing psalm; (See 2Ch 29:30.) but, as Bishop Patrick thinks, by some person of his posterity, who, during the captivity, was suffered to remain at Jerusalem with the Chaldeans.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psalms 74

Maschil of Asaph

1O God, why hast thou cast us off forever?

Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

2Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old;

The rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed;

This mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

3Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations;

Even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

4Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.

5A man was famous according as he had lifted up

Axes upon the thick trees.

6But now they break down the carved work thereof at once

With axes and hammers.

7They have cast fire into thy sanctuary,

They have defiled by casting down the dwelling-place of thy name to the ground.

8They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together:

They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

9We see not our signs:

There is no more any prophet:

Neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

10O God how long shall the adversary reproach?

Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever.

11Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand?

Pluck it out of thy bosom.

12For God is my King of old,

Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength:

Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

14Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces,

And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood:

Thou driedst up mighty rivers.

16The day is thine, the night also is thine:

Thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

17Thou hast set all the borders of the earth:

Thou hast made summer and winter.

18Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord,

And that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

19O deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked:

Forget not the congregation of thy poor forever.

20Have respect unto the covenant:

For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

21O let not the oppressed return ashamed:

Let the poor and needy praise thy name.

22Arise, O God, plead thine own cause:

Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

23Forget not the voice of thine enemies:

The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Superscription, Contents, and Composition.On Maskil see Introduction, 8, No. 3. This Psalm can be brought into connection with Asaph in one of two ways. It has been referred by some to one of the later members of this illustrious family of singers (Dathe, Rosenmueller, Hengstenberg); while Delitzsch, holding that it only bears the old Asaphitic stamp generally, would understand by the superscription: a poem after the manner of Asaph. For the attempt to gain credit for the opinion that it was composed by the famous cotemporary of David, on the ground that it contains a prophecy (Clauss, following the Rabbins and the ancient expositors), contradicts the words of the Text, and mistakes the historical situation manifest therein. The words of Psa 74:3; Psa 74:7-8, especially, allude to a destruction of the temple on Zion by fire already completed, preceded by a profanation (Psa 74:4), and accompanied by a plain description of the conduct of the enemy (Psa 74:5-6). We cannot, therefore assume an event earlier than the destruction by the Chaldeans in the year 588 recounted in 2Ch 36:19; Jer 52:13. To this the Psalm might be with great probability referred (De Wette, Kster, Maurer, Hengstenberg, Hupfeld). For the Church of the Second Temple did not experience injuries done to their sacred edifice, such as are here depicted, in the interruptions of building immediately after the return from the exile (Ewald). Neither did such a destruction appear in the outrages committed by the Persian general Bagoses (Ewald formerly), by which the temple was profaned (Josephus, Ant. Psa 11:7). Nor yet was such devastation suffered at the hands of the Syrian oppressors under Antiochus Epiphanes in the year 167 (Targum, Rudinger, Venema, Olshausen, Hitzig, Delitzsch) who also profaned the temple, but only burnt down the gates (1Ma 4:38; 2Ma 1:8; 2Ma 8:33). This result contributes so much the more to an historical solution, when it is taken into consideration that, the closely related 79th Psalm is most readily assigned to the Chaldean period, and also that the assumption of Maccabean Psalms is not only encumbered with grave difficulties of a general kind (compare besides Hassler, Comm. de Psalmis Maccabis, 1827 and 1832, especially Ehrt, Abfassungszeit und Abschluss des Psalters 1869) but that also in the case before us there are distinct passages such as Psa 74:3 a, which are unfavorable to it, while others, such as Psa 74:4; Psa 74:8-9, admit of an explanation (see below) by which even the supposition of a later insertion of a Maccaban Psalm in the Canon (Delitzsch) appears to be unnecessary. The points of agreement with Lam 2:2; Lam 2:7; Lam 2:9, may also be adduced in favor of a composition during the exile.

On account of the occurrence of many rare words the sense in numerous passages remained obscure to the ancient translators, and the interpretation of some of them doubtful to the modern expositors. The progress of thought, however, is in the main clear. From the lamentation over the anger of God expressed in the form of questions, (Psa 74:1) there arises (Psa 74:2) the prayer for the deliverance of the Church which passes over (Psa 74:3) into a picture (Psa 74:4-8), of the more particularly described devastations of the sacred places, and after a reiterated lamentation (Psa 74:9-10) over Gods long-continued noninterference (Psa 74:11), the Psalmist calls upon Him to punish his enemies. Then after an allusion to Gods continuing sovereignty, as attested by His mighty deeds in nature and history (Psa 74:12-17), the opposition to that government with its ruinous consequences (Psa 74:18-23), is used as a plea in urging Gods intervention for deliverance and for punishment.

Psa 74:1-2. Cast us off.The use of the Prterite as distinguished from the imperfect of the following stich, is not to be overlooked. The action is first presented and then the permanent relations. The smoking of the nostrils [ translated: thine anger in E. V.J. F. M.] is a figurative expression for the manifestation of anger, Psa 18:9, like snorting, in Psa 80:5, after Deu 29:19. It is characteristic of the period of the Exile to term the Church of God, the sheep of His pasture (Psa 79:13; Psa 95:7; Psa 100:3; Jer 23:1). This appellation means more than that God is the Shepherd and the people His flock (Psa 80:2). It contains an allusion to the fact that God had given the faithful Canaan as a pasture land to this His people (Hos 13:6; Jer 25:36) and that the possession of this land was the question at issue. Allusion is made besides, in various ways, to the establishment and maintaining of the favored relations in which the people had stood to God since they were purchased (Exo 15:17) and redeemed (Exo 15:13; Psa 72:16; Psa 78:35) long before in the days of Moses (Psa 44:2). The prayer in Deu 9:26; Deu 9:29, that God would not reject His people, is also grounded upon this. The statement that God had redeemed His people from Egyptian bondage that they might be the rod of His inheritance, brings out the thought that everything which belongs or will belong to the people of God, His peculiar possession, must proceed from this stem or be ingrafted into it. Consequently the deliverance and preservation of the Church bear a part in the fulfilment of the destiny assigned her, and in the execution of Gods purpose in her establishment, and may be urged as a powerful plea in the prayer before us. This reference of the words which appears so suitable to the text, loses its force in some degree, if it is assumed that they imply merely that the unity of all the stems (Isa 63:17; Jer 10:16; Jer 51:19) constitutes the people of Gods inheritance (Kimchi, Geier, J. H. Michaelis, Olshausen, Hupfeld), or represents the whole people in its ethnic distinction from all other nations (Delitzsch) as Gods peculiar race (De Wette). These explanations are, however, more correct than that interpretation which, in the translation virga hereditatis (Vulgate), is not intended to express the idea of a sprouting main-stem but that of a measuring-rod, by which the shares of the possession or of the inheritance were meted out, and understands this metonymically for the inheritance itself (Luther, Calvin and others, Hengst.). For in Deu 32:9, and Eze 40:3, entirely different words appear.

Psa 74:3; Psa 74:8. Perpetual desolations are such as seem as if they might well remain forever desolate and therefore point to a destruction, not lasting (De Wette) nor complete (Gesenius in Lexicon, Bttcher) but so extensive, that it could not have taken place in the Maccabean age. If we follow another etymological explanation, this rare word would describe endless wickedness (Ewald) or incessant invasion by enemies (Hitzig) or boundless presumption (Sept. Vulg.). According to Psa 73:18, however, this is scarcely probable. As regards the sense it is unessential whether we read written in the singular or plural form, and understand it to mean a festal season, or festal celebration, or festal gathering, or the place where such a gathering is made. For the shouting of the enemy creating confusion might be heard under all these circumstances, and the Temple also, which the context most readily suggests to us, (similarly Lam 2:6.) had several divisions and courts and is sometimes denoted by the plural number (compare Ps. 68:36). The best authorities, moreover, decide for the singular. [Alexander: The word strictly means a meeting by mutual agreement or appointment, and is specially applied to the meeting between God and His people in the sanctuary, which was therefore designated in the law as the tent of meeting. The full sense, therefore, of the words here used is in the midst of Thy people assembled at the appointed time and place to meet Thee. The exclusive local meaning put by some upon the words is quite gratuitous. The plural form which some assume (thine assemblies) varies the meaning only by suggesting the idea of repeated convocations, in the midst of Thy people wherever (or, as often as) they meet Thee thus, but without at all conveying the idea of numerous or even of different places.J. F. M.] But in Psa 74:8 b this word stands in a different relation. There it is undoubtedly in the plural form and in the closest connection with And since burning is spoken of the sacred edifices alone must be intended. What are we to understand by the twofold addition all and in the land? The old translators have ingeniously assumed that synagogues are meant, and since Vitringa has made it clear (De Synagoga Vetere 1:2, 12) that these did not exist until after the Exile, many expositors have discovered in Psa 74:8, the surest proof that the Psalm was composed in the Maccabean period. But the synagogues are never denoted by the term here employed, and with this agrees the fact that the primary idea of that term is not that of an assembly of men, but according to Exo 25:22; Exo 29:42; Exo 36:6, that of a meeting of God with His people, and it is applied only to the one sacred place which God established,at first to the Tabernacle, and afterwards to the Temple. This circumstance excites just doubts of the correctness of that explanation which makes this passage relate the devastation of the synagogues in the land as the houses of Godeven if we have grounds for maintaining, against the doubt expressed by Hupfeld, their existence in the age of the Maccabees, as argued especially from Josephus (Wars, Psa 7:3; Psa 7:3), and Act 15:21. But the same fact decides against an allusion to the sacred places where God manifested Himself during the patriarchal age (J. D. Michaelis, Dathe, Clauss), or to the high places of the old Israelitish worship, which had possibly escaped the efforts at extermination undertaken by Josiah (Gesenius, De Wette, Maurer). And even if the plural can be allowed to refer to the several divisions of the Temple (The Rabbins) it is yet linguistically impossible that the other sacred places in the land could be united with it so as to make one collective term, as Hupfeld assumes. Just as inadmissible is the opinion of Bttcher, who supposes that the worshipping assemblies of the people are described, who perished, as it were, by the same flames which burnt down the Temple. The sentence can be most readily explained from the Israelitish conception, that in the destruction of the Temple the one sanctuary of the worshippers of the true God throughout the nation perished along with it (Hengstenberg). It is not to be denied, however, that this explanation is only an expedient to get rid of the embarrassment caused by the translation all the places where God makes Himself known, and effects a round-about interpretation of mod in order to gain that end. All difficulty would be at an end, if we were permitted to regard the vexed sentence as a continuation of the words of the enemy. The Masoretic text, however, forbids this. The wording of the sentence opposes its interpretation in this sense (Muntinghe, Kster). But is the present text really the original one? We have reason to doubt it from the fact, that the Alex, version not merely does actually give the sentence as a continuation of the enemys words, but that the reading (let us burn down) appeared first as a correction of Jerome instead of the original (let us bring to silence or make to cease). In it also first appeared the translation . If, now, we assume that the LXX have read we could then make an improvement by annexing to the following word and reading . This would afford the most suitable sense: let us destroy them all at once, the Sabbath and all the sacred feasts in the land. In this way also the form with the suffix of the third person plural would be fully explained and the closest connection restored. Compare Ehrt., p. 18 f., where reference is also made to Lam 2:6 f. Isa 1:13 f. 2Ch 8:13.

[Upon this emendation of the text proposed by the author, I would remark. 1. That the words which we obtain by adopting it are scarcely suitable in the mouths of the invaders. The Chaldeans were not urged at all by religious motives in their attacks, nor was there any evidence of religious animosity in their triumph. They would agree much better with the spirit of the Syrian invaders, but Dr. Moll is opposed to the view which would make these the subject of the verse. 2. The word seems an unlikely one for the LXX to have assumed. It varies very greatly from the word which has come down to us. The radicals, besides, cannot give a causative sense. The Kal is never transitive; the Piel does not exist. I would suggest that the LXX had in view the form . This necessitates the change of only one radical and gives the causative sense. The meaning naturally suggested by the words of the verse, seems after all, to be the best. All the others, that of Hengstenberg not excepted, are forced and unnatural. From other considerations, also, we would be inclined to hold the early existence of places of public meeting for Gods worship throughout the land. It would be the experience of Gods people then, as it is now, that religion must utterly decay without such privileges and exercises.J. F. M.]

Psa 74:4-11. Signs for signs.E. V.: Ensigns for signs]. If we were to assign the composition of the Psalm to the Maccabean period, we would have to refer these words to the profanations of the Temple, (1Ma 1:45 f.). But the expression itself decides against this. It is not to be generalized so far as into insolent deeds and practices (Hengst.); but it is also incorrect to make it describe special religious monuments, as idol-images (Luther) which were put in the place of the Israelitish Cherubim, Psa 74:9 (Ewald). Still less proper is the supposition of military ensigns (Jerome, Calvin and others), and altogether unsuitable is that of the oracles (Kimchi, J. H. Michaelis) which Nebuchadnezzar employed (Eze 21:26). The signs are, in general, tokens of supremacy, at the same time political and religious (Geier, J. H. Michaelis, Venema, Hupfeld), which might even consist of regulations and ceremonies, for the word before us is in Exo 31:13 employed expressly of the Sabbath and of circumcision. This word also in Psa 74:9, suits the Chaldean period. We must, however, assume that the author was one of those who remained behind in the desolated, prophetless land, and that he could not hear the prophetic strains of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and could therefore gain no answer from revelation to the anxious question: Until when? or, how long? Only upon this hypothesis can the expression in Psa 74:9 b, which otherwise must be connected with 1Ma 4:6; 1Ma 9:27; 1Ma 14:41, be connected with the Chaldean period. For the complaint that there is no prophet, is to be distinguished from the complaint that God gives the prophets, no revelation. But the destruction by fire mentioned in Psa 74:7, alludes decisively to this period, which we can neither restrict to the shattered carvings (Hesse, De Psalmis Maccabis 1837) nor interpret as a hyperbolical expression (De Jong, Disquisitio de Pss. Macc. 1857), nor confine to the buildings and porticoes which surrounded the Temple itself (Rudinger, Olshausen and others). The Sanctuary itself was made level with the ground and thereby desecrated. Gods restraining Himself from interference in the course of human affairs (Lam 2:8) is represented in Psa 74:11 as the drawing back of the hand into the bosom (Exo 4:7). Hence the pregnant expression of the following stich. [I subjoin the correct translation of this verse, as given by Dr. Alexander. It is the same as that of Moll, except that the ellipses are supplied: Why wilt Thou withdraw Thy hand and Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom (draw it) and consume (them). The sense of Psa 74:5 also, and its relation to Psa 74:6, have been completely misunderstood by our translators. The following rendering seems to be the most correct. It is substantially that given by most of the recent commentators. Our version follows Calvin. He (the subject of Psa 74:3) exhibits himself as one who raises axes on high in the thicket of the woods, and now, etc. Moll prefers to take the first verb impersonally: An exhibition is made, etc. Perownes translation is rather free: He seems as. etc.J.F.M.]

Psa 74:12-14. In the midst of the earth.This is equivalent to saying, on the theatre of the world (Exo 8:18; Psa 77:15), not in a corner (Isa 45:19) at the ends of the earth (Psa 65:8). To restrict it to the thought: in the land (Geier, J. H. Michaelis, De Wette, Hengst.), is inadmissible, since allusion is made first to the passage through the Red Sea, next to the displays of Gods power in Egypt, and then to the wonders wrought in the march through the wilderness (Exo 17:6; Num 20:8; Jos 3:13 f.). The sea-monsters, whose carcasses become a prey to the wild beasts of the desert, are emblems of Egypt (Isa 51:9; Eze 29:3). Instead of the wild beasts of the desert (Psa 72:9), which are repeatedly used to represent a nation (Joe 1:6; Zep 2:14; Pro 30:25), many expositors assume, against the usage of the word, that human inhabitants of deserts are referred to; either Ethiopians (LXX., Aben Ezra, Ewald) or Ichthyophagites (Bochart, Clericus, Muntinghe), or the Israelites in the wilderness (Kimchi, Calvin, Geier, and others).

Psa 74:15-17. The ever-flowing streams [E. V.: mighty rivers]that is, those streams which do not dry up in summer, do not denote numerous brooks which empty into the Jordan (Kimchi), but. describe graphically the fulness of that river, and at the same time generalize the idea, since the Jordan is intended, though not mentioned. The light-giving [E. V., light], Psa 74:16, may either denote the general, employed in connection with the special, which is here the sun, as in Psa 148:9, trees and cedars (Hupfeld), or mean the moon as the light of the night (Hitzig, Delitzsch). [The former is to be preferred. As analogous examples Hupfeld cites the expressions, Judah and Jerusalem, Ephraim and Samaria, E A. Alexander: Light and sun are related as the genus and the species, like hand and right hand in Psa 74:11, signs and prophet in Psa 74:9.J. F. M.]. The establishment of the bounds of the earth [E. V., Thou hast set all the borders of the earth, Psa 74:17] brings into view the ordinances of nature, if we may understand the limits imposed upon the sea (Gen 1:9) which it must not pass (Job 38:8 f.; Jer 5:22; Pro 8:29) to be meant; or the natural limits which serve for the boundaries of nations (Deu 32:8; Act 17:26).

