Psalm 74

Asaph prays for Israel.

 


 

ASAPH PRAYS FOR ISRAEL

A contemplation by Asaph.

 

VERSE 1. God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

the sheep of your pasture. The author views the Jewish people as “sheep” in the pasture of the LORD.

 

VERSE 2. Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance; Mount Zion, in which you have lived.

 

VERSE 3. Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.

perpetual ruins. This suggests the sanctuary was completely devastated.

evil that the enemy has done. What the enemy had done was a grave evil.

 

VERSE 4. Your adversaries have roared in the middle of your assembly. They have set up their standards as signs.

signs. This might mean military emblems.

 

VERSE 5. They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.

 

VERSE 6. Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers.

 

VERSE 7. They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling place of your Name.

 

VERSE 8. They said in their heart, “We will crush them completely.” They have burned up all the places in the land where God was worshiped.

the places in the land where God was worshiped. Perhaps people had been gathering to worship the One God in places other than the temple.

 

VERSE 9. We see no miraculous signs. There is no longer any prophet, neither is there among us anyone who knows how long.

We see no miraculous signs. The author is complaining that they have not seen any big displays of God’s power.

no longer any prophet. In the Old Testament era, to not have a prophet is a real sadness.

who knows how long. A prophet would be able to tell them how long this problem would last.

 

VERSE 10. How long, God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

How long. In verse 1 above, the author said God, had rejected us forever.

Now the author changes his mind and asks how much longer it will last.

 

VERSE 11. Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!

right hand. The Bible often mentions “the right hand” of God. That is a position of power and honor. We believe it refers to Jesus Christ. More verses about the right hand.

 

VERSE 12. Yet God is my King of old, working salvation throughout the earth.

 

VERSE 13. You divided the sea by your strength. You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

the sea monsters. Leviathan is a sea monster in the Bible. It is large. It breathes fire and sparks. It is a created being. We see it as exemplifying the Power of God. Read more »

 

VERSE 14. You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces. You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.

Leviathan. Leviathan is a sea monster in the Bible. It is large. It breathes fire and sparks. It is a created being. We see it as exemplifying the Power of God. Read more »

 

VERSE 15. You opened up spring and stream. You dried up mighty rivers.

 

VERSE 16. The day is yours, the night is also yours. You have prepared the light and the sun.

 

VERSE 17. You have set all the boundaries of the earth. You have made summer and winter.

 

VERSE 18. Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, LORD. Foolish people have blasphemed your name.

 

VERSE 19. Don’t deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts. Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.

 

VERSE 20. Honor your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.

 

VERSE 21. Don’t let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.

 

VERSE 22. Arise, God! Plead your own cause. Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.

 

VERSE 23. Don’t forget the voice of your adversaries. The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.

 


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PSALMS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 1617, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 3435, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 5253, 5455, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 7071, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 888990, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104105, 106, 107108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148149, 150

Deuterocanonical chapter: 151

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, MemorizeDavid’s Fasting

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.