Sunday, April 17, 2011 pm
STUDIES IN PSALMS
How Long Will the Adversary Reproach
Psalm 74
Asaph is mentioned in
2 Chron. 29:30 by Hezekiah as
one whose words were to be sung.
Also
Nehemiah 12:46 mentions both
David and Asaph as worship was being restored after return from
captivity. I mention this
because, as a contemporary of David, some believe David actually wrote
the psalms and dedicated them to Asaph to use in worship to God.
However, the above texts seem show that Asaph was a prophet
(seer) of God and thus we ought to attribute these psalms to him.
This psalm consists of a plea of
people in Israel lamenting the destruction of the temple.
The exact time of this psalm is unknown.
Because of the description, this psalm was probably written after
its destruction of the temple by Babylon in 586 BC.
Others appeal to temples during the 400 years of silence.
I lean toward the first alternative for a number of reasons, the
primary one being that I believe all writings during the inter-testamental
period were not inspired. Malachi
reveals a silence until the coming of the Lord.
Regardless of when this psalm has
reference to a damaged temple, its significance is a plea to God for
help. But some commentators
have noted that perhaps it serves as an example of Israel’s
shortsightedness failing to see the degree of their sin against God.
Such was often a problem within Israel’s history and it was still
a problem when our Lord was upon this earth.
We will examine this psalm with BOTH of these possibilities in
mind.
a.
“Why have
You cast us off…”This psalm begins with a realization that God is not
with them (or at least that is perceived).
b.
Notice
that it seems like “forever” that God has not been with them.
This could be a result of the devastation mentioned (it seemed
like what had happened was the final straw) or that they had been
witnessing unprecedented afflictions.
Such occurred with the Babylonian captivity.
Recall that it actually happened in 3 stages from 606 AD to 586
AD. It was the latter stage
that resulted in the temple being utterly destroyed.
More on this in a few moments.
THOUGHT: Concerning “forever”: Sometimes, we think that we cannot bear
something any longer. We
might realize that we have done something worthy of great punishment and
we receive it, or we are facing some troubles and we think we have had
enough, but it doesn’t go away.
Do we blame God?
c.
Vs. 2
notices a realization that God had been with them.
It was His congregation.
Here we find introduced two possible approaches:
i.
The first
is a true realization of all that God had done for them and how they are
God’s people. There is a
desire to return to Him and an acknowledgment that they need His help.
Perhaps there is an honest desire to know WHY?
BUT concerning Judah, as they faced Babylonian captivity, they HAD BEEN
WARNED OVER AND OVER! Cf. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Nahum, Habakkuk, Joel, etc.
ii.
It
COULD be a description of entitlement.
Reminding God He had purchased them, the tribe of His
inheritance, and “Mount Zion” a reference to Jerusalem which often has a
dual implication looking toward the church (cf. Heb. 12:22).
Was He going to abandon them or had He already done that?
As you study the gospels, you find an attitude similar to this among the
Jewish leaders during the time of Christ.
They thought they were God’s chosen people and thus invincible.
d.
NOTICE in
this query, there is a lack of acknowledgment of their sinfulness.
II.
A
sanctuary in ruins (3-8)
a.
The
sanctuary is described as being in ruins.
Damages by an enemy.
Everything was damaged.
Vs. 4 – the place had been defiled and perhaps even replaced with
foreign gods.
b.
Vs. 5 –
they have come in and taken everything (much like Babylon did carrying
away the furnishings of the temple.) (2 Chron. 36:18)
The mention of axes is interesting in light of how furnishings inside
the temple were prepared. 1
Kings 6:21 tells us that they were overlaid with gold.
An axe (or other instrument) would be used to salvage such
values.
c.
Vs. 7 – It
has been burned down, even to the ground.
(2 Chron. 36:19)
d.
Vs. 8 –
They had destroyed everything about their worship.
NOTE: The KJV & ASV use the term synagogue here for “meeting places”.
The actual word in Hebrew was a word that could mean a seasonally
appointed feast, the assembly on such an occasion and by extension the
place of meeting. I suspect
that when Babylon conquered Judah, they removed whatever places of
worship were around, but more importantly, worship according to the Law
of Moses (feasts, sacrifices, holy days, etc.) ceased.
e.
THOUGHT:
Will we allow the Lord’s church today to be decimated in this way?
Maybe not physically, but spiritually?
Are we living our lives in such a way that the Lord is about to
remove our candlestick (Rev. 2 & 3)?
Do we allow immorality, compromise and indifference into our
midst?
III.
A
people in ruins (9-11)
a.
Vs. 9 – No
longer any prophet in their midst.
After the Babylonian captivity, especially after Jeremiah was
taken to Egypt, there is no record of prophets in the land of Judah.
They were all gone. It
was one of the consequences of their sinful conduct.
To us, we see a circumstance where God’s word is hidden.
They are without hope.
b.
Vs. 10 –
Enemies blaspheming His name.
We again see this from two angles:
A truth – that the enemies of God seem to be winning.
In fact, as you read the book of Daniel you find a very arrogant
King Nebuchadnezzar that God needed to humble.
But the OTHER angle is their failure to realize why this is happening –
their sinful conduct!
c.
Vs. 11 –
God’s hand is withdrawn from them and they desire God to AGAIN avenge
them as in times past.
IV.
The majesty of God (12-17)
a.
Truths
declared about God are abundant –
i.
God is
King from of old – the realization is that Jehovah God is the one in
whom the author trusts. And
he knows that His rule is from everlasting.
Exodus 19:5-6, at Mt Sinai the LORD said, “For the earth is Mind.
And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
ii.
He works
salvation throughout the earth.
