Psalm 74 - Defending His Honor

The title of Psalm 74 tells us it is a maskil (maschil) of Asaph.  Maskil is believed to have been, most likely, a type of literary or musical work. 

Because the psalm speaks of Jerusalem and the Temple being in ruins, it is thought that it may have been written at the time of Shishak’s invasion.  King Solomon had ruled for forty years after his father David’s death.  His son, Rehoboam, ruled after him and the Bible records that he was not wise like his father had been.  His people turned against him and, five years into his reign, Shishak, King of Egypt, attacked Jerusalem and robbed the Temple (I Kings 14:25-26, 2 Chronicles 12:1-5).  Asaph would have been an old man by this time.

The Psalm opens with a cry to God to remember His people.  These first three verses contain the heartfelt sorrow of Asaph, a man who has spent his life serving God.  His questions to God in verse 1 are probably rhetorical as Asaph would have been aware of King Rehoboam’s weakened kingdom and the events surrounding that.  He appeals to God, in verse 2, to remember His chosen people and also Mount Zion (Jerusalem) where God had dwelt in His Temple.  Finally, in verse 3, he asks God to turn His steps toward what is now destruction and ruin at the hands of an enemy.  This psalm was written from a heart deep in mourning.

Try to get a sense of Asaph’s intense anger as you read verses 4-9.  He has changed tactics and is now detailing for God all his complaints against the enemy.  Having served under Kings David and Solomon, he would have seen God’s blessings poured out on His people and is probably now in disbelief that God has turned His back on His people.  He may even be feeling lost having spent his entire life serving in the Temple.

Asaph changes tactics once again in verses 10-11.  He lets God know that His enemies are mocking Him and asks God to reach out and destroy the enemy.  Asaph has made a very specific request to God and provided God a reason to answer it…the honor of His Holy name.  We need to learn to make our requests known to God in this way.  Have you ever thought about your petitions to the Lord in terms of why He might want to grant them?

Verses 12-15 appear to be a prophetic response to the destruction in Jerusalem.  They speak of a Savior and God’s coming judgments.  Compare these verses to Isaiah 27:1, Ezekiel 29:1-3, Ezekiel 32:1-2.  Ezekiel’s prophecies, which sound so similar to Psalm 74, were written around the time of Jerusalem’s fall to Babylon which would be quite a bit after Asaph’s lifetime.   Though the Psalm was written by Asaph, it is believed by some to be referring to this later invasion of Babylon.  Or perhaps God’s judgment on Egypt was for both invasions.  Think about this and form your own opinion.   Write Psalm 74:12 in your journal.

Notice in verses 16-17, Asaph cites God’s abilities as Creator to claim these judgments fulfilled.  Compare these two verses with Genesis 8:22.

In verses 18-21, we see a softer appeal to God to remember the plight of His people.  He calls the enemy foolish and wild beasts while referring to God’s people as ‘your dove’, ‘your afflicted people’, ‘the oppressed’, and ‘the poor and needy’.  In verse 20 he refers to God’s covenant with His people.  But we know that God had not forgotten His covenant.  Compare Leviticus 26:14-17 and I Kings 9:1-9 with I Kings 14:22-24.  God was keeping His covenant with His people.

The Psalm ends, in verses 22-23, with another request for God to defend His cause against enemies who are mocking Him.  This summarizes the entire Psalm in which Asaph has been asking God to defend His Honor.  Have you ever made similar petition to God?  We have all been exposed to someone who is mocking God at one time or another.  What is your reaction when that happens?

Reread this Psalm straight through and record in your journal how God has spoken to you today through this study of His Word.

 Repeat Psalm 73:28 several times until you can say large portions without looking at it.

 

Responding to God:  As you close in prayer today, confess your sins to Him and ask Him to show you anything in your life that may be keeping Him from blessing you.  Pray that you would feel a strong sense of duty to defend His honor.

 

Further Research:  If you would like to learn more about Rehoboam and the events leading to the attack on Jerusalem, read I Kings 11:26-14:31 and 2 Chronicles 10-12.  Use the internet to find historical information about King Shishak’s invasion and burning of Judah.

Psalm 73 - Wealth and the Wicked

Today we will begin our study of Book III, the third collection of Psalms in the Bible’s compilation.  This collection contains Psalms 73-89.  We will start today with Psalm 73.

The title of this Psalm attributes it to Asaph.  The Psalms attributed to Asaph are 50 and 73-83.  Asaph was one of King David’s temple musicians (I Chronicles 6:31-32, 39).  His job was to sing joyful music accompanied by instruments and to sound the bronze cymbals (I Chronicles 15:19).  In addition, he was the chief of those appointed to minister before the ark of the Lord, making petition and giving thanks and praise (I Chronicles 16:4-6, 37).  King David wrote and first committed to Asaph a psalm of thanks which is recorded in I Chronicles 16:7-22 and portions of which are contained in Psalm 105.  Asaph was under the direct supervision of King David (I Chronicles 25:6).