Psa 74:19. To the band [Germ.: dem Haufen, E. V.: To the multitude of the wicked].We employ this rendering on account of its perspicuity, and because it expresses most simply the force of the word, which first, describes the gathering together of the enemy and then the gathering together of the oppressed people of God, and indeed in both connections in allusion to the liveliness of their movements. [Heb. We have no single English word which conveys all these ideas.Tr.] The expression was possibly suggested by the appellation turtle or dove, applied to the Church (Psa 68:14), and is employed as in Psa 68:11. [This is another of the many passages in this Psalm about which there has been much dispute. But much discussion would be saved if the attempts at solution were to be kept within the limits imposed by the following conditions, which seem to be necessary. First, the word is used in both members of the verse in the manner mentioned above. We must credit the author of the Psalm with such good taste as would him to use the same word in different senses in such a relation. This would lead us to discard such translations as that of Perowne, who in the first member renders beast and in the second, life. Hengstenbergs attempt in his rendering of greed-life, only makes the first member obscure. Alexander translates both herd, and is certainly correct, as he retains the idea of animal and makes it collective. But the rendering band is more directly applicable to human beings (comp. 2Sa 23:11; 2Sa 23:13), though it is less literal. The English Version fails only in the want of a felicitous term. Secondly, We must translate in the first member as a construct. This has been disregarded or disputed1 by many, but only by unwarrantable violation of the laws of the language. The most natural way is to connect it with . This Hupfeld opposes, but his objection, that nephesh never occurs as a circumlocution for greedy, is of no force; if we can only gain for it the meaning: greed, the common construction with the construct is quite admissible. This meaning is frequent. His other objection, that it would be against the accents, is of more weight, as lhayyath has the disjunctive Tiphha Initial. But the necessities of the case force us to conclude that the accents are wrong. Hupfeld himself proposes a much more violent change, namely, to transpose the words and translate: Give not to rage the life, etc. Though the translation of Hengstenberg is grammatically right, his explanation of the first member of the verse is obscure. So far as I know Alexander is the only expositor who has given a rendering both correct and perspicuous. Our translators saw the necessity of rendering hayyath as a construct, and therefore supplied the words in italics. Dr. Moll has disregarded this. He translates: Give not to the band the life of Thy turtle-dove. I would offer the following rendering of the verse:

Give not to the blood-thirsty band the life of Thy turtle-dove,
The band of Thy meek sufferers forget not.J. F. M.]

Psa 74:20-23. The Covenant might, as in Dan 11:28; Dan 11:30; comp. Psa 74:22, mean the covenant-people (Hitzig), but it is probably to be taken here in its usual application. That the darknesses, Psa 74:20 b, mean the hiding-places, 1Ma 1:53, to which the persecuted confessors fled and in which they were discovered and slain (1Ma 2:26 f.; 2Ma 6:11) is not necessarily contained in the expression. This is the more probable, since the following words appear to allude to Gen 6:11; Gen 6:13, which may be understood as describing the dark places of suffering which are to be found on earth, Psa 23:4; comp. Psa 88:8; Psa 143:3; Lam 3:6 (J. H. Michaelis, Hengst.). A lurking-place of robbers (Calvin, De Wette, et al.) is scarcely to be thought of. Neither is there any occasion to change the punctuation in order to gain the idea of an asylum (Ewald). [Ewald proposes to read , thus forming a derivative, which is nowhere found, of in its rare sense of preserving. He supposes that these asylums correspond to the of Psa 74:8 b. This alteration is marked by the characteristic ingenuity of Ewald and his characteristic disregard of authority. The explanation given by Moll is the one generally received.J. F. M.].The appended words in Psa 74:22 b: the whole day, describe the uninterrupted continuance of the reproaches. [The Eng. Vers. has: reproaches thee daily, which conveys the same idea of continuance. Comp. Pro 21:26.J. F. M.]

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. When men are weighed down by long-continued and severe sufferings, the thought is apt to occur to them that these may never come to an end. And when they perceive in them the traces of Gods wrath, the thought of its endless duration is wont to fill them with anguish. An inquiry into the cause of Gods dealings towards them, which seem fraught with such destruction, then naturally begins. But the character of this inquiry is determined by this: does it, as it were, accuse God and include reproaches against His government of the world? Or does it only lament that God restrains Himself from action? If the latter, does it arise more from human short-sightedness, impatience, faint-heartedness, and want of faith, than from a desire for release from Gods wrath, from a longing for manifestations of His compassion, in a word, from a yearning after holiness? Finally, do the questioning and lamenting end in uncertainty, doubt and despair? or does there arise from out of them a prayer full of faith in Gods mercy, and inspired by the hope of being heard?
2. There befall sometimes Gods Church on earth also, afflictions so severe that they seem to imperil its very existence. Then it is of vast moment to recall the relation between God and His people which He has Himself established, and to keep in mind their Divine election, their miraculous founding, and their preservation until the present moment, along with the part which they must ever play in the history of mankind. A prayer which gives all of these their due place, is both an evidence of faith and a means of strengthening it.

3. The enemies of God and of His Church may indeed destroy her outward sanctuaries, abolish her sacred seasons, forbid the assembling of the faithful, prevent and interrupt the service of God; but they cannot annul the covenant which God has ordained, nor prevent the outward restoration of the Church, when the day of her trial is over. So long, however, as danger, distress and persecution last, the tried ones must not give up their faith, but must, while the enemy continually revile their God, continually resort to Him in prayerful confession. Yet to them also may be afforded the consolation which is to be derived from the displays of Gods love and omnipotence, as discovered in His doings both in history and in nature. On the connection between the order of nature and the covenant of grace, compare Jer 23:21-25; Isa 54:10.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The Churchs seasons of distress as times of trial and awakening.Injuries inflicted upon the Church from without are not so baleful as distractions within.The persecuted yet victorious Church.There is great consolation in the reflection that the faithful covenant-keeping God is at the same time the Almighty Lord of the world and the righteous Judge of all.Nothing is yet lost while the Lord is our Shepherd and we are still the sheep of His pasture.Gods grace the salvation of believers; sins unrepented of the destruction of men.God remains still the Lord of the world, even when sacrilegious men are not willing that He should remain Lord in His own houseMany do not learn to value what they possess in Gods house and word until they are deprived of both.The darker it is on earth, the more let us long that God would make it bright.God may be angry even against His own people, but He does not cast them off forever.There is ever before us an evil day of need, when it is not permitted us to hear Gods word; but it makes a vast difference whether we cannot hear or whether we will not hear.Respect unto the covenant which God established with us [see Psa 74:20 in the original], to what it entitles us, and what it binds us to do.The true cause of our misfortunes is the wrath of God against our sins; the ground of our confidence is the acts and tokens of mercy of the Covenant God.Gods doings in nature and in history as warnings and as a ground of consolation.

Calvin: We know how difficult it is to rise above all doubts so as to continue free and joyful in prayer. Therefore the faithful recall to their recollection the memorials of the compassion and power of God, by which He has shown them in all ages that He is the King of His chosen people.

Starke: In seasons of persecution we are not to have so much regard to our enemies as to God, for without His permission they cannot injure a hair of our heads. 2Sa 16:10. The strongest pillars of consolation to support us in all tribulation, temptation, and despondency, are the blessings of God already bestowed, and the gracious assurance that at all times and in all places He will be present with His own (Isa 43:1-2).Though all human help is often removed from the children of God, there yet remains to them this support, that they can always appeal to God for a just decision, which will assuredly not be a favorable one to their enemies. (Exo 22:23).The enemies of the Church are also the enemies of God, who will know how to give His cause a glorious triumph at last (Isa 28:29; Act 9:4-5).Those who pray in faith, bring their troubles before God, not as though He knew them not, but in reliance upon His truth and with the certain expectation, that He will fulfil His promises, (Psa 69:20).If God did not spare His own temple and people when they stirred Him up to anger, we also need expect no better treatment, unless we repent sincerely of our sins, and amend our ways.God employs both hands at once, when He would help those who trust in Him; the right to uphold the pious, the left to punish the ungodly.In the sorest trials it is found to be a delightful source of consolation to contemplate God as our King.We can surely cast ourselves upon the gracious covenant which God has made with us; for on His part it is an eternal one.The present is not the first time that the pious have been loaded with the despite, abuse, and contempt of this world; thus has it been from the beginning until now. Why does it then seem strange to thee, dear soul, that thou must also endure the same? Mat 5:12.

Osiander: No tyrant is so mighty that God cannot bring him so low as that he will become a spoil and object of contempt even to those that are poor and despised.Selnecker: He who possesses the true religion and remains firmly by it, enjoys the favor of God and may rejoice even if he has to lay down his life for it.Renschel: Since God cannot allow His own glory to pass away, neither can He forsake His Church; the whole cause is His.Frisch: As great and precious as are Gods mercy and the treasure of His word, so great and dreadful will be the punishments He will inflict, if men abuse His mercy and pay so little regard to His word.Rieger: Here we are taught how, when the Church is in distress of any kind, believers should pour out their hearts before God and maintain their trust in his covenant.Arndt: That is the season of the most severe chastisement and distress of soul, when there is no word of God or prophet in the land, as the enjoyment of His pure word is its greatest consolation, Jeremiah 15. This is not felt until God and the priceless treasures have departed.Tholuck: The Psalmist prays that even in the deepest ignominy of his people, the eternal claims of that Omnipotence, which rules in history and prescribes to nature her laws, may be made known.Richter (Hausbibel): Alas how unbelief is laying in ruins the edifices of our pious ancestors reared in faith! Yes, even the temple of the word of God itself! It is permitted us to remind God, how He has helped His people in former times, and plead before Him the innocence of His little band, their weakness and helplessness; and the honor of His own name and of the covenant of grace.Guenther: Misfortune comes from God as chastisement, it is becoming then to inquire after the wherefore [See Psa 74:1.].The children of God are the accusers, the wicked are the accused, God is the Judge.Diedrich: God must often remove from us all external sources of comfort, in order that our spiritual sense may be quickened, to discern the power of His mercy even in death. When the visible is swept away from before us, His kingdom of grace will not long be out of reach, for only then shall it be really renewed, and that by these very means.Taube: The sum of the consolation and support of Gods people is His gracious election and His gracious power. How much is comprised in these few words, My King of old! All these at oncethe testimony to His almighty majesty, the testimony to His unchangeable faithfulness towards His people, the testimony to the believers certain experience of them all.With Gods glory and in His cause are bound up the prosperity and salvation of His own.

[Henry: The concerns of religion should be nearer our hearts and affect us more than any worldly concern whatsoever.The desolation of Gods house should grieve us more than the desolation of our own houses, for the matter is not great what comes of us and our families in this world, provided Gods name may be sanctified, His kingdom may come and His will be done.

Scott: The true Church is as pleasant and amiable to the Lord as a turtle-dove, though poor and despicable in the worlds estimation.

Barnes: The thought here is of a people dear to God, now timid and alarmed. It is the prayer of a people beloved by God that He will not deliver them into the hand of their enemies.J. F. M.]

Footnotes:

[1][Ewald considers to be a play on the word, so as to make it correspond to the same form in the second member. See his Gr., 173 d. Bttcher (Gr., 832 a) regards it as though for a form , a genitive termination, of which he finds many examples. It is written defectively, and then, on account of the pause, the Hhirik is dropped. But see Green, Gr. 196 b.J. F. M.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

There is somewhat of history in this Psalm, as referring to the desolations of the church; probably concerning the devastation made by the Chaldean. The Sacred Writer laments the sad event, and commits the cause unto the Lord.

Maschil of Asaph.

Psa 74:1

This Psalm hath a mark put upon it, namely, Maschil, by which is meant, a Psalm of instruction. And the great object, it should seem, intended by it, is, that instead of poring over our own difficulties, or looking into ourselves to seek redress from them at anytime when they bear hard upon us, we should be looking unto God. Sweet is that call of Jesus; Come unto me! – Look unto me! – Behold me, behold me! Mat 11:28 ; Isa 65:1Isa 65:1 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

PSALMS

XI

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS

According to my usual custom, when taking up the study of a book of the Bible I give at the beginning a list of books as helps to the study of that book. The following books I heartily commend on the Psalms:

1. Sampey’s Syllabus for Old Testament Study . This is especially good on the grouping and outlining of some selected psalms. There are also some valuable suggestions on other features of the book.

2. Kirkpatrick’g commentary, in “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,” is an excellent aid in the study of the Psalter.

3. Perowne’s Book of Psalms is a good, scholarly treatise on the Psalms. A special feature of this commentary is the author’s “New Translation” and his notes are very helpful.

4. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David. This is just what the title implies. It is a voluminous, devotional interpretation of the Psalms and helpful to those who have the time for such extensive study of the Psalter.

5. Hengstenburg on the Psalms. This is a fine, scholarly work by one of the greatest of the conservative German scholars.

6. Maclaren on the Psalms, in “The Expositor’s Bible,” is the work of the world’s safest, sanest, and best of all works that have ever been written on the Psalms.

7. Thirtle on the Titles of the Psalms. This is the best on the subject and well worth a careful study.

At this point some definitions are in order. The Hebrew word for psalm means praise. The word in English comes from psalmos , a song of lyrical character, or a song to be sung and accompanied with a lyre. The Psalter is a collection of sacred and inspired songs, composed at different times and by different authors.

The range of time in composition was more than 1,000 years, or from the time of Moses to the time of Ezra. The collection in its present form was arranged probably by Ezra in the fifth century, B.C.

The Jewish classification of Old Testament books was The Law, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. The Psalms was given the first place in the last group.

They had several names, or titles, of the Psalms. In Hebrew they are called “The Book of Prayers,” or “The Book of Praises.” The Hebrew word thus used means praises. The title of the first two books is found in Psa 72:20 : “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” The title of the whole collection of Psalms in the Septuagint is Biblos Psalman which means the “Book of Psalms.” The title in the Alexandrian Codex is Psalterion which is the name of a stringed instrument, and means “The Psalter.”

The derivation of our English words, “psalms,” “psalter,” and “psaltery,” respectively, is as follows:

1. “Psalms” comes from the Greek word, psalmoi, which is also from psallein , which means to play upon a stringed instrument. Therefore the Psalms are songs played upon stringed instruments, and the word here is used to apply to the whole collection.

2. “Psalter” is of the same origin and means the Book of Psalms and refers also to the whole collection.

3. “Psaltery” is from the word psalterion, which means “a harp,” an instrument, supposed to be in the shape of a triangle or like the delta of the Greek alphabet. See Psa 33:2 ; Psa 71:22 ; Psa 81:2 ; Psa 144:9 .

In our collection there are 150 psalms. In the Septuagint there is one extra. It is regarded as being outside the sacred collection and not inspired. The subject of this extra psalm is “David’s victory over Goliath.” The following is a copy of it: I was small among my brethren, And youngest in my father’s house, I used to feed my father’s sheep. My hands made a harp, My fingers fashioned a Psaltery. And who will declare unto my Lord? He is Lord, he it is who heareth. He it was who sent his angel And took me from my father’s sheep, And anointed me with the oil of his anointing. My brethren were goodly and tall, But the Lord took no pleasure in them. I went forth to meet the Philistine. And he cursed me by his idols But I drew the sword from beside him; I beheaded him and removed reproach from the children of Israel.

It will be noted that this psalm does not have the earmarks of an inspired production. There is not found in it the modesty so characteristic of David, but there is here an evident spirit of boasting and self-praise which is foreign to the Spirit of inspiration.

There is a difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint. Omitting the extra one in the Septuagint, there is no difference as to the total number. Both have 150 and the same subject matter, but they are not divided alike.

The following scheme shows the division according to our version and also the Septuagint: Psalms 1-8 in the Hebrew equal 1-8 in the Septuagint; 9-10 in the Hebrew combine into 9 in the Septuagint; 11-113 in the Hebrew equal 10-112 in the Septuagint; 114-115 in the Hebrew combine into 113 in the Septuagint; 116 in the Hebrew divides into 114-115 in the Septuagint; 117-146 in the Hebrew equal 116-145 in the Septuagint; 147 in the Hebrew divides into 146-147 in the Septuagint; 148-150 in the Hebrew equal 148-150 in the Septuagint.

The arrangement in the Vulgate is the same as the Septuagint. Also some of the older English versions have this arangement. Another difficulty in numbering perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another, viz: In the Hebrew often the title is verse I, and sometimes the title embraces verses 1-2.

The book divisions of the Psalter are five books, as follows:

Book I, Psalms 1-41 (41 chapters)

Book II, Psalms 42-72 (31 chapters)

Book III, Psalms 73-89 (17 chapters)

Book IV, Psalms 90-106 (17 chapters)

Book V, Psalms 107-150 (44 chapters)

They are marked by an introduction and a doxology. Psalm I forms an introduction to the whole book; Psa 150 is the doxology for the whole book. The introduction and doxology of each book are the first and last psalms of each division, respectively.

There were smaller collections before the final one, as follows:

Books I and II were by David; Book III, by Hezekiah, and Books IV and V, by Ezra.

Certain principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection:

1. David is honored with first place, Book I and II, including Psalms 1-72.

2. They are grouped according to the use of the name of God:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovah psalms;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohim-psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovah psalms.

3. Book IV is introduced by the psalm of Moses, which is the first psalm written.

4. Some are arranged as companion psalms, for instance, sometimes two, sometimes three, and sometimes more. Examples: Psa 2 and 3; 22, 23, and 24; 113-118.

5. They were arranged for liturgical purposes, which furnished the psalms for special occasions, such as feasts, etc. We may be sure this arrangement was not accidental. An intelligent study of each case is convincing that it was determined upon rational grounds.

All the psalms have titles but thirty-three, as follows:

In Book I, Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 33 , (4 are without titles).

In Book II, Psa 43 ; Psa 71 , (2 are without titles).

