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Psalm chapter 74

English Standard Version

1O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? 2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. 3Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. 5They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. 6And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. 7They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. 8They said to themselves, "We will utterly subdue them"; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. 10How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? 11Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! 12Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. 14You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. 15You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. 16Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. 17You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. 18 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name. 19Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20Have regard for the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. 21Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise your name. 22Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day! 23Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

What does Psalm chapter 74 mean?

Asaph is the name of a musician who lived in the same era as king David (1 Chronicles 6:39). However, this psalm appears to refer to the Babylonian devastation of 586 BC; that invasion destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. This event happened centuries after David. That this song is labeled "of Asaph" may suggest that it was written in his style. It may even have been recorded by one of Asaph's descendants who shared his name. The passage is called a maskiyl: the term implies a reflective, somber song, or a skillful play of instruments (Psalm 32:1; 52:1; 89:1).

The song begins with laments: a series of mourning, grieving statements. Another Old Testament book is so filled with these statements that it was named "Lamentations." The psalmist's grief begins with a sense that God has abandoned the nation of Israel. Mount Zion was the location of Jerusalem, and of the temple. For an enemy to conquer and shatter such a holy place would have been devastating to the people. Like men cutting down trees, the invading Babylonians brought the temple itself down (Psalm 74:1–8).

Also painful is that the nation lacks a spiritual mentor. Many eras in Israel's history were tied to the ministry of a prophet or prophets. These include men like Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, and Elisha. Here, the psalmist indicates that God seems to be silent. No one is speaking God's words. No one is explaining how long this terrible time will last. In these moments of tragedy, the psalmist feels as if the Lord is completely abandoning Israel (Psalm 74:9–11).

However, this is only a temporary feeling. Much like another psalm associated with Asaph (Psalm 73:2–3, 15–18), this one recognizes that God is still God. He is the hope of humanity: the all-powerful, all-sovereign Creator. By repeating a list of God's past actions and His powers, the psalmist reassures himself that the Lord hasn't been defeated (Psalm 74:12–17).

This leads to a more confident prayer that God will quickly defeat these enemies. This includes a mention of the Lord's covenant with Israel (Exodus 34:27). This doesn't suggest that God has stopped knowing that this covenant exists. Instead, the psalmist is asking God to do what He has already promised. This, also, is a form of self-reassurance. By crying out to the Lord about the wickedness of His enemies, and His vows to His chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6), the psalmist is also reminding himself of God's ultimate control over all things (Psalm 74:18–23).
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Book Summary
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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Chapter Context
In 586 BC, Babylon overcame Israeli defenses, attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. This psalm appears to respond to that event. However, this is many years after Asaph (1 Chronicles 6:39), the contemporary of David. Most likely, this psalm was written in that Asaph's style, or in his honor, or perhaps by a descendant who shared his name. Similar expressions of grief are common in the book of Lamentations. Other parallels are found in Psalm 79 and Jeremiah 10:25. Psalms 32, 52, 89, and others are also marked as a "maskil."
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