When King David’s son, Solomon, ascended to the throne, he commissioned the construction of the Temple of the Lord.  As the Ark of the Covenant was being brought to reside in the temple, Asaph was among the musicians serving at the ceremony.  Read 2 Chronicles 5:12-14 for a description of their duties.  Asaph was a leader in the worship of God and, through the years, his descendants continued to serve as singers in the Temple.  His Psalms, later sung by King Hezekiah’s choirs (2 Chronicles 29:30), have lasted through the ages and can be studied today in the Bible.

Begin your study today in prayer, asking God for wisdom concerning wealth and the wicked of this world. 

Meditate for a moment on the truth of verse 1.  Who has been included in this verse?  One only needs to read the book of Exodus to gain an appreciation of God’s immeasurable goodness to Israel and yet, that is just a fraction of what the Bible offers on this subject. 

But in the next two verses Asaph, one of the worship leaders in Israel, speaks of almost losing his footing when he became envious of the prosperity of the wicked.  Have you ever found yourself having similar feelings…tempted to do whatever it takes to get ahead?  Even though we know that God will provide for His followers, we are often tempted, like Asaph, to wish for earthly wealth. 

Verses 4-12 provide us a list of all the advantages and behaviors that the prosperous wicked enjoy.  Identify each one as you read these verses.  It is true that wealth often brings a more comfortable lifestyle and arrogant behaviors.  Note in verse 9 that the wealthy make claims against Heaven itself.  We can gain some insight into these claims by reading Proverbs 10:2.  Note also in verse 11 the belief that they are getting away with their sin.  Read Psalm 90:7-8 and decide for yourself whether this is true.

Asaph describes his conclusions on the matter in verses 13-15.  His first inclination is to declare that he has wasted his days serving God.  Think about this for a moment.  In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus sheds light on this issue.  What is His advice? 

As Asaph tries to understand all this, he enters the sanctuary of God (verses 16-17).  We see that God redirects his thinking on the matter.  Reflect for a moment on the time you spend in the presence of God.  Is your mind totally focused on Him so that He is able to redirect your thinking?  What does verse 17 tell us brought Asaph this new point of view?  Read his new perspective in verses 18-20.  Do you, like Asaph, realize that the wealthy wicked are not to be envied?  Their treasures and privileges are of this earth and are temporary, but God’s people have so much more waiting for us after our lives here on earth are finished.  Read Proverbs 19:23.

Compare verses 21 and 22, Asaph’s assessment of his earlier thoughts, with I John 2:15-17 and I Timothy 6:6-10.  Do you agree with his assessment?  Take a few moments and assess your own attitude in this area.  What is more important to you today – treasure on earth or treasure in heaven?

As a result of Asaph’s new perspective, he immediately makes a personal response to God’s leading.  Read verses 23-26.  The Apostle Paul, having also given his life totally to serving the Lord, echoes the thoughts of verse 25 in Philippians 3:8.

The Psalm is summarized in its final two verses.  We are reminded again that the wicked will perish, but the godly put their trust in the Lord.  Have you put your trust in the Lord?  Write Psalm 73:28 in your journal.

Reread Psalm 73 without interruption for continuity of thought. 

Responding to God:  As you close in prayer today, ask God to help you see the truth clearly, as Asaph did.   Ask Him to guide you in setting priorities for your life and respond to His leading.

Commit to memorizing Psalm 73:28 this week. 

Record in your journal how God has spoken to you today through this study of His Word.

 

Further Research:  If you would like to learn more about the Temple of the Lord, read I Kings.

Introduction to Psalms - Book III

The book of Psalms is a hymn book, rich in worship, and full of comfort for the believer.  Though meant to be sung (2 Chronicles 29:28-30), many of the Psalms read like prayers and can be lifted up to God in times of trouble.  They are brimming with human feelings and emotions and encourage us to be personal with God.  But they are also full of Christ as He Himself attests (Luke 24:44).  In fact, Jesus quotes from them more than any other Old Testament book. 

While the majority of the 150 Psalms were written by King David, we know that there are many authors spanning many generations.  Yet the feeling of worship remains constant throughout.  Allow yourself to experience the true worship of God as we study together these gems of Hebrew poetry.

The Psalms are believed to actually be five compilations, or books, which were brought together within our Bible as the book of Psalms.  The five books are as follows:

• Book I             Psalms 1-41
• Book II           Psalms 42-72
• Book III          Psalms 73-89
• Book IV          Psalms 90-106
• Book V           Psalms 107-150

The Psalms do not have poetic rhythm as we know it in English prose.  Nor do they necessarily rhyme.  Some are acrostics, which means each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  Some have unsignaled change of voice, making it challenging to keep up with who is speaking.  And some have either a rhyming or an opposite thought which reoccurs throughout the song.  All of these devices are typical in Hebrew poetry.  Watch for them and enjoy the Psalms for the wonderful piece of literature that they are.

These daily devotions are the study of Book III.  We will attempt to understand the teaching contained within these Psalms by reading the text and then comparing it to other writings within the Scriptures.  Finally, we will seek to strengthen our relationship with a Most Holy God by applying what we are learning into our daily lives.  I pray that your soul will be fed, your life will be changed, and your relationship with God will be all that you hope it could be.