In Book IV, Psa 91 ; Psa 93 ; Psa 94 ; Psa 95 ; Psa 96 ; Psa 97 ; Psa 104 ; Psa 105 ; Psa 106 , (9 are without titles).

In Book V, Psa 107 ; III; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 135; 136; 137; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150, (18 are without titles).

The Talmud calls these psalms that have no title, “Orphan Psalms.” The later Jews supply these titles by taking the nearest preceding author. The lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; and 10 may be accounted for as follows: Psa 1 is a general introduction to the whole collection and Psa 2 was, perhaps, a part of Psa 1 . Psalms 9-10 were formerly combined into one, therefore Psa 10 has the same title as Psa 9 .

QUESTIONS

1. What books are commended on the Psalms?

2. What is a psalm?

3. What is the Psalter?

4. What is the range of time in composition?

5. When and by whom was the collection in its present form arranged?

6. What the Jewish classification of Old Testament books, and what the position of the Psalter in this classification?

7. What is the Hebrew title of the Psalms?

8. Find the title of the first two books from the books themselves.

9. What is the title of the whole collection of psalms in the Septuagint?

10. What is the title in the Alexandrian Codex?

11. What is the derivation of our English word, “Psalms”, “Psalter”, and “Psaltery,” respectively?

12. How many psalms in our collection?

13. How many psalms in the Septuagint?

14. What about the extra one in the Septuagint?

15. What is the subject of this extra psalm?

16. How does it compare with the Canonical Psalms?

17. What is the difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint?

18. What is the arrangement in the Vulgate?

19. What other difficulty in numbering which perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another?

20. What are the book divisions of the Psalter and how are these divisions marked?

21. Were there smaller collections before the final one? If so, what were they?

22. What principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection?

23. In what conclusion may we rest concerning this arrangement?

24. How many of the psalms have no titles?

25. What does the Talmud call these psalms that have no titles?

26. How do later Jews supply these titles?

27. How do you account for the lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ?

XII

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS (CONTINUED)

The following is a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms:

1. The author: “A Psalm of David” (Psa 37 ).

2. The occasion: “When he fled from Absalom, his son” (Psa 3 ).

3. The nature, or character, of the poem:

(1) Maschil, meaning “instruction,” a didactic poem (Psa 42 ).

(2) Michtam, meaning “gold,” “A Golden Psalm”; this means excellence or mystery (Psa 16 ; 56-60).

4. The occasion of its use: “A Psalm of David for the dedication of the house” (Psa 30 ).

5. Its purpose: “A Psalm of David to bring remembrance” (Psa 38 ; Psa 70 ).

6. Direction for its use: “A Psalm of David for the chief musician” (Psa 4 ).

7. The kind of musical instrument:

(1) Neginoth, meaning to strike a chord, as on stringed instruments (Psa 4 ; Psa 61 ).

(2) Nehiloth, meaning to perforate, as a pipe or flute (Psa 5 ).

(3) Shoshannim, Lilies, which refers probably to cymbals (Psa 45 ; Psa 69 ).

8. A special choir:

(1) Sheminith, the “eighth,” or octave below, as a male choir (Psa 6 ; Psa 12 ).

(2) Alamoth, female choir (Psa 46 ).

(3) Muth-labben, music with virgin voice, to be sung by a choir of boys in the treble (Psa 9 ).

9. The keynote, or tune:

(1) Aijeleth-sharar, “Hind of the morning,” a song to the melody of which this is sung (Psa 22 ).

(2) Al-tashheth, “Destroy thou not,” the beginning of a song the tune of which is sung (Psa 57 ; Psa 58 ; Psa 59 ; Psa 75 ).

(3) Gittith, set to the tune of Gath, perhaps a tune which David brought from Gath (Psa 8 ; Psa 81 ; Psa 84 ).

(4) Jonath-elim-rehokim, “The dove of the distant terebinths,” the commencement of an ode to the air of which this song was to be sung (Psa 56 ).

(5) Leannoth, the name of a tune (Psa 88 ).

(6) Mahalath, an instrument (Psa 53 ); Leonnoth-Mahaloth, to chant to a tune called Mahaloth.

(7) Shiggaion, a song or a hymn.

(8) Shushan-Eduth, “Lily of testimony,” a tune (Psa 60 ). Note some examples: (1) “America,” “Shiloh,” “Auld Lang Syne.” These are the names of songs such as we are familiar with; (2) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood,” are examples of sacred hymns.

10. The liturgical use, those noted for the feasts, e.g., the Hallels and Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 146-150).

11. The destination, as “Song of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134)

12. The direction for the music, such as Selah, which means “Singers, pause”; Higgaion-Selah, to strike a symphony with selah, which means an instrumental interlude (Psa 9:16 ).

The longest and fullest title to any of the psalms is the title to Psa 60 . The items of information from this title are as follows: (1) the author; (2) the chief musician; (3) the historical occasion; (4) the use, or design; (5) the style of poetry; (6) the instrument or style of music.

The parts of these superscriptions which most concern us now are those indicating author, occasion, and date. As to the historic value or trustworthiness of these titles most modern scholars deny that they are a part of the Hebrew text, but the oldest Hebrew text of which we know anything had all of them. This is the text from which the Septuagint was translated. It is much more probable that the author affixed them than later writers. There is no internal evidence in any of the psalms that disproves the correctness of them, but much to confirm. The critics disagree among themselves altogether as to these titles. Hence their testimony cannot consistently be received. Nor can it ever be received until they have at least agreed upon a common ground of opposition.

David is the author of more than half the entire collection, the arrangement of which is as follows:

1. Seventy-three are ascribed to him in the superscriptions.

2. Some of these are but continuations of the preceding ones of a pair, trio, or larger group.

3. Some of the Korahite Psalms are manifestly Davidic.

4. Some not ascribed to him in the titles are attributed to him expressly by New Testament writers.

5. It is not possible to account for some parts of the Psalter without David. The history of his early life as found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1and 2 Chronicles, not only shows his remarkable genius for patriotic and sacred songs and music, but also shows his cultivation of that gift in the schools of the prophets. Some of these psalms of the history appear in the Psalter itself. It is plain to all who read these that they are founded on experience, and the experience of no other Hebrew fits the case. These experiences are found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.

As to the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition, I have this to say:

1. This theory has no historical support whatever, and therefore is not to be accepted at all.

2. It has no support in tradition, which weakens the contention of the critics greatly.

3. It has no support from finding any one with the necessary experience for their basis.

4. They can give no reasonable account as to how the titles ever got there.

5. It is psychologically impossible for anyone to have written these 150 psalms in the Maccabean times.

6. Their position is expressly contrary to the testimony of Christ and the apostles. Some of the psalms which they ascribe to the Maccabean Age are attributed to David by Christ himself, who said that David wrote them in the Spirit.

The obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result if it be Just, is a positive denial of the inspiration of both Testaments.

Other authors are named in the titles, as follows: (1) Asaph, to whom twelve psalms have been assigned: (2) Mosee, Psa 90 ; (3) Solomon, Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ; (4) Heman, Psa 80 ; (5) Ethem, Psa 89 ; (6) A number of the psalms are ascribed to the sons of Korah.

Not all the psalms ascribed to Asaph were composed by one person. History indicates that Asaph’s family presided over the song service for several generations. Some of them were composed by his descendants by the game name. The five general outlines of the whole collection are as follows:

I. By books

1. Psalms 1-41 (41)

2. Psalms 42-72 (31)

3. Psalms 73-89 (17)

4. Psalms 90-106 (17)

5. Psalms 107-150 (44)

II. According to date and authorship

1. The psalm of Moses (Psa 90 )

2. Psalms of David:

(1) The shepherd boy (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 ).

(2) David when persecuted by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ).

(3) David the King (Psa 101 ; Psa 18 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 110 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 21 ; Psa 60 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 41 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 3:4 ; Psa 64 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 ).

3. The Asaph Psalms (Psa 50 ; Psa 73 ; Psa 83 ).

4. The Korahite Psalms (Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 84 ).

5. The psalms of Solomon (Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ).

6. The psalms of the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah (Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 )

7. The psalms of the Exile (Psa 74 ; Psa 79 ; Psa 137 ; Psa 102 )

8. The psalms of the Restoration (Psa 85 ; Psa 126 ; Psa 118 ; 146-150)

III. By groups

1. The Jehovistic and Elohistic Psalms:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovistic;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohistic Psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovistic.

2. The Penitential Psalms (Psa 6 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 130 ; Psa 143 )

3. The Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134)

4. The Alphabetical Psalms (Psa 9 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 25 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 37 ; 111:112; Psa 119 ; Psa 145 )

5. The Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 11-113; 115-117; 146-150; to which may be added Psa 135 ) Psalms 113-118 are called “the Egyptian Hallel”

IV. Doctrines of the Psalms

1. The throne of grace and how to approach it by sacrifice, prayer, and praise.

2. The covenant, the basis of worship.

3. The paradoxical assertions of both innocence & guilt.

4. The pardon of sin and justification.

5. The Messiah.

6. The future life, pro and con.

7. The imprecations.

8. Other doctrines.

V. The New Testament use of the Psalms

1. Direct references and quotations in the New Testament.

2. The allusions to the psalms in the New Testament. Certain experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart, such as: (1) his peaceful early life; (2) his persecution by Saul; (3) his being crowned king of the people; (4) the bringing up of the ark; (5) his first great sin; (6) Absalom’s rebellion; (7) his second great sin; (8) the great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 ; (9) the feelings of his old age.

We may classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time, thus:

1. His peaceful early life (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 )

2. His persecution by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 7 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 120 ; Psa 140 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ; Psa 17 ; Psa 18 )

3. Making David King (Psa 27 ; Psa 133 ; Psa 101 )

4. Bringing up the ark (Psa 68 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 132 ; Psa 15 ; Psa 78 ; Psa 96 )

5. His first great sin (Psa 51 ; Psa 32 )

6. Absalom’s rebellion (Psa 41 ; Psa 6 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 109 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 39 ; Psa 3 ; Psa 4 ; Psa 63 ; Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 5 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 )

7. His second great sin (Psa 69 ; Psa 71 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 103 )

8. The great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 (Psa 2 )

9. Feelings of old age (Psa 37 )

The great doctrines of the psalms may be noted as follows: (1) the being and attributes of God; (3) sin, both original and individual; (3) both covenants; (4) the doctrine of justification; (5) concerning the Messiah.

There is a striking analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms. The Pentateuch contains five books of law; the Psalms contain five books of heart responses to the law.

It is interesting to note the historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms. These were controversies about singing uninspired songs, in the Middle Ages. The church would not allow anything to be used but psalms.

The history in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah is very valuable toward a proper interpretation of the psalms. These books furnish the historical setting for a great many of the psalms which is very indispensable to their proper interpretation.

Professor James Robertson, in the Poetry and Religion of the Psalms constructs a broad and strong argument in favor of the Davidic Psalms, as follows:

1. The age of David furnished promising soil for the growth of poetry.

2. David’s qualifications for composing the psalms make it highly probable that David is the author of the psalms ascribed to him.

3. The arguments against the possibility of ascribing to David any of the hymns in the Hebrew Psalter rests upon assumptions that are thoroughly antibiblical.

The New Testament makes large use of the psalms and we learn much as to their importance in teaching. There are seventy direct quotations in the New Testament from this book, from which we learn that the Scriptures were used extensively in accord with 2Ti 3:16-17 . There are also eleven references to the psalms in the New Testament from which we learn that the New Testament writers were thoroughly imbued with the spirit and teaching of the psalms. Then there are eight allusions ‘to this book in the New Testament from which we gather that the Psalms was one of the divisions of the Old Testament and that they were used in the early church.

QUESTIONS

1. Give a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms.

2. What is the longest title to any of the psalms and what the items of this title?

3. What parts of these superscriptions most concern us now?

4. What is the historic value, or trustworthiness of these titles?

5. State the argument showing David’s relation to the psalms.

6. What have you to say of the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition?

7. What the obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result, if it be just?

8. What other authors are named in the titles?

9. Were all the psalms ascribed to Asaph composed by one person?

10. Give the five general outlines of the whole collection, as follows: I. The outline by books II. The outline according to date and authorship III. The outline by groups IV. The outline of doctrines V. The outline by New Testament quotations or allusions.

11. What experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart?

12. Classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time.

13. What the great doctrines of the psalms?

14. What analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms?

15. What historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms?

16. Of what value is the history in Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah toward a proper interpretation of the psalms?

17. Give Professor James Robertson’s argument in favor of the Davidic authorship of the psalms.

18. What can you say of the New Testament use of the psalms and what do we learn as to their importance in teaching?

19. What can you say of the New Testament references to the psalms, and from the New Testament references what the impression on the New Testament writers?

20. What can you say of the allusions to the psalms in the New Testament?

XVII

THE MESSIAH IN THE PSALMS

A fine text for this chapter is as follows: “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Psalms concerning me,” Luk 24:44 . I know of no better way to close my brief treatise on the Psalms than to discuss the subject of the Messiah as revealed in this book.

Attention has been called to the threefold division of the Old Testament cited by our Lord, namely, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luk 24:44 ), in all of which were the prophecies relating to himself that “must be fulfilled.” It has been shown just what Old Testament books belong to each of these several divisions. The division called the Psalms included many books, styled Holy Writings, and because the Psalms proper was the first book of the division it gave the name to the whole division.

The object of this discussion is to sketch the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah, or rather, to show how nearly a complete picture of our Lord is foredrawn in this one book. Let us understand however with Paul, that all prophecy is but in part (1Co 13:9 ), and that when we fill in on one canvas all the prophecies concerning the Messiah of all the Old Testament divisions, we are far from having a perfect portrait of our Lord. The present purpose is limited to three things:

1. What the book of the Psalms teaches concerning the Messiah.

2. That the New Testament shall authoritatively specify and expound this teaching.

3. That the many messianic predictions scattered over the book and the specifications thereof over the New Testament may be grouped into an orderly analysis, so that by the adjustment of the scattered parts we may have before us a picture of our Lord as foreseen by the psalmists.

In allowing the New Testament to authoritatively specify and expound the predictive features of the book, I am not unmindful of what the so-called “higher critics” urge against the New Testament quotations from the Old Testament and the use made of them. In this discussion, however, these objections are not considered, for sufficient reasons. There is not space for it. Even at the risk of being misjudged I must just now summarily pass all these objections, dismissing them with a single statement upon which the reader may place his own estimate of value. That statement is that in the days of my own infidelity, before this old method of criticism had its new name, I was quite familiar with the most and certainly the strongest of the objections now classified as higher criticism, and have since patiently re-examined them in their widely conflicting restatements under their modern name, and find my faith in the New Testament method of dealing with the Old Testament in no way shattered, but in every way confirmed. God is his own interpreter. The Old Testament as we now have it was in the hands of our Lord. I understand his apostle to declare, substantially, that “every one of these sacred scriptures is God-inspired and is profitable for teaching us what is right to believe and to do, for convincing us what is wrong in faith or practice, for rectifying the wrong when done, that we may be ready at every point, furnished completely, to do every good work, at the right time, in the right manner, and from the proper motive” (2Ti 3:16-17 ).

This New Testament declares that David was a prophet (Act 2:30 ), that he spake by the Holy Spirit (Act 1:16 ), that when the book speaks the Holy Spirit speaks (Heb 3:7 ), and that all its predictive utterances, as sacred Scripture, “must be fulfilled” (Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:16 ). It is not claimed that David wrote all the psalms, but that all are inspired, and that as he was the chief author, the book goes by his name.

It would be a fine thing to make out two lists, as follows:

1. All of the 150 psalms in order from which the New Testament quotes with messianic application.

2. The New Testament quotations, book by book, i.e., Matthew so many, and then the other books in their order.

We would find in neither of these any order as to time, that is, Psa 1 which forecasts an incident in the coming Messiah’s life does not forecast the first incident of his life. And even the New Testament citations are not in exact order as to time and incident of his life. To get the messianic picture before us, therefore, we must put the scattered parts together in their due relation and order, and so construct our own analysis. That is the prime object of this discussion. It is not claimed that the analysis now presented is perfect. It is too much the result of hasty, offhand work by an exceedingly busy man. It will serve, however, as a temporary working model, which any one may subsequently improve. We come at once to the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah.

1. The necessity for a Saviour. This foreseen necessity is a background of the psalmists’ portrait of the Messiah. The necessity consists in (1) man’s sinfulness; (2) his sin; (3) his inability of wisdom and power to recover himself; (4) the insufficiency of legal, typical sacrifices in securing atonement.

The predicate of Paul’s great argument on justification by faith is the universal depravity and guilt of man. He is everywhere corrupt in nature; everywhere an actual transgressor; everywhere under condemnation. But the scriptural proofs of this depravity and sin the apostle draws mainly from the book of the Psalms. In one paragraph of the letter to the Romans (Rom 3:4-18 ), he cites and groups six passages from six divisions of the Psalms (Psa 5:9 ; Psa 10:7 ; Psa 14:1-3 ; Psa 36:1 ; Psa 51:4-6 ; Psa 140:3 ). These passages abundantly prove man’s sinfulness, or natural depravity, and his universal practice of sin.

The predicate also of the same apostle’s great argument for revelation and salvation by a Redeemer is man’s inability of wisdom and power to re-establish communion with God. In one of his letters to the Corinthians he thus commences his argument: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? -For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preach-ing to save them that believe.” He closes this discussion with the broad proposition: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” and proves it by a citation from Psa 94:11 : “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

In like manner our Lord himself pours scorn on human wisdom and strength by twice citing Psa 8 : “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Mat 11:25-26 ). “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Mat 21:15-16 ).

