Title. - Maschil of Asaph. An instructive Psalm by Asaph. The history of the suffering church is always edifying; when we see how the faithful trusted and wrestled with their God in times of dire distress, we are thereby taught how to behave ourselves under similar circumstances we learn moreover, that when the fiery trial befalls us, no strange thing has happened unto us, we are following the trail of the host of God.

Division. - From Psalm 74:1-11 the poet pleads the sorrows of the nation, and the despite done to the assemblies of the Lord; then he urges former displays of divine power as a reason for present deliverance (Psalm 74:12-23). Whether it is a prophetic Psalm, intended for use in troubles foreseen, or whether it was written by a later Asaph, after the invasion by Sennacherib or during the Maccabean wars, it would be very hard to determine, but we see no difficulty in the first supposition.

Hints to Preachers

Psalm 74:1. -

I. The divine displeasure a fact.

II. It is but in measure, and we are very liable to exaggerate it.

III. Even while it lasts our relation to him is unaffected, "Sheep of thy pasture."

IV. Our business is to enquire the reason of it, and act accordingly.

Psalm 74:1 (second clause). - The Lord's anger with his people compared to smoke.

I. It is not a consuming fire.

II. It suggests fear of the fire.

III. It darkens the light of joy.

IV. It blinds the eyes of faith.

V. It checks the breath of life.

VI. It blackens the beauty of our worldly comforts.

Psalm 74:2. -

I. The Lord's relation to his people.

1Election.

2Redemption.

3Indwelling.

II. The prayer arising from it: "Remember."

Psalm 74:3. - Church mischief.

I. The church has enemies.

II. Wickedness in the church is their great weapon.

III. This causes much desolation to weak saints, to enquirers, to peace, to prayer, to usefulness.

IV. The cure for it is God's interposition.

Psalm 74:3, Psalm 74:4. - The power of prayer.

I. On one side were,

1.:Desolation: "perpetual," etc.

2Desecration.

3.:Declamation: "enemies roar."

4. Demonstration: "they set up."

II. On the other side is,

1Supplication.

2. This brings God to the rescue effectually and quickly.

Psalm 74:4. - "Ensigns for signs." The craft of Satan in supplanting truth with deceptive counterfeits.

Psalm 74:5. - True fame. To build for God with labour, daring, diligence, skill, etc.

Psalm 74:6. - Vandal work against the truth of God.

Psalm 74:6, Psalm 74:7. - Things feared by a church.

I. Injury to her doctrines or ordinances: "carved work."

II. The fire of strife, division, etc.

III. The defilement of sin. Either of these three will throw a church down; let her guard and pray against them.

Psalm 74:8. - The destruction of rural churches, the aim of our enemies: the injury they would so do, and our duty to prevent it: the means the destroyers use: bribery, oppression, etc. Our proper method for sustaining such churches.

Psalm 74:9 (first clause). -

I. There are such things as "signs," that is, tokens and marks of God's special favour to the soul.

II. There is also "a seeing those signs, when God, the Holy Ghost, is pleased to shine upon them."

III. There is a third state, where there is not seeing the signs, those signs being enveloped in darkness, dimness, and obscurity. - J. C. Philpot.

Psalm 74:9. - Teacheth us, that evident signs of God's wrath and displeasure, as the want of his word, the stopping of the true ministers' mouths, etc., should touch us to the quick. - T. Wilcocks.

Psalm 74:10. - A prayer for revival.

I. How God is reproached.

II. What are the ill effects of it.

III. When we may expect him to arise.

Psalm 74:11. -

I. The patience of God with man: He "withdraws his hand, even," etc., he hesitates to strike.

II. The impatience of man with God: "pluck it," etc. - G. R.

Psalm 74:12. -

I. The sovereignty of God.

II. Its antiquity.

III. Our loyalty to it.

IV. The practical character of his reign: "working."

V. The graciousness of it: "working salvation."

VI. The place of its operation: "in the midst of the earth."

Psalm 74:14. - God's defeat of our enemies, and the benefit accruing to ourselves.

Psalm 74:15. - The wonderful nature of gracious supplies, illustrated by the smitten rock.

Psalm 74:16. - God present alike in all dispensations of providence.

Psalm 74:16, Psalm 74:17. -

I. The God of grace is the God of nature: "The day is thine," etc.

II. The God of nature is the God of grace: the wisdom, the power, the faithfulness the same. See Psalm 19:1-14. - G. R.

Psalm 74:19. - The soul of the believer compared to a turtledove.

Psalm 74:20 -

I. The title given to heathen nations: "dark places of the earth." Not without the light of nature, or of reason, or of natural conscience, or of philosophy, as of Greece and Rome; but without the light of revelation.

II. Their condition: "full of," etc.: cruelty in their public, social, and private relationships. See Romans 1:"without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful."

III. Their part in the covenant. This is known from their part in its promises, and in prophecies. "I will give thee the heathen," etc.

IV. The prayer of others on their behalf. "Have respect," etc.; "Oh send forth thy light," etc. The conversion of the world will be in answer to the prayers of the church. - G. R.

Psalm 74:22. - God pleading his own cause in providential visitations of nations and individuals, as also in remarkable conversions and awakenings.

