GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE

PSALM 74

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SCRIPTURE READING IN ENGLISH

1 Maschil of Asaph.

O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased 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 ensigns 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 destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons 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 cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst 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 summer 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 covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

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.

23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

This is a psalm of deep contemplation in times of great affliction and distress when the psalmist asked if God is still on throne, controlling the affairs of the earth, especially the well-being of His people. Indeed, God is still on the throne even amidst overwhelming wickedness of men that seemed to have seated God on His throne.

The psalmist felt "abandoned" by God because his desolation is so acute. There seemed no redress. No way out of the immense trouble. He reasoned that perhaps it is due to God's anger with His people for their sins, yet does God cast His people off forever? Is it possible for a totally backslidden Christian to lose his/her salvation? The answer is no! The psalmist appealed to God's covenant (v 20a ), that God keeps His promises, especially when His people are jealous for His name. Yet, they seemed to be fighting a losing battle against the enemies of God!

The enemies ran riot in God's sanctuary (v 3-8 ). There seemed to be no law to curb them. No sign of any relieve for God's people. The wicked is described as "nabal", the epitome of foolishness in men (v 18 ,22 ).

Notice that God's people is referred as turtledove (v 19 ). The turtle-dove is a name of endearment for one beloved, Song of Solomon 2:12 "The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

This psalm is filled with the Hebrew imperatives showing the deep agony of the psalmist plea to God for deliverance. These are remember (v 2 ,18 ), lift up (v 3 ), have respect (v 20 ), arise, plead, remember (v 22 ). Will God hear? He will certainly for He is still on the throne. May all His suffering saints wait upon Him.