But the necessity for a Saviour as foreseen by the psalmist did not stop at man’s depravity, sin, and helplessness. The Jews were trusting in the sacrifices of their law offered on the smoking altar. The inherent weakness of these offerings, their lack of intrinsic merit, their ultimate abolition, their complete fulfilment and supercession by a glorious antitype were foreseen and foreshown in this wonderful prophetic book: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt offerings are continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goat out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all of the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Psa 50:8-13 .

Yet again it speaks in that more striking passage cited in the letter to the Hebrews: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers, once purged should have no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (Heb 10:1-9 ).

This keen foresight of the temporary character and intrinsic worthlessness of animal sacrifices anticipated similar utterances by the later prophets (Isa 1:10-17 ; Jer 6:20 ; Jer 7:21-23 ; Hos 6:6 ; Amo 5:21 ; Mic 6:6-8 ). Indeed, I may as well state in passing that when the apostle declares, “It is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins,” he lays down a broad principle, just as applicable to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. With reverence I state the principle: Not even God himself by mere appointment can vest in any ordinance, itself lacking intrinsic merit, the power to take away sin. There can be, therefore, in the nature of the case, no sacramental salvation. This would destroy the justice of God in order to exalt his mercy. Clearly the psalmist foresaw that “truth and mercy must meet together” before “righteousness and peace could kiss each other” (Psa 85:10 ). Thus we find as the dark background of the psalmists’ luminous portrait of the Messiah, the necessity for a Saviour.

2. The nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah. In no other prophetic book are the nature, fullness, and blessedness of salvation so clearly seen and so vividly portrayed. Besides others not now enumerated, certainly the psalmists clearly forecast four great elements of salvation:

(1) An atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit offered once for all (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:4-10 ).

(2) Regeneration itself consisting of cleansing, renewal, and justification. We hear his impassioned statement of the necessity of regeneration: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts,” followed by his earnest prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” and his equally fervent petition: “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa 51 ). And we hear him again as Paul describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin Psa 32:1 ; Rom 4:6-8 .

(3) Introduction into the heavenly rest (Psa 95:7-11 ; Heb 3:7-19 ; Heb 4:1-11 ). Here is the antitypical Joshua leading spiritual Israel across the Jordan of death into the heavenly Canaan, the eternal rest that remaineth for the people of God. Here we find creation’s original sabbath eclipsed by redemption’s greater sabbath when the Redeemer “entered his rest, ceasing from his own works as God did from his.”

(4) The recovery of all the universal dominion lost by the first Adam and the securement of all possible dominion which the first Adam never attained (Psa 8:5-6 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 ; 1Co 15:24-28 ).

What vast extent then and what blessedness in the salvation foreseen by the psalmists, and to be wrought by the Messiah. Atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit; regeneration by the Holy Spirit; heavenly rest as an eternal inheritance; and universal dominion shared with Christ!

3. The wondrous person of the Messiah in his dual nature, divine and human.

(1) His divinity,

(a) as God: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Psa 45:6 and Heb 1:8 ) ;

(b) as creator of the heavens and earth, immutable and eternal: Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end Psa 102:25-27 quoted with slight changes in Heb 1:10-12 .

(c) As owner of the earth: The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein, Psa 24:1 quoted in 1Co 10:26 .

(d) As the Son of God: “Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee” Psa 2:7 ; Heb 1:5 .

(e) As David’s Lord: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:41-46 .

(f) As the object of angelic worship: “And let all the angels of God worship him” Psa 97:7 ; Heb 1:6 .

(g) As the Bread of life: And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven Psa 78:24 ; interpreted in Joh 6:31-58 . These are but samples which ascribe deity to the Messiah of the psalmists.

(2) His humanity, (a) As the Son of man, or Son of Adam: Psa 8:4-6 , cited in 1Co 15:24-28 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Compare Luke’s genealogy, Luk 3:23-38 . This is the ideal man, or Second Adam, who regains Paradise Lost, who recovers race dominion, in whose image all his spiritual lineage is begotten. 1Co 15:45-49 . (b) As the Son of David: Psa 18:50 ; Psa 89:4 ; Psa 89:29 ; Psa 89:36 ; Psa 132:11 , cited in Luk 1:32 ; Act 13:22-23 ; Rom 1:3 ; 2Ti 2:8 . Perhaps a better statement of the psalmists’ vision of the wonderful person of the Messiah would be: He saw the uncreated Son, the second person of the trinity, in counsel and compact with the Father, arranging in eternity for the salvation of men: Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 . Then he saw this Holy One stoop to be the Son of man: Psa 8:4-6 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Then he was the son of David, and then he saw him rise again to be the Son of God: Psa 2:7 ; Rom 1:3-4 .

4. His offices.

(1) As the one atoning sacrifice (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 ).

(2) As the great Prophet, or Preacher (Psa 40:9-10 ; Psa 22:22 ; Heb 2:12 ). Even the method of his teaching by parable was foreseen (Psa 78:2 ; Mat 13:35 ). Equally also the grace, wisdom, and power of his teaching. When the psalmist declares that “Grace is poured into thy lips” (Psa 45:2 ), we need not be startled when we read that all the doctors in the Temple who heard him when only a boy “were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luk 2:47 ); nor that his home people at Nazareth “all bear him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luk 4:22 ); nor that those of his own country were astonished, and said, “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” (Mat 13:54 ); nor that the Jews in the Temple marveled, saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Joh 7:15 ) ; nor that the stern officers of the law found their justification in failure to arrest him in the declaration, “Never man spake like this man” (Joh 7:46 ).

(3) As the king (Psa 2:6 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 45:1-17 ; Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:42-46 ; Act 2:33-36 ; 1Co 15:25 ; Eph 1:20 ; Heb 1:13 ).

(4) As the priest (Psa 110:4 ; Heb 5:5-10 ; Heb 7:1-21 ; Heb 10:12-14 ).

(5) As the final judge. The very sentence of expulsion pronounced upon the finally impenitent by the great judge (Mat 25:41 ) is borrowed from the psalmist’s prophetic words (Psa 6:8 ).

5. Incidents of life. The psalmists not only foresaw the necessity for a Saviour; the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation; the wonderful human-divine person of the Saviour; the offices to be filled by him in the work of salvation, but also many thrilling details of his work in life, death, resurrection, and exaltation. It is not assumed to cite all these details, but some of the most important are enumerated in order, thus:

(1) The visit, adoration, and gifts of the Magi recorded in Mat 2 are but partial fulfilment of Psa 72:9-10 .

(2) The scripture employed by Satan in the temptation of our Lord (Luk 4:10-11 ) was cited from Psa 91:11-12 and its pertinency not denied.

(3) In accounting for his intense earnestness and the apparently extreme measures adopted by our Lord in his first purification of the Temple (Joh 2:17 ), he cites the messianic zeal predicted in Psa 69:9 .

(4) Alienation from his own family was one of the saddest trials of our Lord’s earthly life. They are slow to understand his mission and to enter into sympathy with him. His self-abnegation and exhaustive toil were regarded by them as evidences of mental aberration, and it seems at one time they were ready to resort to forcible restraint of his freedom) virtually what in our time would be called arrest under a writ of lunacy. While at the last his half-brothers became distinguished preachers of his gospel, for a long while they do not believe on him. And the evidence forces us to the conclusion that his own mother shared with her other sons, in kind though not in degree, the misunderstanding of the supremacy of his mission over family relations. The New Testament record speaks for itself:

Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them Luk 2:48-51 (R.V.).

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Joh 2:3-5 (R.V.).

And there come his mother and his brethren; and standing without; they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him; and they say unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother Mar 3:31-35 (R.V.).

Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did not believe on him. Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; because my time is not fulfilled. Joh 7:2-9 (R.V.).

These citations from the Revised Version tell their own story. But all that sad story is foreshown in the prophetic psalms. For example: I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother’s children. Psa 69:8 .

(5) The triumphal entry into Jerusalem was welcomed by a joyous people shouting a benediction from Psa 118:26 : “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mat 21:9 ); and the Lord’s lamentation over Jerusalem predicts continued desolation and banishment from his sight until the Jews are ready to repeat that benediction (Mat 23:39 ).

(6) The children’s hosanna in the Temple after its second purgation is declared by our Lord to be a fulfilment of that perfect praise forecast in Psa 8:2 .

(7) The final rejection of our Lord by his own people was also clear in the psalmist’s vision (Psa 118:22 ; Mat 21:42-44 ).

(8) Gethsemane’s baptism of suffering, with its strong crying and tears and prayers was as clear to the psalmist’s prophetic vision as to the evangelist and apostle after it became history (Psa 69:1-4 ; Psa 69:13-20 ; and Mat 26:36-44 ; Heb 5:7 ).

(9) In life-size also before the psalmist was the betrayer of Christ and his doom (Psa 41:9 ; Psa 69:25 ; Psa 109:6-8 ; Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:20 ).

(10) The rage of the people, Jew and Gentile, and the conspiracy of Pilate and Herod are clearly outlined (Psa 2:1-3 ; Act 4:25-27 ).

(11) All the farce of his trial the false accusation, his own marvelous silence; and the inhuman maltreatment to which he was subjected, is foreshown in the prophecy as dramatically as in the history (Mat 26:57-68 ; Mat 27:26-31 ; Psa 27:12 ; Psa 35:15-16 ; Psa 38:3 ; Psa 69:19 ).

The circumstances of his death, many and clear, are distinctly foreseen. He died in the prime of life (Psa 89:45 ; Psa 102:23-24 ). He died by crucifixion (Psa 22:14-17 ; Luk 23 ; 33; Joh 19:23-37 ; Joh 20:27 ). But yet not a bone of his body was broken (Psa 34:20 ; Joh 19:36 ).

The persecution, hatred without a cause, the mockery and insults, are all vividly and dramatically foretold (Psa 22:6-13 ; Psa 35:7 ; Psa 35:12 ; Psa 35:15 ; Psa 35:21 ; Psa 109:25 ).

The parting of his garments and the gambling for his vesture (Psa 22:18 ; Mat 27:35 ).

His intense thirst and the gall and vinegar offered for his drink (Psa 69:21 ; Mat 27:34 ).

In the psalms, too, we hear his prayers for his enemies so remarkably fulfilled in fact (Psa 109:4 ; Luk 23:34 ).

His spiritual death was also before the eye of the psalmist, and the very words which expressed it the psalmist heard. Separation from the Father is spiritual death. The sinner’s substitute must die the sinner’s death, death physical, i.e., separation of soul from body; death spiritual, i.e., separation of the soul from God. The latter is the real death and must precede the former. This death the substitute died when he cried out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.” (Psa 22:1 ; Mat 27:46 ).

Emerging from the darkness of that death, which was the hour of the prince of darkness, the psalmist heard him commend his spirit to the Father (Psa_31:35; Luk 23:46 ) showing that while he died the spiritual death, his soul was not permanently abandoned unto hell (Psa 16:8-10 ; Act 2:25 ) so that while he “tasted death” for every man it was not permanent death (Heb 2:9 ).

With equal clearness the psalmist foresaw his resurrection, his triumph over death and hell, his glorious ascension into heaven, and his exaltation at the right hand of God as King of kings and Lord of lords, as a high Driest forever, as invested with universal sovereignty (Psa 16:8-11 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 68:18 ; Psa 2:6 ; Psa 111:1-4 ; Psa 8:4-6 ; Act 2:25-36 ; Eph 1:19-23 ; Eph 4:8-10 ).

We see, therefore, brethren, when the scattered parts are put together and adjusted, how nearly complete a portrait of our Lord is put upon the prophetic canvas by this inspired limner, the sweet singer of Israel.

QUESTIONS

1. What is a good text for this chapter?

2. What is the threefold division of the Old Testament as cited by our Lord?

3. What is the last division called and why?

4. What is the object of the discussion in this chapter?

5. To what three things is the purpose limited?

6. What especially qualifies the author to meet the objections of the higher critics to allowing the New Testament usage of the Old Testament to determine its meaning and application?

7. What is the author’s conviction relative to the Scriptures?

8. What is the New Testament testimony on the question of inspiration?

9. What is the author’s suggested plan of approach to the study of the Messiah in the Psalms?

10. What the background of the Psalmist’s portrait of the Messiah and of what does it consist?

11. Give the substance of Paul’s discussion of man’s sinfulness.

12. What is the teaching of Jesus on this point?

13. What is the teaching relative to sacrifices?

14. What the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah and what the four great elements of it as forecast by the psalmist?

15. What is the teaching of the psalms relative to the wondrous person of the Messiah? Discuss.

16. What are the offices of the Messiah according to psalms? Discuss each.

17. Cite the more important events of the Messiah’s life according to the vision of the psalmist.

18. What the circumstances of the Messiah’s death and resurrection as foreseen by the psalmist?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

XV

PSALM AFTER DAVID PRIOR TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE

The superscriptions ascribed to Asaph twelve palms (Psa 50 ; 73-83) Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David. Their sons also directed the various bands of musicians (1Ch 25 ). It seems that the family of Asaph for many generations continued to preside over the service of song (Cf. Ezr 3:10 ).

The theme of Psa 50 is “Obedience is better than sacrifice,” or the language of Samuel to Saul when he had committed the awful sin in respect to the Amalekites. This teaching is paralleled in many Old Testament scriptures, for instance, Psa 51:16-17 . For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

The problem of Psa 73 is the problem of why the wicked prosper (Psa 73:1-14 ), and its solution is found in the attitude of God toward the wicked (Psa 73:15-28 ). [For a fine exposition of the other psalms of this section see Kirkpatrick or Maclaren on the Psalms.]

The psalms attributed to the sons of Korah are Psa 42 ; Psa 44 ; Psa 45 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 ; Psa 49 ; Psa 84 ; Psa 85 ; Psa 87 . The evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem is internal. There are three stanzas, each closing with a refrain. The similarity of structure and thought indicates that they were formerly one psalm. A parallel to these two psalms we find in the escape of Christian from the Castle of Giant Despair in Pilgrim’s Progress .

Only two psalms were ascribed to Solomon, viz: Psa 72 and 127. However, the author believes that there is good reason to attribute Psa 72 to David. If he wrote it, then only one was written by Solomon.

The theme of Psa 72 is the reign of the righteous king, and the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold, is as follows: (1) righteous (Psa 72:1-4 ) ; (2) perpetual (Psa 72:5-7 ); (3) universal (Psa 72:8-11 ); (4) benign (Psa 72:12-14 ); (5) prosperous (Psa 72:15-17 ).

Psa 127 was written when Solomon built the Temple. It is the central psalm of the psalms of the Ascents, which refer to the Temple. It seems fitting that this psalm should occupy the central position in the group, because of the occasion which inspired it and its relation to the other psalms of the group. A brief interpretation of it is as follows: The house here means household. It is a brief lyric, setting forth the lessons of faith and trust. This together with Psa 128 is justly called “A Song of Home.” Once in speaking to Baylor Female College I used this psalm, illustrating the function of a school as a parent sending forth her children into the world as mighty arrows. Again I used this psalm in one of my addresses in our own Seminary in which I made the household to refer to the Seminary sending forth the preachers as her children.

The psalms assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah are Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 . The historical setting is found in the history of the reign of Hezekiel. Their application to Judah at this time is found in the historical connection, in which we have God’s great deliverances from the foreign powers, especially the deliverance from Sennacherib. We find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem in the Lamentations of Jeremiah and in Psa 74 ; Psa 79 .

The radical critics ascribe Psa 74 ; Psa 79 to the Maccabean period, and their argument is based upon the use of the word “synagogues,” in Psa 74:8 . The answer to their contention is found in the marginal rendering which gives “places of assembly” instead of “synagogues.” The word “synagogue” is a Greek word translated from the Hebrew, which has several meanings, and in this place means the “place of assembly” where God met his people.

The silence of the exile period is shown in Psa 137 , in which they respond that they cannot sing a song of Zion in a strange land. Their brightening of hope is seen in Psa 102 . In this we have the brightening of their hope on the eve of their return. In Psa 85:10 we have a great text:

Mercy and truth are met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

The truth here is God’s law demanding justice; mercy is God’s grace meeting justice. This was gloriously fulfilled in Christ on the cross. He met the demands of the law and offers mercy and grace to all who accept them on the terms of repentance and faith.

Three characteristics of Psa 119 are, first, it is an alphabetical psalm; second, it is the longest chapter in the Bible, and third, it is an expansion of the latter part of Psa 19 . Psalms 146-150 were used for worship in the second temple. The expressions of innocence in the psalms do not refer to original sin, but to a course of conduct in contrast with wicked lives. The psalmists do not claim absolute, but relative sinlessness.

The imprecations in the psalms are real prayers, and are directed against real men who were enemies of David and the Jewish nation, but they are not expressions of personal resentment. They are vigorous expressions of righteous indignation against incorrigible enemies of God and his people and are to be interpreted in the light of progressive revelation. The New Testament contains many exultant expressions of the overthrow of the wicked. (Cf. 1Co 16:22 ; 2Ti 4:14 ; Gal 5:12 ; Rev 16:5-6 ; Rev 18:20 .) These imprecations do not teach that we, even in the worst circumstances, should bear personal malice, nor take vengeance on the enemies of righteousness, but that we should live so close to God that we may acquiesce in the destruction of the wicked and leave the matter of vengeance in the hands of a just God, to whom vengeance belongs (Rom 12:19-21 ).

The clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con, are found in these passages, as follows: Psa 16:10-11 ; Psa 17:15 ; Psa 23:6 ; Psa 49:15 ; Psa 73:23-26 . The passages that are construed to the contrary are found in Psa 6:5 ; Psa 30:9 ; Psa 39:13 ; Psa 88:10-12 ; Psa 115:17 . The student will compare these passages and note carefully their teachings. The first group speaks of the triumph over Sheol (the resurrection) ; about awaking in the likeness of God; about dwelling in the house of the Lord forever; about redemption from the power of Sheol; and God’s guiding counsel and final reception into glory, all of which is very clear and unmistakable teaching as to the future life.

The second group speaks of DO remembrance in death; about no profit to the one when he goes down to the pit; of going hence and being no more; about the dead not being able to praise God and about the grave as being the land of forgetfulness ; and about the dead not praising Jehovah, all of which are spoken from the standpoint of the grave and temporal death.

There is positively no contradiction nor discrepancy in the teaching of these scriptures. One group takes the spirit of man as the viewpoint and teaches the continuity of life, the immortality of the soul; the other group takes the physical being of man as the viewpoint and teaches the dissolution of the body and its absolute unconsciousness in the grave.

QUESTIONS

1. How many and what psalms were ascribed to Asaph?

2. Who presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David?

3. What is the theme of Psa 50 , and where do we find the same teaching in the Old Testament?

4. What is the problem of Psa 73 , and what its solution?

5. What psalms are attributed to the sons of Korah?

6. What is the evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem and what the characteristic of these two taken together?

7. What parallel to these two psalms do we find in modern literature?

8. What psalms were ascribed to Solomon?

9. What is the theme of Psa 72 ?

10. What is the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold?

11. When was Psa 127 written and what the application as a part of the Pilgrim group?

12. Give a brief interpretation of it and the uses made of it by the author on two different occasions.

13. What psalms are assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah, and what their historical setting?

14. What is their application to Judah at this time?

15. Where may we find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem?

16. To what period do radical critics ascribe Psalms 74-79; what is their argument, and what is your answer?

17. Which psalm shows the silence of the exile period and why?

18. Which one shows their brightening of hope?

19. Explain Psa 85:10 .

20. Give three characteristics of Psa 119 .

21. What use was made of Psalms 146-150?

22. Explain the expression of innocence in the psalms in harmony with their teaching of sin.

23. Explain the imprecations in the psalms and show their harmony with New Testament teachings.

24. Cite the clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

XV

PSALM AFTER DAVID PRIOR TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE

The superscriptions ascribed to Asaph twelve palms (Psa 50 ; 73-83) Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David. Their sons also directed the various bands of musicians (1Ch 25 ). It seems that the family of Asaph for many generations continued to preside over the service of song (Cf. Ezr 3:10 ).

The theme of Psa 50 is “Obedience is better than sacrifice,” or the language of Samuel to Saul when he had committed the awful sin in respect to the Amalekites. This teaching is paralleled in many Old Testament scriptures, for instance, Psa 51:16-17 . For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

The problem of Psa 73 is the problem of why the wicked prosper (Psa 73:1-14 ), and its solution is found in the attitude of God toward the wicked (Psa 73:15-28 ). [For a fine exposition of the other psalms of this section see Kirkpatrick or Maclaren on the Psalms.]

The psalms attributed to the sons of Korah are Psa 42 ; Psa 44 ; Psa 45 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 ; Psa 49 ; Psa 84 ; Psa 85 ; Psa 87 . The evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem is internal. There are three stanzas, each closing with a refrain. The similarity of structure and thought indicates that they were formerly one psalm. A parallel to these two psalms we find in the escape of Christian from the Castle of Giant Despair in Pilgrim’s Progress .

Only two psalms were ascribed to Solomon, viz: Psa 72 and 127. However, the author believes that there is good reason to attribute Psa 72 to David. If he wrote it, then only one was written by Solomon.

The theme of Psa 72 is the reign of the righteous king, and the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold, is as follows: (1) righteous (Psa 72:1-4 ) ; (2) perpetual (Psa 72:5-7 ); (3) universal (Psa 72:8-11 ); (4) benign (Psa 72:12-14 ); (5) prosperous (Psa 72:15-17 ).

Psa 127 was written when Solomon built the Temple. It is the central psalm of the psalms of the Ascents, which refer to the Temple. It seems fitting that this psalm should occupy the central position in the group, because of the occasion which inspired it and its relation to the other psalms of the group. A brief interpretation of it is as follows: The house here means household. It is a brief lyric, setting forth the lessons of faith and trust. This together with Psa 128 is justly called “A Song of Home.” Once in speaking to Baylor Female College I used this psalm, illustrating the function of a school as a parent sending forth her children into the world as mighty arrows. Again I used this psalm in one of my addresses in our own Seminary in which I made the household to refer to the Seminary sending forth the preachers as her children.

The psalms assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah are Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 . The historical setting is found in the history of the reign of Hezekiel. Their application to Judah at this time is found in the historical connection, in which we have God’s great deliverances from the foreign powers, especially the deliverance from Sennacherib. We find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem in the Lamentations of Jeremiah and in Psa 74 ; Psa 79 .

The radical critics ascribe Psa 74 ; Psa 79 to the Maccabean period, and their argument is based upon the use of the word “synagogues,” in Psa 74:8 . The answer to their contention is found in the marginal rendering which gives “places of assembly” instead of “synagogues.” The word “synagogue” is a Greek word translated from the Hebrew, which has several meanings, and in this place means the “place of assembly” where God met his people.

The silence of the exile period is shown in Psa 137 , in which they respond that they cannot sing a song of Zion in a strange land. Their brightening of hope is seen in Psa 102 . In this we have the brightening of their hope on the eve of their return. In Psa 85:10 we have a great text:

Mercy and truth are met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

The truth here is God’s law demanding justice; mercy is God’s grace meeting justice. This was gloriously fulfilled in Christ on the cross. He met the demands of the law and offers mercy and grace to all who accept them on the terms of repentance and faith.

Three characteristics of Psa 119 are, first, it is an alphabetical psalm; second, it is the longest chapter in the Bible, and third, it is an expansion of the latter part of Psa 19 . Psalms 146-150 were used for worship in the second temple. The expressions of innocence in the psalms do not refer to original sin, but to a course of conduct in contrast with wicked lives. The psalmists do not claim absolute, but relative sinlessness.

The imprecations in the psalms are real prayers, and are directed against real men who were enemies of David and the Jewish nation, but they are not expressions of personal resentment. They are vigorous expressions of righteous indignation against incorrigible enemies of God and his people and are to be interpreted in the light of progressive revelation. The New Testament contains many exultant expressions of the overthrow of the wicked. (Cf. 1Co 16:22 ; 2Ti 4:14 ; Gal 5:12 ; Rev 16:5-6 ; Rev 18:20 .) These imprecations do not teach that we, even in the worst circumstances, should bear personal malice, nor take vengeance on the enemies of righteousness, but that we should live so close to God that we may acquiesce in the destruction of the wicked and leave the matter of vengeance in the hands of a just God, to whom vengeance belongs (Rom 12:19-21 ).

The clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con, are found in these passages, as follows: Psa 16:10-11 ; Psa 17:15 ; Psa 23:6 ; Psa 49:15 ; Psa 73:23-26 . The passages that are construed to the contrary are found in Psa 6:5 ; Psa 30:9 ; Psa 39:13 ; Psa 88:10-12 ; Psa 115:17 . The student will compare these passages and note carefully their teachings. The first group speaks of the triumph over Sheol (the resurrection) ; about awaking in the likeness of God; about dwelling in the house of the Lord forever; about redemption from the power of Sheol; and God’s guiding counsel and final reception into glory, all of which is very clear and unmistakable teaching as to the future life.

The second group speaks of DO remembrance in death; about no profit to the one when he goes down to the pit; of going hence and being no more; about the dead not being able to praise God and about the grave as being the land of forgetfulness ; and about the dead not praising Jehovah, all of which are spoken from the standpoint of the grave and temporal death.

There is positively no contradiction nor discrepancy in the teaching of these scriptures. One group takes the spirit of man as the viewpoint and teaches the continuity of life, the immortality of the soul; the other group takes the physical being of man as the viewpoint and teaches the dissolution of the body and its absolute unconsciousness in the grave.

QUESTIONS

1. How many and what psalms were ascribed to Asaph?

2. Who presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David?

3. What is the theme of Psa 50 , and where do we find the same teaching in the Old Testament?

4. What is the problem of Psa 73 , and what its solution?

5. What psalms are attributed to the sons of Korah?

6. What is the evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem and what the characteristic of these two taken together?

7. What parallel to these two psalms do we find in modern literature?

8. What psalms were ascribed to Solomon?

9. What is the theme of Psa 72 ?

10. What is the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold?

11. When was Psa 127 written and what the application as a part of the Pilgrim group?

12. Give a brief interpretation of it and the uses made of it by the author on two different occasions.

13. What psalms are assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah, and what their historical setting?

14. What is their application to Judah at this time?

15. Where may we find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem?

16. To what period do radical critics ascribe Psalms 74-79; what is their argument, and what is your answer?

17. Which psalm shows the silence of the exile period and why?

18. Which one shows their brightening of hope?

19. Explain Psa 85:10 .

20. Give three characteristics of Psa 119 .

21. What use was made of Psalms 146-150?

22. Explain the expression of innocence in the psalms in harmony with their teaching of sin.

23. Explain the imprecations in the psalms and show their harmony with New Testament teachings.

24. Cite the clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Psa 74:1 Maschil of Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? [why] doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

A Psalm of Asaph ] Concerning the Babylonish captivity, saith Kimchi; which either was here foretold by David’s Asaph, or bewailed by another of that name, who lived at that very time, when the Jews groaned under those grievous calamities.

Ver. 1. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? ] The greatness of their grief and diuturnity of their misery draw from them such expressions of discontent, as if they were doubtful of an utter dereliction.

Why doth thine anger (or thy nose) smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?] Anger is a fire, and in men or other creatures enraged a smoke seemeth to go out of their nostrils. Xenophon saith of the Thebans, when they are angry they breathe fire. This, then, is spoken of God after the manner of men.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

The next is “Instructed, of Asaph.” The psalm is thus occupied with the external enemies, though the inner oppressor is also noticed, in remarkable contrast with the more spiritual dealing of God with the soul set out in the psalm before it which introduces the book. Outwardly things look at their worst, ravage unchecked, desolation of the sanctuary, roaring in the assemblies, man’s sign the only sign apparent everywhere, and no voice even from God, not a prophet, nor one knowing “how long.” Yet faith owns God “my King” from of old, and the mighty deliverances, and pleads at length, “Remember this: an enemy hath approached, O Jehovah,” rising up to the covenant name, is the poor remnant were His turtle-dove.

Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 74:1-11

1O God, why have You rejected us forever?

Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?

2Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,

Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance;

And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.

3Turn Your footsteps toward the perpetual ruins;

The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary.

4Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;

They have set up their own standards for signs.

5It seems as if one had lifted up

His axe in a forest of trees.

6And now all its carved work

They smash with hatchet and hammers.

7They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;

They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.

8They said in their heart, Let us completely subdue them.

They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

9We do not see our signs;

There is no longer any prophet,

Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

10How long, O God, will the adversary revile,

And the enemy spurn Your name forever?

11Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?

From within Your bosom, destroy them!

Psa 74:1 The defeat and occupation of the Promised Land (cf. Gen 1:1-3) was so shocking to the psalmist that he asked the question all the covenant people were thinking. They felt themselves special (cf. Exo 19:5-6, but forgot that God’s promises were conditional on their faithful obedience (cf. Exo 19:5; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30). Abundant blessing and protection from God were God’s part but His people also had a responsibility (i.e., obedience, cf. Deu 10:12-13).

The psalmist presents his prayer by asking questions (NASB).

1. Psa 74:1 – two questions

2. Psa 74:10 – one question

3. Psa 74:11 – one question

Your anger smoke This is literally your nostrils smolder. It is an anthropomorphic idiom (see SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (ANTHROPOMORPHISM) ) of God’s judgment (see Special Topic: Fire).

Psa 74:2 Remember This is the first of three uses of the term (BDB 269, KB 269, Qal imperative, cf. Psa 74:1; Psa 74:18; Psa 74:22). The psalmist is asking God to remember His covenant (cf. Psa 74:20, consider the covenant, BDB 613, KB 661, Hiphil imperative, cf. Psa 106:45; Lev 26:42).

OT leaders often prayed this prayer. They wanted God to remember His promises and forget their sins! In essence they were praying for the merciful character of God to overlook their covenant violations. This does illustrate the weakness of human performance as the way to approach Deity! It does, however, point toward the need of a new covenant (cf. Jer 31:31-34; Eze 36:22-38), based on YHWH’s mercy as the basis of acceptance and gratitude as the call to godly living.

You have purchased This is OT imagery using a commercial term (purchase, BDB 888, KB 1111, Qal perfect) to describe YHWH’s covenant (cf. Exo 15:13; Exo 15:16; Deu 32:6). They were His by His choice and His actions, not their merit (cf. Deu 9:4-6).

of old This phrase points to an act of God in the past. In Psa 74:12-17 it refers to creation; here it refers to the Exodus.

In this Psalm the acts of God in both creation and the Exodus are merged. It is difficult to be specific on which idiom, verb, or verse this refers.

The current state of the covenant people is tragic (cf. Psa 74:3). The psalmist alludes to God’s past acts of salvation/deliverance (i.e., either initial chaos or Egyptian bondage).

redeemed The verb (BDB 145, KB 169, Qal perfect) is a central concept in (1) the Exodus (cf. Exo 6:6; Exo 15:13) and (2) the theological purpose of the sacrificial system of Israel. See SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM .

the tribe of Your inheritance This phrase does not refer to one of the thirteen tribes from Jacob, but to all of them (cf. Jer 10:16; Jer 51:19). In Isa 63:17 tribe is plural but also refers to the seed of Jacob/Israel and the initial promises to Abram (cf. Genesis 12; Genesis 15; Genesis 17).

Mount Zion See notes at Ps. 2:6; 9:11; and Ps. 20:2. See Special Topic: Zion .

Psa 74:3 The Hiphil imperative (lift up) is another prayer request asking God to return to the place of the temple where He has dwelt (cf. Psa 74:2 c, has dwelt, BDB 1014, KB 1496, Qal perfect).

His sanctuary has been overrun, damaged, and occupied by pagan invaders (cf. Psa 74:3-4).

the enemy Notice the different ways the pagan invaders are characterized.

1. enemies – Psa 74:3; Psa 74:10; Psa 74:18

2. adversaries – Psa 74:4; Psa 74:10; Psa 74:23

3. a foolish people, Psa 74:18; Psa 74:22

4. the wild beast, Psa 74:19

There have been two suggestions about the historical setting that called forth this national lament.

1. the Neo-Babylonian invasion of 586 B.C., where the temple was burned (cf. Psalms 137)

2. the invasion of Edom in 485 B.C., where the temple was defiled and damaged

Psa 74:4-8 Note the obvious parallelism using, they. . . (NASB). These verses describe what the pagan invaders have done that should cause YHWH to act on Israel’s behalf.

1. they have damaged the temple, Psa 74:3 a (cf. Lam 2:6)

2. they have roared (i.e., symbol of victory, cf. Lam 2:7) in the temple, Psa 74:4 a

3. the have set up their pagan signs (i.e., flags, carvings, altar), Psa 74:4 b

4. they destroyed the art work of YHWH’s dwelling place, Psa 74:5-6

5. they destroyed the temple with fire, Psa 74:7 a (i.e., 2Ki 25:9; 2Ch 36:19)

6. they defiled the temple, Psa 74:7 b

7. they desired to completely destroy God’s inheritance, Psa 74:8 a

8. they burned all the local YHWHistic shrines, Psa 74:8 b

Psa 74:4 Your adversaries If the burning of the temple mentioned in Psa 74:7 is the same as 2Ki 25:9, then the adversaries are the Babylonians (cf. Lamentations 2).

have roared in the midst of Your meeting place This imagery describes the pagan occupation of the temple area. The verb roared (BDB 980, KB 1367, Qal perfect) denotes the vicious and victorious demise of God’s special dwelling place. This verb is used of lions, which denotes the voracity and power of the pagan invaders (cf. Isa 5:29; Jer 2:15).

Psa 74:5-6 Dahood, in The Anchor Bible (vol. 17b, p. 202), says Verses 5 and 6 are among the most obscure and difficult of the entire Psalter. In context it must describe something the pagan invaders did to the temple before they burned it. It denotes the anger of the invaders against YHWH’s special worship place. They wanted to totally humiliate the God of Israel.

Psa 74:5 The LXX has the opening line as as though into the entrance above (i.e., the upper entrance of the temple). The Hebrew root, (BDB 750-751) can mean

1. leaf, foliage

2. whole burnt offering

3. ascent, stairway

In this verse I assume it refers to an entrance to the temple or temple area.

Psa 74:6 hatchet. . .hammers These two terms (BDB 506 and BDB 476) occur only here in the OT. This Psalm has many rare and unique terms.

The imagery of axes and hatchets may reflect Jeremiah’s description of the Babylonian army (cf. Jer 46:22-23).