Psalm 74:22. -

I. The glory of our cause: it is the Lord's own.

II. The hope of our cause: he will plead it himself.

III. The hope thus derivable from the violence of man: it will move the Lord to arise.

Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings

Whole Psalm

There is one singularity in this Psalm which reminds one strongly of Psalm 44:there is not one mention of national or personal sin throughout, no allusion to the Lord's righteous dealing in their punishment, no supplication for pardon and forgiveness; and yet one can hardly doubt that the writer of the Psalm, be he who he may, must have felt as keenly as Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, or any other prophet of the captivity, the sins and iniquities which had brought all this sore evil upon them. But still, though there be expostulation, there is no complaint; though there be mourning, there is no murmuring; there is far more the cry of a smitten child, wondering why, and grieving that his father's face is so turned away from him in displeasure, and a father's hand so heavy on the child of his love. Or, as we might almost say, it is like the cry of one of those martyred ones beneath the altar, wondering at the Lord's continued endurance of his heritage thus trampled under foot of the marauder and oppressor, and exclaiming, "How long, O Lord, how long?" And yet it is the appeal of one who was still a sufferer, still groaning under the pressure of his calamities, "Why hast thou cast us off for ever? We see not our signs, there is no more any prophet among us." - Barton Bouchier.

Whole Psalm

The peculiarity of this Psalm is marked by the very frequent use of the נעח, "for ever:" Psalm 74:1, Psalm 74:3, Psalm 74:10. - E. W. Hengstenberg.

Psalm 74:1

This Psalm, and particularly these words, do contain the church's sad lamentation over the deep affliction, together with her earnest expostulations with God about the cause. Two things there are that the church in these words doth plead with God. First, The greatness of her affliction; secondly, the nearness of her relation.

I. The greatness of her affliction. And there were three things in her affliction that did make it lie very heavy upon her.

1. First, the root of this affliction; and that was God's "anger:... Why doth thine anger smoke," etc.

2. Secondly, the height of this affliction: God was not only angry, but he did "smoke" in his anger.

3. Thirdly, the length of this affliction: it was so long that God did seem to cast them off "for ever."

I. The nearness of her relation: "Against the sheep of thy pasture;" as if they should have said, Lord, if thou hadst done this against thine enemies, it had been no wonder; if thou hadst poured out thy wrath against the vessels of wrath, it had not been so much. But what wilt thou draw out thy sword against the sheep of thy pasture? It were no wonder that thou shouldst take the fat and the strong, and pour out thy judgments upon them; but wilt thou do it to thy sheep? There be several doctrines that I may raise from these words; as,

1. First doctrine: That God's people are his sheep.

2. Second doctrine: That God may be sorely angry with his own people, with his own sheep.

3. Third doctrine: That when God is angry with his people, it becomes them carefully to enquire into the cause.

4. Fourth doctrine: That when God's people are under afflictions, they ought to take notice of, and be much affected with, his anger, from which they do proceed.

5. Fifth doctrine: That God's people under afflictions are, or should be, more affected with his anger than with their smart. This is that which the church doth complain of, not that the church did so smart, but that God was displeased and angry; that did most affect them.

6. Sixth doctrine: That God's people are apt to have misgiving thoughts of God when they are in sore afflictions. God was angry with his people and their hearts did misgive them, as if God did cast off his people.

7. Seventh doctrine: That God may be angry with his people, so sore, and so long, that in the judgment of sense it may seem that they are for ever cast off.

8. Eighth doctrine: That though the people of God may not murmur against his proceedings, yet they may humbly expostulate with him about the cause. - Joseph Alleine. 1633-1668.

Psalm 74:1

"Why doth thine anger smoke," etc. Anger is a fire; and in men, and other creatures enraged, a smoke seemeth to go out of their nostrils. Xenophon saith of the Thebans, when they are angry they breathe fire. This then is spoken of God, after the manner of men. - John Trapp.

1 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.

Psalm 74:1

"O God, why hast thou east us off for ever?" To cast Us off at all were hard, but when thou dost for so long a time desert thy people it is an evil beyond all endurance - the very chief of woes and abyss of misery. It is our wisdom when under chastisement to enquire, "Show me wherefore thou contendest with me?" and if the affliction be a protracted one, we should the more eagerly enquire the purport of it. Sin is usually at the bottom of all the hidings of the Lord's face; let us ask the Lord to reveal the special form of it to us, that we may repent of it, overcome it, and henceforth forsake It. When a church is in a forsaken condition it must not sit still in apathy, but turn to the hand which smiteth it, and humbly enquire the reason why. At the same time, the enquiry of the text is a faulty one for it implies two mistakes. There are two questions, which only admit of negative replies. "Hath God cast away his people?" (Romans 11:1); and the other, "Will the Lord cast off for ever?" (Psalm 77:7). God is never weary of his people so as to abhor them, and even when his anger is turned against them, it is but for a small moment, and with a view to their eternal good. Grief in its distraction asks strange questions and surmises impossible terrors. It is a wonder of grace that the Lord has not long ago put us away as men lay aside cast-off garments, but he hateth putting away, and will still be patient with his chosen. "Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?" They are thine, they are the objects of thy care, they are poor, silly, and defenceless things: pity them, forgive them, and come to their rescue. They are but sheep, do not continue to be wroth with them. It is a terrible thing when the anger of God smokes, but it is an infinite mercy that it does not break into a devouring flame. It is meet to pray the Lord to remove every sign of his wrath, for it is to those who are truly the Lord's sheep a most painful thing to be the objects of his displeasure. To vex the Holy Spirit is no mean sin, and yet how frequently are we guilty of it; hence it is no marvel that we are often under a cloud.

Psalm 74:2

continued...

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 turtle-dove 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.

Having spread the sad case before the Lord, the pleader now urges another series of arguments for divine help. He reasons from the Lord's former wonders of grace, and his deeds of power, imploring a repetition of the same divine works.

Psalm 74:12

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