Old Testament Commentary - Psalms 74

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 74 O God, remember thy chosen congregation—The wicked destroy the sanctuary and burn the synagogues—O God, remember them for their deeds, and save thy people.
Maschil of Asaph.
1 O GOD, why hast thou ^acast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast ^apurchased 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 ^aensigns 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 ^adestroy them together: they have burned up all the ^bsynagogues of God in the land. 9 We see not our signs: there is ^ano more any ^bprophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy ^ablaspheme thy name for ever? 11 Why ^awithdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. 12 For God is my ^aKing^a of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.	12^a God is my King This is the meaning of the name of Elimelech, the father of Mahlon and the rightful grandfather of Obed who was the grandfather of David. At a time when Israel had replaced God's order with a request for a king like unto other nations, it was Elimelech, an Ephathite/Ephraimite family of he covenant who followed after the father's name, meaning that they still reverenced God as King.
13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the ^adragons in the waters. 14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. 15 Thou didst ^acleave the fountain and the flood: thou ^bdriedst up mighty rivers.
16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. 17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made ^asummer and winter. 18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.
19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever. 20 Have respect unto the ^acovenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of ^bcruelty.
21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. 22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily^a. 23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.	22^a the foolish man reproacheth thee daily He that denieth God, he that does not take the Lord seriously, even as little as taking the name of God in vain, the daily speaking and cursing by the name of God with no real intent; all these things and other such things which do not honor and respect the name of God giveth reproach unto he who has created the heavens and the earth, hath formed the tabernacle of man and placed the spirit of man in it, even he that is over, in and through all things. God is God and there is none else and all that man is and is dependant upon depends upon him. And the one and only way man has unto salvation from the grace and eternal life is in and through him. Honor, respect and devotion are due our creator, our savior and our king. Anything less is but a reproach unto him and to his great name. Deny him not, do not speak evil or lightly in his name. Do not give offense nor reproach unto the name and being of God.