Psa 74:8 Let us completely subdue them There is uncertainty in the MT. The line may refer to

1. the complete annihilation of the covenant people

2. the destruction of the temple and the local worship sites

Psa 74:9-11 The covenant people could not comprehend YHWH’s apparent absence and silence. He had chosen not to act and had even taken away His prophetic speakers. They implored Him to act, to defend His name and temple and people!

The problem has several aspects.

1. If the invader is Babylon then YHWH is fighting on their side.

2. Israel is the object of His wrath for their idolatry and faithlessness.

3. However, YHWH has an eternal redemptive plan which involves the seed of Abraham (see Special Topic: YHWH’s Eternal Redemptive Plan ).

4. He will both judge and deliver Israel!

Psa 74:9 prophet See a parallel in Lam 2:9.

SPECIAL TOPIC: OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY

Psa 74:10 YHWH used pagans to judge His people but they will eventually be judged also because

1. they revile – BDB 357, KB 355, Piel imperfect, cf. Psa 74:18 (another example: Zep 2:8; Zep 2:10)

2. they spurn His name – BDB 610, KB 658, Piel imperfect

The imperfect denotes an ongoing action and attitude.

How long This is a recurrent question in the Psalms (cf. Psa 6:3; Psa 13:1; Psa 44:23-24; Psa 79:5; Psa 80:4; Psa 85:5; Psa 89:46; Psa 90:13; Psa 94:3). This information had to come from a priest or prophet.

1. the temple was destroyed (no priests)

2. there were no prophets (Psa 74:9)

This is a question all suffering faithful followers ask in a fallen, imperfect world. The world may be fallen, but God is still in control (cf. Psa 74:12-17).

Your name See Special Topic: The Name of YHWH .

Psa 74:11 YHWH’s lack of support for Israel sends the wrong message to the world (cf. Eze 36:22-38). He must act to show the world who He is and His greater purpose (cf. Psa 59:13-15).

Your right hand See Special Topic: God Described as Human (anthropomorphism) .

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Title. Maschil = Instruction. The ninth of thirteen so named. See note on Title, Psalm 32, and App-65of Asaph. The third of the twelve Asaph Psalms. See App-63. Not David’s Asaph, but a successor bearing the same name.

God. Hebrew Elohim. App-4.

why . . . ? Figure of speech. Erotesis. See App-6.

cast us off. Compare Psa 43:2; Psa 44:9.

smoke. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. Compare Psa 18:8.

sheep of Thy pasture. Occurs frequently in the Asaph Psalms (Psa 79:13); also in Jer 23:1. Eze 34:31.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Psa 74:1-23

Psa 74:1-23 is one of those psalms where the psalmist again is speaking of the desolation that is come, and the apparent quietness of God in the face of the desolation. God didn’t do anything to stop it. God has allowed this desolation, and God’s hand is not yet seen, as far as the delivering of the people.

O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, where you have dwelt. Lift up your feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. For thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. A man was famous according to as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. But now they are breaking down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers ( Psa 74:1-6 ).

And so he speaks of the desolation that had come to the house of God. How they had taken the axe and the hammers and had destroyed the beautiful carved works that were there in the sanctuary of God. And how,

They then set it on fire, and they defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground ( Psa 74:7 ).

And so the holy of holies was cast down.

They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all of the synagogues of God in the land. We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knows how long ( Psa 74:8-9 ).

We don’t know how long this desolation is gonna go on.

O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? Why do you withdraw your hand, even your right hand? pluck it out of your bosom, Lord ( Psa 74:10-11 ).

Get busy God, help us.

For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You did divide the sea by your strength: you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters. You broke the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. You did cleave the fountain and the flood: and you dried up the mighty rivers. The day is thine, the night is also yours: and you have prepared the light and the sun. You have set all the borders of the earth: you have made summer and winter. Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Jehovah, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. O deliver not the soul of your turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of the poor for ever. Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproaches thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increases continually ( Psa 74:12-23 ).

And so the psalmist crying out unto God because of the desolations of the temples, the synagogues, by the enemies, the oppression of God’s people. “

Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary

Psa 74:1-2

A LAMENT FOLLOWING THE FALL OF JERUSALEM

This is another of the Psalms accredited to Asaph. However, “Asaph, like Jeduthun and Heman, became a tribe-name, attaching to all the descendants of the original Asaph, and was equivalent to `the son of Asaph.’

The occasion for this Psalm has been assigned to three different dates: “These identifications are (1) the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. (2 Kings 24), (2) the suppression of a Jewish insurrection by a Persian King Artaxerxes Ochus in 351 B.C., and (3) the profaning of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 B.C. Despite the skillful arguments of Delitzsch who favored the Maccabean date, our conclusion is that only the total destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 fills the bill as the correct date for this psalm.

There are apparently some powerful arguments against this in the psalm itself, which we shall discuss in the notes below.

The determining factor in this question is that this psalm represents the temple itself as having been burned; and that definitely did not occur either in the times of Shishak or those of the Maccabeans.

An example of how scholars can go “overboard” for an incorrect conclusion, based upon a few facts, is that of Addis.

“Synagogues are everywhere in the land, and no prophet has arisen… Everything points to the composition of the Psalm between 168 B.C. and 165 B.C.

Such a conclusion is in error, because the Second Temple was never burned, until the rebuilt version of it by Herod the Great was burned by the soldiers of Vespasian and Titus in the year 70 A.D. Addis’ arguments, however, are important, and we shall examine them more closely in the text below.

A very significant peculiarity of this psalm was pointed out by Spurgeon. “There is not a single mention of either personal or national sin in this psalm; and yet one cannot doubt that the writer was fully aware of the sins and iniquities of Israel that had brought all of this misery upon them.

Leupold, Rawlinson and Ash, along with most present day scholars, agree that the most likely date is that following the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. As McCullough stated it, “None of the suggested dates is free from difficulty, but the first (that of 587 B.C.) is most likely.

Psa 74:1-2

“O God, why hast thou cast us off forever?

Why dost thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

Remember thy congregation, which thou hast gotten of old,

Which thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of thine inheritance;

And mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.”

The plight of Israel at this time was indeed pitiful. Their sins had finally reached a level that required their captivity and the dissolution of their earthly kingdom. The true people of God, after this time, were no longer to be found in the land of Israel, but in Babylon. The Israelites still remaining in “the land” did not understand this.

“Why hast thou cast us off forever” (Psa 74:1)? The “kingdom” in the sense of an earthly monarchy, was indeed cast off forever. It had never been God’s will in the first place; and the reprobacy, idolatry, and wickedness of Israel’s kings had at last made their removal absolutely necessary.

“Remember thy congregation” (Psa 74:2). God did indeed remember “the congregation,” which at that time had been transferred to Babylon; but the psalmist was apparently still in Jerusalem, from which God’s presence had been removed, and in which the temple itself had been profaned, plundered, desecrated and burned to the ground. God was forever finished with that “earthly kingdom” of Israel. Pitiful indeed was the plight of the few true children of God who, along with the psalmist, were still left among that conceited, rebellious, and soon to be destroyed residue of the people that yet remained in Jerusalem.

E.M. Zerr:

Psa 74:1. The statements of this verse should not be taken in the literal sense. They were only an earnest plea for God to grant relief from the heavy distress into which the enemies had thrust David and his people.

Psa 74:2. The congregation had been purchased from Egypt by the death of the firstborn. (Exo 15:16; Num 3:12-13.) God dwelt in Zion in that the capital of his kingdom and the headquarters of the national worship were there.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

This is a great complaint, but it is a complaint of faith. Hardly a gleam of light is found throughout. The singer sits in the midst of national desolation and pours out his soul to God in passionate appeal for His help, and protest against His silence and inactivity. This is not the son of an atheist, but the wail of a believer. He has a past experience of God’s power and a present conviction thereof. The signs of that power are in day and night, in summer and winter. The one place from which He seems to be absent is the place of His people’s distress. The ground of the singer’s plea is not the distress of these people finally. It is rather that the enemy reproaches the name of Jehovah and blasphemes it.

In that central complaint the name Jehovah, which is ever suggestive of the essential Helper, emerges, and there only, in the psalm. The master consciousness of the moment is of God the Mighty One, but there is that deeper knowledge of Him as the Helper of the needy. Again, we are thankful that such a psalm has a place here, for it is so true to much human experience. When the heart is hot and restless, and it seems as though God had forsaken His own, he is a wise man who turns to God in song, even though the song be only a complaint.

Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

the Sanctuary of God Profaned

Psa 74:1-11

This psalm probably dates from the time when the Chaldeans destroyed the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. Compare Psa 74:8 with Jer 3:13-17. The main emphasis of Psa 74:1 lies in the argument which arose from Israels close relationship with God. Were they not His congregation! Was not the Temple His own chosen sanctuary? Did not these facts constitute the reason why He should come with swift footsteps to undo the evils that their foes were inflicting? The invaders were His (Thine) adversaries. The Temple was the dwelling-place of His (Thy) name. The whole psalm is dominated by this note. It says very little of the sufferings which the enemy has inflicted, but constantly recurs to the insult and reproach, done to God.

When we live only for Jesus Christ, so that our case and His have become one, we can use language like this. But this position is not acquired lightly, nor without much watchfulness and prayer. We by nature watch out for our own dignity and welfare much more quickly than for the interests of Gods kingdom and glory. When, however, we are absolutely identified with the kingdom and glory of Jesus, our argument for deliverance is omnipotent.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

Psa 74:3

This Psalm contains (1) a complaint; (2) a prayer; (3) several pleas for that prayer.

I. The complaint. It was a complaint of desolation and oppression. God’s temple was lying waste; God had departed from it, and there was as yet no sign of His return. There was also a positive oppression, an enemy who had done wickedly in the sanctuary, and into whose hand the soul of God’s people was all but utterly and for ever delivered. (1) The language in which the psalmist complains of the desolate condition of God’s sanctuary at Jerusalem should become on our lips a confession of separation from God through sin. (2) No man in this world can be the enemy against whom we are to pray. Our foes are invisible and inward. Sins are the enemies for whose discomfiture God and Christ would teach us to pray.

II. The prayer: “Lift up Thy feet unto the perpetual desolations.” It is Christ’s promise that God will do so: “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.”

III. The pleas by which the psalmist enforces his prayer. (1) God is a God of power. If He will save, at least He can. (2) The psalmist draws comfort from the remembrance of that which God had already done for Israel: “God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” (3) The psalmist could appeal to an express word of promise: “Have respect unto Thy covenant, and let not the oppressed return ashamed.”

C. J. Vaughan, Harrow Sermons, 1st series, pp. 37, 50.

Reference: Psa 74:3.-E. A. Abbott, Cambridge Sermons, p. 121.

Psa 74:17

I. One of the chiefest charms of summer is its fulness. And in this fulness is its peace. Summer has the deep consciousness of fruitfulness. It knows it has done its work; it rejoices in its own fulness and wealth. Man’s content is in looking back and seeing that his beginning of things has now been led on to some fulfilment, however small, in having accomplished something of his aspiration, in producing some fruit.

II. The real looking forward we should have, the real aspiration, is that which the summer has; and it is one of content, not of discontent. It is the looking forward to harvest, and it is founded on faith, which has its root in the fact that work has been already done. We believe in a harvest of our life, because the fields we have sown are whitening already for harvest.

III. There is another contentment that summer images; it is the contentment of rest. The earth rests from her labour, and her works do follow her. There is no flower, tree, mountain, or lake but seems to half slumber in the humming heat. They know their own beauty, and abide in it as in a shell. There is only one way to win something of God’s peace. It is to learn the lesson nature gives us of daily self-forgetfulness. Content is its reward. It is the lesson summer gives and the reward she wins.

IV. You are God’s unquiet child, and He desires you to rest, but as yet you will not learn to love, the highest things well enough to win your rest. You must first take His yoke of sacrifice upon you. Faith and love will hush your discontent with partial knowledge and partial truth, for you shall know that God will complete at last that which is in part. The knowledge that God loves you will lessen the discontent of trial. Fruitfulness will follow on faith and love, and with fruitfulness there will be content: the deep content of duties fulfilled, of aspirations growing into fulfilment, of moral power secured. That is the summer life of the soul.

S. A. Brooke, The Fight of Faith, p. 351.

Psa 74:17

What are the winter hopes and joys, what the faith of the winter of old age? They are born out of the natural array of things in wintertide; they are pictured in the winter’s landscape.

I. Winter drives us to our home. We make oar life warm and gay within our walls. We forget the bitter days, save when we remember to give of our plenty to the poor and sorrowful. There are no times that may be happier than winter, if we will. And when age has come, we are also driven home. Our life is naturally made an inner life, and work without is changed for musing memory within.

II. We see in the frost-bound world the picture of death. Is there nothing but death there? Look beneath the surface of the earth, under the shroud of snow. Beneath the winding-sheet is, not death, but life in preparation, hidden, but in slow activity. The forces are being laid up which will be the green leaves of a thousand woods, the roses and lilies of a thousand gardens, the fountain rush of spring. That is what winter tells the man who knows. It is the story it tells also to the Christian, who has found and known the fatherhood of God. He has an inward life that refuses death. In the patient waiting and repose of a faithful age the spiritual forces which will make the form, and colour, and power, and work of his coming life are gathering together into a store that waits but the touch of death to break into immortal energy. He will sleep beneath the snow, but it will be to awaken.

S. A. Brooke, The Fight of Faith, p. 385.

I. The winter illustrates to us the beneficent principle of distribution acted upon by the Divine providence. We must have our winter, in order that the inhabitants of another part of the world may have their summer. The winter therefore seems to inculcate upon us a great lesson of equity and charity-that we should be willing to share the benefits of the system with the distant portions of our great, widespread family, willing to part with a pleasing possession for a season for their sakes, even if we could retain it.

II. Again, the winter should, by the very circumstance of its unproductiveness, remind us of the care and bounty of Divine providence, in that other seasons are granted us which furnish supplies for this, and for the whole year.

III. The winter has a character of inclemency and rigour, has ideas and feelings associated with it of hardship, infelicity, suffering. In this it should be adapted to excite thoughtful and compassionate sentiments respecting the distress and suffering that are in the world.

IV. Winter shows the transitory quality of the beauty, variety, magnificence, and riches which had been spread over the natural world. This consideration easily carries our thoughts to parallel things in human life.

V. There may be a resemblance to winter in the state of the mind in respect to its best interests. And truly the winter in the soul is worse than any season and aspect of external nature. Observe here one striking point of difference: the natural winter will certainly and necessarily, from a regular and absolute cause, pass away after a while; not so the spiritual winter. It does not belong to the constitution of the human nature that the spiritual warmth and animation must come, must have a season.

VI. Note the resemblance of winter to old age. The old age of the wise and good resembles the winter in one of its most favourable circumstances: that the former seasons improved have laid in a valuable store; and they have to bless God that disposed and enabled them to do so. But the most striking point in the comparison is one of unlikeness. Their winter has no spring to follow it-in this world. But the servants of God say, “That is well!” There is eternal spring before them. What will they not be contemplating of beauty and glory while those who have yet many years on earth are seeing returning springs and summers?

J. Foster, Lectures, 1st series, p. 278.

References: Psa 74:17.-Spurgeon, Morning by Morning, p. 336. Psa 74:18.-E. V. Hall, Sermons in Worcester Cathedral, p. 66. Psa 74:20.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxv., No. 1451. Psa 75:6, Psa 75:7.-A. K. H. B., From a Quiet Place, p. 64. Psa 76:3.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xiv., No. 791. Psa 76:5.-S. Baring-Gould, The Preacher’s Pocket, p. 119.

Fuente: The Sermon Bible

Psalm 74

The Enemy in the Sanctuary

1. The Prayer on account of the enemy (Psa 74:1-3)

2. The work of the enemy (Psa 74:4-9)

3. Intercession for intervention (Psa 74:10-23)

This is a Psalm for instruction, a Maschil Psalm. The enemy is seen in the sanctuary. This has been applied to the defilement of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, but prophetically it rather refers to that end-time, when the enemy will defile the temple with the abomination of desolation (Mat 24:15). Then the remnant loving the sanctuary tells the Lord about it as we read in this Psalm, and in a mighty intercession pleads for intervention. O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove (Israel) unto the multitude of the wicked–Have respect unto the covenant, for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. How true that will be during the great time of trouble. And then the cry to God to arise.

Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

Maschil

Maschil, instruction.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

O God: Psa 10:1, Psa 42:9, Psa 42:11, Psa 44:9, Psa 60:1, Psa 60:10, Psa 77:7, Jer 31:37, Jer 33:24-26, Rom 11:1, Rom 11:2

smoke: Psa 79:5, Deu 29:20

the sheep: Psa 79:13, Psa 95:7, Psa 100:3, Jer 23:1, Eze 34:8, Eze 34:31, Luk 12:32, Joh 10:26-30

Reciprocal: Exo 32:11 – why doth Deu 9:26 – which thou hast redeemed Jdg 10:7 – was hot Jdg 21:3 – why is 1Sa 4:3 – Wherefore 2Sa 22:16 – nostrils 2Sa 24:17 – these sheep 1Ch 6:39 – Asaph 1Ch 25:2 – Asaph 2Ch 36:16 – the wrath Est 1:12 – burned Psa 13:1 – How Psa 18:8 – went Psa 44:23 – cast Psa 68:10 – Thy congregation Psa 80:4 – be angry Psa 85:5 – angry Psa 106:40 – his own Isa 5:5 – I will take Isa 63:17 – Return Isa 64:9 – wroth Jer 14:22 – vanities Lam 5:20 – dost

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

The enemy being God’s enemy a plea for deliverance.

Maskil of Asaph.

