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.