He had saved (delivered) His people on many occasions.
In the Psalm of Moses (Ex 15:2 we
read, “The LORD is my strength and
song, and He has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God and I will exalt Him.”)
And, even while in Babylonian
captivity, God had not forgotten his ultimate salvation yet to come.
In time, He would bring back His people to Jerusalem (cf. 536
BC).
iii.
He divided
the seas by His strength – a reference to Israel crossing the Red Sea
(Ex. 14:21) and the Jordan (Josh. 3:14-17).
While it might not be the direct reference, I also think of God creating
and controlling the forces of this world – (Gen. 1:6-8 – where He
divided the waters.)
iv.
He had
broken the heads of sea serpents (and Leviathan).
This demonstrated His control over all creatures.
Some also see in this, God dominion in destroying Egypt – cf. Ezek.
32:2-3, Ezek 29:3-4, etc.
Concerning Leviathan – we know little about it, except the few passages
that mention it, and that is all they do – (Job. 3:8, 41:1, Psalm
104:26, Isaiah 27:1 -2X).
Some equate it to the crocodile (cf. Job. 41:1) or some mythical
creature. Commentators tie
it to Egypt and other great kings and their nations that were against
God.
Whatever it is, God had control over it.
v.
He broke
open the fountain and the flood.
And He dried up mighty rivers.
Water, a life giving substance, has played an integral part in
salvation throughout history – from waters divided which delivered His
people, waters miraculously provided for the thirsty (in the
wilderness), to waters
destroying even the whole earth with the flood.
AT other times, it was the drought to produced God’s wrath against His
rebellious people.
vi.
He was
given as food to the peoples inhabiting the wilderness (a barren place
with few life sustaining resources) – He sustained His people, as in His
provisions of manna while in the wilderness.
Also, if Leviathan is Egypt – when the Egyptians were washed upon the
shore of the Red Sea, Israel saw God’s provisions for them (cf. Ex.
14:30)
vii.
He
controls the sun, moon, borders of the earth, and even the seasons.
Gen. 1:3 – “Let there be light.” Gen. 1:14-18 – Sun and moon
created.
viii.
OVERALL,
this is an acknowledgement of His greatness.
b.
When we
consider such truths, it ought to humble us greatly.
Humble us to the point of submission to His will.
Psalm 8:3-5
V.
Another plea for remembrance (18-23)
a.
There are
several things that the writer “reminds” the LORD about.
i.
The enemy
has reproached, O Lord – Babylon did this!
A “foolish people” had blasphemed His
name – Babylon did this!
ii.
The writer
describes his People (God’s chosen people) as a turtledove – a delicate
bird. A plea for God to
protect them from the wild beast.
iii.
Do not
forget the life of Your poor forever – in general, the godly came from
this class. Perhaps this is
a reminder that there are still those who serve Him.
iv.
Have
respect to the covenant – a call for God to keep His promises
1.
A study of
scripture reveals that God always keeps His covenants.
What He promises He does –
2.
BUT
covenants involve two parties. What happens when one breaks a covenant?
There is the right to annul it.
We are blessed that even though man has broken God’s covenant
many times, His longsuffering, grace and mercy prompts Him to forgive us
when we return to Him.
3.
Concerning
our text, never mind who had broken the covenant in the first place (cf.
Ex. 24:6-8. Leviticus 26
records blessings and curses depending upon whether or not Israel kept
their promises. Also
Deuteronomy 28 records blessings and cursings as Israel is about to
enter the Promised Land.
v.
A plea
again for the poor and need to have opportunity to serve Him
vi.
Plead YOUR
cause – a call for God to vindicate Himself.
The author realizes things are not right with God’s will.
vii.
He
concludes noting the voice of His enemies which is against Him.
VI.
Observations about this psalm:
a.
We have
been discussing the two possible approaches of this psalm.
i.
One is an
earnest plea acknowledging God’s greatness and a desire for His
vengeance on the wicked as He delivers His people – this would be like
the typical psalm we read.
All the requests would then by a typical prayer.
ii.
The other
is the same plea, only with a blinded heart that refuses to see WHY he
is facing what he is.
1.
It the
heart similar to that of King Saul who never really repented unless it
was self-serving (1 Sam. 15:24-25)
2.
It was the
heart of Israel who refused to listen to the prophets, reasoning that
God would deliver them again and again because they didn’t need to
repent.
3.
It is the
heart of the enemies of Jesus who were blinded by their corrupt
traditions and refused to see the doom awaiting them – Matt. 15:8-9, Cf.
Rom. 10:1-4. They were
treasuring up for themselves wrath.
NOTE: Even to this day, there are many Jews who do not “get” why
Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD and why the temple is in the hands of
another religion that denies their God and ours.
4.
Is this us
at times? Have you ever met
someone who refuses to take responsibility for his conduct?
Everything is always someone else’s fault.
iii.
The
difference is the heart of the psalmist (which we cannot tell)!
b.
Do we ever
find ourselves in these predicaments? An even more disturbing question:
Do we ever MIX THEM UP?
Putting the blame for devastation on God or others while failing to see
our own rebellion and downfall!
c.
I do find
it interesting that unlike many of the psalms we have studied,
especially those of David, there is NO promise to glorify God and
proclaim His will if He delivers them.
Nevertheless, we DO have a prayer where the author desires God’s
will be done and He has reminded God of such things.
Friends:
May we in all that we do have the integrity to admit our own
faults with full repentance and without blaming everyone else.
Until we do this, we will blindly grasp for answers.
And when we find them, even when they are the truth, we will
still not figure them out! 2
Cor. 7:11, “For observe this very
thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced
in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what
vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved
yourselves to be clear in this matter.”