In the second psalm of the Third Book we have the enemy in the sanctuary, and the destruction of that with which all blessing for the nation was connected, around which its religious life clustered and intertwined itself. Thus the desolation of the sanctuary was the casting off of the people of God, -the writing Lo-Ammi on them. It is difficult for us as Christians to put ourselves into the position of a man of that dispensation, where all spiritual blessings were sealed and symbolized to them by outward means. To say, “I am continually with Thee,” was itself comparatively easy while Jehovah’s tent was in their midst; but with the sanctuary desolated, how different would this be! Yet this might be used of God to bring the individual soul, after all, nearer to Him, -to make faith more fully aware of that personal link with Him which never could be broken. In Judaism, with all things right, the personal link founded itself upon and grew out of the corporate one. In Christianity, where things are right, the personal link is the foundation of all, and it is the union of those who believe which forms the body. The Judaized, ritualistic Christianity reverts to the old order, which was but probationary, and leaves the soul’s personal interests secondary and doubtful. God, to bring His people into the blessings He designs for them; suffers the collapse of the Jewish system. That which was of course on the one hand the penalty of their national sins (and indeed apostasy), becomes in the mercy of God, through individual exercise and the conviction of legal unrighteousness, a wholesome and effective discipline for the remnant of His ancient people, who find their way to Him. not on the ground of the Jewish covenant, but as mere “sinners of the Gentiles.” We have had their picture before us in the touching history of Ruth.

No wonder, therefore, that this is another Maskil psalm, -a special “instruction” for Israel in the last days; although it needs for full understanding to be put in connection with the thirty-second psalm, which as the first of these maskilim is the beginning of all true intelligence, and in living relation to them all. (See Notes.)

1. The psalm begins with a cry to God, as thus (as a people) abandoned by Him. They are -not “forever,” as if they were predicting the future, but “perpetually,” that is, as a matter of day by day experience, -forsaken of Him. They beseech Him; as it were, to “lift His feet,” that is to come and look at these perpetual desolations: they are indeed the terrible and demonstrative proof of their abandonment; for they are the ruins of His own dwelling-place among them. But who could have accomplished this, so long as He owned it as that in any wise? how impossible for an enemy to prevail against God!

But they are “the sheep of His pasture,” whom He has thus forsaken! Not that by this is meant to assert any righteousness on their part. It is not that they have been tractable, docile, obedient to government: who could assert this for them? No, it is privilege that they are thinking of, -of His provision for them; of that into which He had brought them, little as they might have responded to His care. They were His assembly, His in a relationship which Himself had formed with them: for He had purchased them; He had redeemed them: whatever they might be, would the unrepenting One deny His work! He had chosen Zion and dwelt there: could He altogether forsake it?

Thus we see that there is no self-righteousness in this plea that is made with God. It is really founded on that covenant name, Jehovah, though this does not, with good reason, appear. But in the power of that name it was that He redeemed them out of Egypt at the first. He will be true to it: He will act according to His own nature, not as if He repented, or changed because men changed. And this ground taken is really that of grace -of the thirty-second psalm -of purchase and redemption, which implies the putting away of sin.

2. But the psalmist goes on to picture the enemy’s work in all its desperate profanity as against God. Not the least sign was there of fear, or of regard: Thine adversaries roar in the midst of Thy place of assembly.” There is worse abomination: there, where the tokens have been seen of the worship of the true God only, “they set up their signs as signs.” “By ‘signs,'” says Delitzsch, “we must not understand military insignia; the scene of the Temple and the supplanting of the Israelite’s national insignia to be found there, by the substitution of other insignia, requires that the word should have the religious reference in which it is used of circumcision and of the Sabbath (Exo 22:13); such heathen ‘signs’ which were thrust upon the Temple and congregation of Jehovah as henceforth the lawful ones were those which are set forth in 1Ma 1:45-49, and more particularly the so-called abomination of desolation ‘ mentioned in verse 54 of the same chapter.” The application therefore to the time of the end, to which all these psalms look forward, is evident.

Mere malice seems to guide the hands and strengthen the arms of the invaders of the holy places. They seem like men leveling trees in a thicket; but no, it is the carved work of the sanctuary which is ruthlessly demolished with axes and hammers. Then they set it on fire and burn it profanely to the ground. And this flame spreads far and wide throughout the land against every place of gathering that owns the Name of the “Mighty One,” thus assailed by the pitiful weak arms of men His creatures.

And who knows the limit? There is no prophet any more: there is none who knows how long. But here the extremity of evil rouses afresh the appeal to God, who does know.

3. He must appear; He must vindicate Himself, for His name is openly reproached. The fool scoffs at it; and though he show himself by this a “fool,” yet how can God suffer it? “Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand?” aye, “Thy right hand?” why is the blow, which seems so often about to fall, so constantly delayed? “Get it ready from inside Thy bosom!”

4. The psalmist now goes back to the history of old, to comfort himself with the experience of God’s wonders in behalf of the people, when He led them out of Egypt into this very land, where now so terrible a calamity has fallen upon them. “For God is my King of old,” he says, “working deliverances in the midst of the earth,” -there where the eyes of men would be most upon them. Egypt, of which he goes on to speak, was such a place; and the haughty king of it was just the person in whom God could make His power known, and declare His name throughout all the earth. “Thou didst in Thy might cleave asunder the sea: Thou brakest the heads of the monsters on the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan* in pieces: and gavest him for food to a people, -dwellers in the desert.” These last, spite of the objection that the word used only conveys the thought of animals of the desert, surely refers to Israel; to whom, though for a time only dwellers in the wilderness, their enemies became a spoil. Similarly, Caleb and Joshua speak of the Canaanites afterwards: “they shall be food for us” (Num 14:9); and the words “to a people” seem to be put to guard us from the usual meaning. Delitzsch urges the application of “a people” to the ants in Pro 30:25; but the figurative use is there quite plain, while here it would have no meaning. Israel’s difficulties only become God’s opportunities; their adversaries only furnish them with food: “happy are the people that are in such a case!” but so it is with all the people of God.

{*The crocodile, often the symbol of Egypt. “Leviathan” is from levi, “joined,” referring to its scales, and than, almost the same as the word for “monsters,” “tannin” in the previous verse.}

The experiences of the onward way are given only in two instances, in some sort evidently contrasted with each other, and chosen on that account, to show nature’s various acting under the power of God. In the first instance in the presence of human need, a “place of springs and brooks” is cleft in the flinty rock, and the people are nourished from the barren breast of the desert. In the other case the impetuous Jordan -no winter-torrent merely, and at its flood-tide -is dammed back and dries up. The long journey ends with the same display of power with which it had begun.

From these special interventions of God in history, the psalmist passes on to His general and orderly government in creation. Israel’s God is the Creator; and His general government is in harmony with His gracious relationship to His people. The stars in their courses fight against Sisera, and all things work together for good to them that love Him. And yet no less does He make His sun to rise upon the evil and upon the good, and send His rain upon the just and unjust. These things are, of course, in no wise contradictory, for it is unbelief itself which makes that which otherwise would be blessing turn to its very opposite. So Christ in the world, in fashion as a man, was fullest, richest blessing for every one, the source of all blessing: yet men stumbled over Him, and to that, says the apostle, (1Pe 2:8,) “they were appointed.” There can be no blessing for faith, but unbelief will stumble over it. In the nature of things, faith and unbelief being contraries, there can be nothing that shall be blessing for faith, but unbelief shall take it for the opposite; and He who appoints, therefore, the blessing for faith, appoints thereby the stumbling-block for unbelief. How terrible a thing is sin, then!

But to know that our Father is the Lord of heaven and earth, what unspeakable joy! The day and the night are His alike; and the night unveils a peopled heavens, which even the glory of the day, as that, shuts out. So it has been for us spiritually, as we know. The very going down of Eden glory has but been the occasion of the display of manifold glory. And for us all the night of sorrow has revealed the luminaries with which God has lighted it. For us the day comes only with the sun: it is not earth-manufacture but heaven’s gift.

The next verse, according to its number, speaks of limits. In a world of contraries, and of perpetual conflict, what need for One who shall put limits to this. The limits of the land itself are in this way fixed by God, and a little knowledge of physical geography will teach us its importance. Compare land-locked Siberia, with its mountains cutting off the south, and the countries laved by the currents from the equator. And this therefore, is intimately connected with that “arrangement” of summer and autumn, so necessary to man’s subsistence. When the expected time of blessing for the earth shall come, it may take but an extra throe of earthquake to send man’s wheat-harvests far up towards the pole!*

{*The coal-beds of the polar regions, and even the name of “Greenland” are witness to a very different climate once in those ice-bound tracts. And it was Lyell’s belief, with which many have expressed their concurrence, that a different arrangement of sea and land would suffice to account for so great a difference as that between its present condition and the sub-tropical one argued by the presence of coal and coral.}

Thank God, these physical limits are but signs of power in His hand used in other than material things to restrain and bound; and so we are to read them.

5. From this the psalm goes on to appeal to this strong and stable government of God for recompense to those that are His adversaries as well as theirs, -theirs even on His account. The occasion calls for His intervention now. It is Jehovah Himself whom the enemy reproaches! it is that glorious and terrible Name that the fool scorns and defies. Then with Israel’s Redeemer the psalmist pleads that it is His turtle-dove -defenceless, and as far as the enemy is concerned, innocent -that is in danger. Can He give it up to men inspired in common only by their lusts? -His community, now in a common condition, indeed, in their affliction: can they be perpetually forgotten?

{Verse 29 ‘community’: Chajath, as in Psa 68:10 : literally, a “living creature”; but used for a “troop, company,” also: a body of people, as it were, inspired with one spirit, living one life. It must surely be translated alike in the two parts of one verse, and in measure is so in the common version; the revised, with most, disconnects them by rendering them “wild beast” and “life.” With the rendering I have given, however, the nephesh following, usually rendered “soul,” is better taken as qualifying chajath, (which is in the construct,) and like the similar psuchikos of the New Testament, Jam 3:15; Jud 1:19.}

Their hope, their refuge, still could be the “covenant.” Not, indeed, that terrible legal one which they had violated, and which pleaded only against them; but rather that, back centuries before Sinai, and which in its sign of circumcision spoke of the incapacity of the flesh to accomplish anything towards the fulfilment of the divine promise. Like their father Abraham, with his “body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old,” they could still believe in the God of resurrection, and fall back upon that “covenant of promise” given, when as yet there was no law to saddle it with conditions (Gal 3:15-17). Thus in all their forlorn state they could rise to be truly children of their father Abraham; and the divine mercy had here foreseen and provided for the destitution and helplessness in which they are now found. “How good is the God we adore!”

Though, therefore, in the darkened earth, the habitations of violence are everywhere round about, their need shall be an effectual plea with One able to show Himself fully out to such humbled ones. They can plead that the oppressed shall not turn back ashamed, -that the poor and needy shall be made to praise His Name. And again that brings back the realization of how the fool is scoffing at it. Let Jehovah plead, then, His own cause, and remember these reproaches, in which surely in divine government the end must be reached. The tumult of rebellion rising up continually to heaven challenges the power of God to show itself supreme above it.

Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary

Psa 74:1. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever So as to leave us no visible hopes of restitution? Why doth thine anger smoke? That is, why doth it rise to such a degree, that all about us take notice of it, and ask, What meaneth the heat of this great anger? Deu 29:24. Compare Psa 74:20, where the anger of the Lord and his jealousy are said to smoke against sinners. Against the sheep of thy pasture Against thy chosen people.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Title. Maschil of Asaph; that is, instruction, as Psalms 32. The EDDA is the title of the Icelandic poem, which also signifies instruction. This mournful ode is also alleged to have been written in Babylon, and to bear the name of Asaph, because sung to his musical compositions, or sung by the sons of Asaph. See Psalms 79. But Lyranus thinks that Asaph foretold the destruction of the temple; and the use of the pronoun this, in Psa 74:2 : Remember THIS mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt, sufficiently indicates that the psalmist wrote in Jerusalem. The phraseology would not be natural to a resident in Babylon.

Psa 74:2. Thine inheritanceredeemed from Egypt, as the Chaldaic adds: whom thou only hast a right to rule with thy rod, or thy sceptre. This is a good argument in prayer to God for another redemption.

Psa 74:7. They have cast fire into thy sanctuary. 2Ch 36:19. They burned the house of the Lord. Antiochus also burned the gates, and profaned the temple, 1Ma 4:38.

Psa 74:8. They have burnt up all the synagogues. It is said that the Lord loveth the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob. The dwellingplaces were the synagogues, by consequence, synagogues existed more or less from the beginning of the Hebrew nation: the heathen made their boast of conquering the gods, and insulting Jehovah.

Psa 74:9. We see not our signs, of altar, sacrifice, and temple.

Psa 74:14. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan; figuratively, of Pharaoh and his princes at the Red sea. The alligator is killed by a stroke on the head. The bodies of the Egyptians were washed far and wide, even down the sea to Ethiopia, that the beasts and ravens might eat their flesh. See note on Amo 9:3.

Psa 74:19. Thy turtle dove. As these doves were domestic favourites, so the Hebrews were dear to God.

Psa 74:20. The dark places of the earth. Gentile lands and gentile lords are full of cruelty.

REFLECTIONS.

The psalmist asks here, Oh God, why hast thou cast us off? The prophets have said of Zion, her foundation standeth fast; she should not be moved for ever. Strange that the Lord should abhor his own inheritance. Moses gives the answer:but if there shall arise a root bearing wormwood and gall; a departure from the Lord to the worship of idols, then the Lord would send them into captivity, and scatter them on the face of the whole earth. Here then is an equal voice to the christian church.

The psalmist complains in the day of visitation of the peculiar pride with which the enemy raised their axes against the beautifully carved work of the cedars, and the branches of the palm-trees, which designated the ever- flourishing state of religion, and put fire to the temple, which for three nights illuminated the heavens, and then expired as an omen of departed glory. These were scenes which rent the hearts of all lovers of Zion. These were the severer strokes of an angry God; but the Hope of Israel was not lost; grace was reserved for the remnant.

He cries to heaven for help, being encouraged by ancient graces which God had conferred on the Hebrew church, in breaking the head of leviathan, the cruel tyrant, and dragon of the Nile; in dividing the rock of Horeb to give water, and in opening the Jordan to give passage to his saints. He pleads, that as God still gave them light from heaven, and fruitful seasons, so he would ultimately hear their prayers and avenge the blasphemies of the heathen who had insulted his name. It was a dark day for the Jews; but the eye of faith was not beclouded. Truly, after all chastisements, God is good to Israel, to them who are clean in heart. A glorious high throne is the place of our sanctuary from the beginning. That throne is higher than the heavens, and cannot be affected by the burning of earthly temples.

Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

LXXIV. The date may be fixed with certainty and that within narrow limits. The Jews are suffering extreme distress, but apparently by no fault of their own, for there is no confession of sin. The persecution is a religious one, since we are told repeatedly (Psa 74:10; Psa 74:18; Psa 74:22) that their foes blaspheme God. Synagogues, unknown in pre-exilic times, exist throughout the land. Calamities, to some extent similar, existed in 586 B.C. when the Babylonians took Jerusalem and burned down the Temple. But if the writer had lived in the time of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, he could not have complained that no prophet had arisen (Psa 74:9). This, however, is just the complaint which befits Maccabean times (1Ma 9:27; 1Ma 4:46; 1Ma 14:41). Everything, therefore, points to the composition of the Ps. between 168 B.C., when Antiochus defiled the Temple with heathen sacrifice, forbade Jewish rites, and burnt copies of the Law, and 165, when Judas Maccabus cleansed the Temple and reorganised the worship (p. 607).

Psa 74:1-11. The misery of Israel beneath the oppression of the heathen, prayer for deliverance.

Psa 74:3. perpetual is a strange expression, for the ruins were of very recent date. But the Psalmist may have despaired of their restoration.

Psa 74:4 may refer to Greek inscriptions, weapons, etc., hung in the Temple as signs of the Greek ascendancy.

Psa 74:7. The Temple was not burnt down, but the door-posts were set on fire and destroyed (1Ma 4:38).

Psa 74:9. our signs: all the outward token of religion, e.g. observance of Sabbaths and feasts.

Psa 74:11. Read, Why dost thou hold back thy hand and keep thy right hand in the midst of thy bosom?

Psa 74:12-17. Gods Omnipotence as Creator.

Psa 74:13 f. The Psalmist draws from the popular mythology. He refers to the struggle between the powers of light and darkness, the latter being personified as dragons and Leviathan (Job 3:8*).

Psa 74:14 b. The carcase of Leviathan was food for the wild beasts of the desert which feed on carrion.

Psa 74:18-23. Arise, O God!

Psa 74:18. Emend, In spite of this (i.e. in spite of Gods wonders in creation) the enemy hath blasphemed Yahweh and a foolish (i.e. impious, see Psa 14:1, Isa 35:8*) people hath blasphemed thy name. It is perhaps worth noting in this connexion that the great adversary of the Jewish Law, Epiphanes, i.e. the illustrious, was nicknamed Epimanes, i.e. the madman.

Psa 74:20. Render, Look to the fat ones for they are full. The wealthy oppressors are compared to fatlings. The pious Jews repair to dark holes and corners (1Ma 1:53; 1Ma 2:27 ff.), but even there the oppressors find them out.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

PSALM 74

An appeal to God to act in judgment against the wicked, on behalf of His people and for His own glory.

(vv. 1-2) The psalm opens with the godly in Israel appealing to God in their distress. They recognize that they are suffering under the governmental anger of God; but they plead that, however much they may have failed, they are the sheep of His pasture, they are God’s assembly, they are God’s portion in the earth. Moreover God has purchased them, and dwelt in their midst on Mount Zion.

God has to deal with His people because of their sins; but can God forsake forever His sheep, His redeemed, and Zion that He had chosen?

(vv. 3-8) They spread out before God the work of the enemy. They say, Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations. They appeal to God to look upon the ruin caused by the enemy – a ruin that is beyond repair. The enemy has destroyed everything in the place of God’s assembly. In the house of God man has set up his signs in place of God’s signs. Instead of setting forth God, the house of God becomes a place for the display of man. All that which speaks of the beauty of God’s house – the carved work – is ruthlessly broken down with as little concern as one would feel in felling the trees of the wood. God’s house is defiled, and the aim of the enemy is to destroy every meeting place of God’s people throughout the land.

(v. 9) Moreover among God’s people there are no signs of God’s work. There is no prophet to recall the people to God, or any who can give hope of any limit to the evil. There are none who can say how long the trial will continue.

This leads to a fresh appeal to God. It is not now how long will God’s people suffer, but how long will God allow the adversary to reproach and blaspheme His Name. If it is a question of God and the enemy, can God remain inactive? Will not God show His hand and act?

Thus the godly have pleaded that the enemy is attacking God’s people (vv. 1-2); God’s sanctuary (vv. 3-9); and God’s name (v. 10).

(vv. 12-17) Having fully spread the trial out before God, the psalmist encourages himself in God. In spite of all failure amongst the people of God, and all the power of the enemy, God is King, and God is working salvation in the midst of the earth.

He recalls what God has done in the past. He divided the sea, and destroyed the power of Pharaoh, figured by monsters (vv. 13-14). God brought water from the rock, and thus sustained His people in the wilderness; He dried up the Jordan, and brought them into the land (v. 15).

Then, passing from these miraculous interventions of God, the psalmist sees in creation the ever-present witness of God’s mercy to man. The day and the night, the moon and the sun, the land and water, summer and winter, are a perpetual witness that God is not unmindful of His creatures.

(vv. 18-21) Having encouraged his soul by the remembrance of God’s past interventions on behalf of His people, the psalmist now boldly appeals to God to remember that His Name is being reproached; and that His people are defenceless – like a turtle dove – and poor, oppressed, and needy. Moreover God cannot be unmindful of the covenant that He has made in regard to the blessing of His people.

(vv. 22-23) The soul makes a final appeal that God would arise and plead His own cause. It is not now our cause, for God’s Name is being reproached. For the third time in the course of this psalm, we have the plea that God is being reproached (vv. 10, 18, 22). In this final appeal there is no word about the people or the temple. The one plea is that it is God’s cause. The voice that is raised comes from God’s enemies; the tumult comes from those that rise up against God, and this tumult increaseth continually.

Fuente: Smith’s Writings on 24 Books of the Bible

74:1 [Maschil of Asaph.] O God, {a} why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? [why] doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

(a) The Church of God is oppressed by the tyranny, either of the Babylonians or of Antiochus, and prays to God by whose hand the yoke was laid on them for their sins.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Psalms 74

The writer appears to have written this communal lament psalm after one of Israel’s enemies destroyed the sanctuary. [Note: See Ralph W. Klein, Israel in Exile: A Theological Interpretation, pp. 19-20.] The Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C. may therefore be the background. The writer asked the Lord to remember His people and defeat her enemies, as He had in the past, for His own glory (cf. Psalms 79; Psalms 137; Lam.).

"The temple has been violated. The key symbol of life has been lost. Things in all parts of life fall apart-precisely because the center has not held. This psalm of protest and grief does not concern simply a historical invasion and the loss of a building. It speaks about the violation of the sacral key to all reality, the glue that holds the world together." [Note: Brueggemann, p. 68.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

1. A call for God to remember His people 74:1-2

Evidently Israel was suffering under the oppression of a foreign foe. The writer prayed that God would stop disciplining His chosen people and remember (act) to bless the nation He had redeemed. The figure of sheep (Psa 74:2) stresses the helpless, weak condition of the people (cf. Psa 79:13; Psa 95:7; Psa 100:3). The reference to Israel’s redemption recalls the Exodus (cf. Exo 15:13). The word "tribe" (Psa 74:2) also pictures Israel as small and vulnerable (cf. Jer 10:16). God regarded Israel as His own inheritance (Deu 4:20). The sanctuary stood on Mt. Zion in Asaph’s day.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Psa 74:1-23

Two periods only correspond to the circumstances described in this psalm and its companion (Psa 79:1-13)-namely, the Chaldean invasion and sack of Jerusalem, and the persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes. The general situation outlined in the psalm fits either of these; but, of its details, some are more applicable to the former and others to the later period. The later date is strongly supported by such complaints as those of the cessation of prophecy (Psa 74:9), the flaunting of the invaders signs in the sanctuary (Psa 74:4), and the destruction by fire of all the “meeting places of God in the land,” (Psa 74:8). On the other hand, the earlier date better fits other features of the psalm-since Antiochus did not destroy or burn, but simply profaned the Temple, though he did, indeed, set fire to the gates and porch, but to these only. It would appear that, on either hypothesis, something must be allowed for poetical coloring. Calvin, whom Cheyne follows in this, accounts for the introduction of the burning of the Temple into a psalm referring to the desolation wrought by Antiochus, by the supposition that the psalmist speaks in the name of the “faithful, who, looking on the horrid devastation of the Temple, and being warned by so sad a sight, carried back their thoughts to that conflagration by which it had been destroyed by the Chaldeans, and wove the two calamities together into one.” It is less difficult to pare down the statement as to the burning of the Temple so as to suit the later date, than that as to the silence of prophecy and the other characteristics mentioned, so as to fit the earlier. The question is still further complicated by the similarities between the two psalms and Jeremiah. {compare Psa 74:4 with Lam 2:7, and Psa 74:9 with Lam 2:9} The prophets well-known fondness for quotations gives probability, other things being equal, to the supposition that he is quoting the psalm, which would, in that case, be older than Lamentations. But this inference scarcely holds good, if there are other grounds on which the later date of the psalm is established. It would be very natural in a singer of the Maccabean period to go back to the prophet whose sad strains had risen at another black hour. On the whole, the balance is in favour of the later date.

The psalm begins with a complaining cry to God (Psa 74:1-3), which passes into a piteous detail of the nations misery (Psa 74:4-9), whence it rises into petition (Psa 74:10-11), stays trembling faith by gazing upon His past deeds of help and the wonders of His creative power (Psa 74:12-17), and closes with beseeching God to vindicate the honour of His own name by the deliverance of his people (Psa 74:18-23).

The main emphasis of the prayer in Psa 74:1-3 lies on the pleas which it presents, drawn from Israels relation to God. The characteristic Asaphie name “Thy flock” stands in Psa 74:1, and appeals to the Shepherd, both on the ground of His tenderness and of His honour as involved in the security of the sheep. A similar appeal lies in the two words “acquire” and “redeem,” in both of which the deliverance from Egypt is referred to, -the former expression suggesting the price at which the acquisition was made, as well as the obligations of ownership; and the latter, the office of the Goel, the Kinsman-Redeemer, on whom devolved the duty of obtaining satisfaction for blood. The double designations of Israel as “Thy congregation” and as “the tribe of Thine inheritance” probably point to the religious and civil aspects of the national life. The strongest plea is put last – namely, Gods dwelling on Zion. For all these reasons, the psalmist asks and expects Him to come with swift footsteps to the desolations, which have endured so long that the impatience of despair blends with the cry for help, and calls them “everlasting,” even while it prays that they may be built up again. The fact that the enemy of God and of His flock has marred everything in the sanctuary is enough, the psalmist thinks, to move God to action.

The same thought, that the nations calamities are really dishonouring to God, and therefore worthy of His intervention, colours the whole of the description of these in Psa 74:4-9. The invaders are “Thine adversaries.” It is “in the place where Thou didst meet us” that their bestial noises, like those of lions over their prey, echo. It is “Thy sanctuary” which they have set on fire, “the dwelling place of Thy name” which they have profaned. It is “Thy meeting places” which they have burned throughout the land. Only at the end of the sad catalogue is the misery of the people touched on, and that, not so much as inflicted by human foes, as by the withdrawal of Gods Spirit. This is, in fact, the dominant thought of the whole psalm. It says very little about the sufferings resulting from the success of the enemy, but constantly recurs to the insult to God, and the reproach adhering to His name therefrom. The essence of it all is in the concluding prayer, “Plead Thine own cause” (Psa 74:22).

The vivid description of devastation in these verses presents some difficulties in detail, which call for brief treatment. The “signs” in Psa 74:4 b may be taken as military, such as banners or the like; but it is more in accordance with the usage of the word to suppose them to be religious emblems, or possibly idols, such as Antiochus thrust upon the Jews. In Psa 74:5 and Psa 74:6 a change of tense represents the action described in them, as if in progress at the moment before the singers eyes. “They seem” is literally “He is known” (or makes himself known), which may refer to the invaders, the change from plural to singular being frequent in Hebrew; or it may be taken impersonally, =” It seems.” In either case it introduces a comparison between the hacking and hewing by the spoilers in the Temple, and the work of a woodman swinging on high his axe in the forest. “And now” seems to indicate the next step in the scene, which the psalmist picturesquely conceives as passing before his horror-stricken sight. The end of that ill-omened activity is that at last it succeeds in shattering the carved work, which, in the absence of statues, was the chief artistic glory of the Temple. All is hewed down, as if it were no more than so much growing timber. With Psa 74:7 the tenses change to the calmer tone of historical narration. The plundered Temple is set on fire-a point which, as has been noticed above, is completely applicable only to the Chaldean invasion. Similarly, the next clause, “they have profaned the dwelling place of Thy name to the ground,” does not apply in literality to the action of Antiochus, who did indeed desecrate, but did not destroy, the Temple. The expression is a pregnant one, and calls for some such supplement as is given above, which, however, dilutes its vigour while it elucidates its meaning. In Psa 74:8 the word “let us crush them” has been erroneously taken as a noun, and rendered “their brood,” a verb like “we will root out” being supplied. So the LXX and some of the old versions, followed by Hitzig and Baethgen. But, as Delitzsch well asks, -Why are only the children to be rooted out? and why should the object of the action be expressed, and not rather the action, of which the object would be self-evident? The “meeting places of God in the land” cannot be old sanctuaries, nor the high places, which were Israels sin; for no psalmist could have adduced the destruction of these as a reason for Gods intervention. They can only be the synagogues. The expression is a strong argument for the later date of the psalm. Equally strong is the lament in Psa 74:9 over the removal of the “signs”-i.e., as in Psa 74:4, the emblems of religion, or the sacrifices and festivals, suppressed by Antiochus, which were the tokens of the covenant between God and Israel. The silence of prophecy cannot be alleged of the Chaldean period without some straining of facts and of the words here; nor is it true that then there was universal ignorance of the duration of the calamity, for Jeremiah had foretold it.

Psa 74:10 and Psa 74:11 are the kernel of the psalm, the rest of which is folded round them symmetrically. Starting from this centre and working outwards, we note that it is preceded by six verses dilating on the profanations of the name of God, and followed by six setting forth the glories of that name in the past. The connection of these two portions of the psalm is obvious. They are, as it were, the inner shell round the kernel. The outer shell is the prayer in three verses which begins the psalm, and that in six verses which closes it. Psa 74:10 takes up the despairing “How long” from the end of the preceding portion, and turns it into a question to God. It is best to ask Him, when ignorance pains us. But the interrogation does not so much beg for enlightenment as to the duration of the calamity as for its abbreviation. It breathes not precisely impatience, but longing that a state of things so dishonouring to God should end. That aspect, and not personal suffering, is prominent in the verse. It is “Thy name” which is insulted by the adversaries actions, and laid open to their contempt, as the name of a Deity powerless to protect His worshippers. Their action “reproaches,” and His inaction lets them “despise,” His name. The psalmist cannot endure that this condition should drag on indefinitely, as if “forever,” and his prayer question “How long?” is next exchanged for another similar blending of petition and inquiry, “Why dost Thou draw back Thy hand?” Both are immediately translated into that petition which they both really mean. “From the midst of Thy bosom consume,” is a pregnant phrase, like that in Psa 74:7 b, and has to be completed as above, though, possibly, the verb stands absolutely as equivalent to “make an end”-i.e., of such a state of things.

The psalmists petition is next grounded on the revelation of Gods name in Israels past, and in creative acts of power. These at once encourage him to expect that God will pluck His hand out from the folds of His robe, where it lies inactive, and appeal to God to be what He has been of old, and to rescue the name which He has thus magnified from insult. There is singular solemnity in the emphatic reiteration of “Thou” in these verses. The Hebrew does not usually express the pronominal nominative to a verb, unless special attention is to be called to it; but in these verses it does so uniformly, with one exception, and the sevenfold repetition of the word brings forcibly into view the Divine personality and former deeds which pledge God to act now. Remembrance of past wonders made present misery more bitter, but it also fanned into a flame the spark of confidence that the future would be like the past. One characteristic of the Asaph psalms is wistful retrospect, which is sometimes the basis of rebuke, and sometimes of hope, and sometimes of deepened sorrow, but is here in part appeal to God and in part consolation. The familiar instances of His working drawn from the Exodus history appear in the psalm. First comes the dividing of the Red Sea, which is regarded chiefly as occasioning the destruction of the Egyptians, who are symbolised by the “sea monsters” and by “leviathan” (the crocodile). Their fate is an omen of what the psalmist hopes may befall the oppressors of his own day. There is great poetic force in the representation that the strong hand, which by a stroke parted the waters, crushed by the same blow the heads of the foul creatures who “floated many a rood” on them. And what an end for the pomp of Pharaoh and his host, to provide a meal for jackals and the other beasts of the desert, who tear the corpses strewing the barren shore! The meaning is completely misapprehended when “the people inhabiting the wilderness” is taken to be wild desert tribes. The expression refers to animals, and its use as designating them has parallels. {as Pro 30:25-26}

In Psa 74:15 another pregnant expression occurs, which is best filled out as above, the reference being to cleaving the rock for the flow of water, with which is contrasted in b the drying up of the Jordan. Thus the whole of the Exodus period is covered. It is noteworthy that the psalmist adduces only wonders wrought on waters, being possibly guided in his selection by the familiar poetic use of floods and seas as emblems of hostile power and unbridled insolence. From the wonders of history he passes to those of creation, and chiefly of that might by which times alternate and each constituent of the Kosmos has its appointed limits. Day and night, summer and winter, recur by Gods continual operation. Is there to be no dawning for Israels night of weeping, and no summer making glad the winter of its discontent? “Thou didst set all the bounds of the earth,”-wilt Thou not bid back this surging ocean which has transgressed its limits and filled the breadth of Thy land? All the lights in the sky, and chiefly the greatest of them, Thou didst establish, -surely Thou wilt end this eclipse in which Thy people grope.

Thus the psalmist lifts himself to the height of confident though humble prayer, with which the psalm closes, recurring to the opening tones. Its centre is, as we have seen, a double remonstrance-“How long?” and “Why?” The encircling circumference is earnest supplication, of which the keynote is “Remember” (Psa 74:2 and Psa 74:18).

The gist of this closing prayer is the same appeal to God to defend His own honour, which we have found in the former verses. It is put in various forms here. Twice (Psa 74:18 and Psa 74:22) God is besought to remember the reproach and contumely heaped on His name, and apparently warranted by His inaction. The claim of Israel for deliverance is based in Psa 74:19 upon its being “Thy turtle dove,” which therefore cannot be abandoned without sullying Thy fame. The psalmist spreads the “covenant” before God, as reminding Him of His obligations under it. He asks that such deeds may be done as will give occasion to the afflicted and needy to “praise Thy name,” which is being besmirched by their calamities. Finally, in wonderfully bold words, he calls on God to take up what is, after all, “His own” quarrel, and, if the cry of the afflicted does not move Him, to listen to the loud voices of those who blaspheme Him all the day. Reverent earnestness of supplication sometimes sounds like irreverence; but, “when the hearts deeps boil in earnest,” God understands the meaning of what sounds strange, and recognises the profound trust in His faithfulness and love which underlies bold words.

The precise rendering of Psa 74:19 is very doubtful. The word rendered above by “company” may mean life or a living creature, or, collectively, a company of such. It has been taken in all these meanings here, and sometimes in one of them in the first clause, and in another in the second, as most recently by Baethgen, who renders “Abandon not to the beast” in a, -and “The life of thine afflicted” in b. But it must have the same meaning in both clauses, and the form of the word shows that it must be construed in both with a following “of.” If so, the rendering adopted above is best, though it involves taking the word rendered “greed” (lit., soul) in a somewhat doubtful sense. This rendering is adopted in the R.V. (margin), and is, on the whole, the least difficult, and yields a probable sense. Delitzsch recognises the necessity for giving the ambiguous word the same meaning in both clauses, and takes that meaning to be “creature,” which suits well enough in a, but gives a very harsh meaning to b. “Forget not Thy poor animals forever” is surely an impossible rendering. Other attempts have been made to turn the difficulty by textual alteration. Hupfeld would transpose two words in a-and so gets “Give not up to rage the life of Thy dove.” Cheyne corrects the difficult word into “to the sword,” and Graetz follows Dyserinck in preferring “to death,” or Krochmal, who reads “to destruction.” If the existing text is retained, probably the rendering adopted above is best.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary