Psalm 74- The Dark Places of the Earth
By Bunni Pounds
*This blog is part of our weekly, virtual Bible Study through the book of Psalms. For information on how to participate, please visit this page.
This Psalm – a meditation from Asaph – is a cry, a plea, and prayer over the destruction of the temple. There is great debate on which Asaph this was that was writing this - David and Solomon’s Asaph speaking about the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians or even the temple in Shiloh in I Samuel 4. It could have been a later Asaph.
Either way – this man was distraught. In his mind – God was not showing up to rescue and restore the situation in the moment. Will God make Himself real to this man in the dark places of the earth?
It is always hard to see injustices and want God to immediately fix it. When we see Christian ministries cancelled off social media or activists attacking businesses like Hobby Lobby or Chick-fil-A who take their faith and values into the public square – we lament the unfairness of it all.
That is a natural reaction.
Let’s read Psalm 74:1-8
“O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
They set up their banners for signs.
They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees
And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.
They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
They said in their hearts,
“Let us destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.” (verses 1-8)
Why is the “meeting place” of the saints so “dangerous”?
We are dangerous in the presence of God because it is where we get strength, discipleship, and power. This place is why the enemy wants to do anything he can to separate us from our church bodies. It is about the people and presence that when we are together make us a force to be reckoned with.
Hebrews 10:25 – “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Ephesians 5:19-20 – “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
The power of the people of God when we are together is off the charts.
In verse 3 of Psalm 74, it says- “lift up your feet”.
That is an interesting statement – but it is biblical. As God promised Eve, her descendent would crush the serpent’s head under his heel.
This was his message to the serpent -
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
Later on, in the New Testament – this promise is put another way.
Romans 16:20 – “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
“This psalm appears to describe the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Chaldeans. The deplorable case of the people of God, at the time, is spread before the Lord, and left with Him. They plead the great things God had done for them. If the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was encouragement to hope that He would not cast them off, much more reason have we to believe, that God will not cast off any whom Christ has redeemed with His own blood. Infidels and persecutors may silence faithful ministers, and shut up places of worship, and say they will destroy the people of God and their religion together. For a long time they may prosper in these attempts, and God's oppressed servants may see no prospect of deliverance; but there is a remnant of believers, the seed of a future harvest, and the despised church has survived those who once triumphed over her. When the power of enemies is most threatening, it is comfortable to flee to the power of God by earnest prayer.”
In verse 9 – the Psalmist details out the quietness of the prophets’ voices.
“We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.” (verses 9-12)
Two powerful things of the Lord seem to be non-existence in this season – but they know it is not forever.
The voice of the Lord through the prophets - where was the Lord speaking? Remember the 400 years of silence in Israel’s history as well before the Messiah came in the form of a baby.
They are asking also where the Lord’s hand is – specifically his “right hand” which is the hand of his blessings, favor, birthright. Where was the Lord’s favor?
Then the Psalmist recounts the past victories of the Lord His power over nature, and His power even over the seasons.
“You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
You broke open the fountain and the flood;
You dried up mighty rivers.
The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
You have prepared the light and the sun.
You have set all the borders of the earth;
You have made summer and winter.” (verses 13-17)
He has power over even the sea creatures and the darkness. This is the epidemy of evil, and they knew ultimately that God would destroy every “god” of this world, every creature of destruction, and every place of darkness.
“Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
Have respect to the covenant;
For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.” (verses 18-23)
At the end – we remember that the Lord loves His people and that even if these same people have failed Him and become “foolish”, He still loves His “turtledove” and He won’t give us over to the enemy, the wild beast.
He is a covenant keeping God. Even when we are unfaithful – He is still faithful.
Look at the stories of the children of Israel. When they continued to be like a harlot going after other lovers – God was still sending people to them to show them His love. He was always faithful. So, the Psalmist is calling on that faithful God who will not let His beloved fall or stay in bondage. He knows that God will not “forget the voice” of His enemies.
And we know ultimately that Jesus is coming back. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus.
Even in the midst of trials and hardships – God is still faithful to restore us. He will never leave us.
Hebrews 13:5 is an important word for us today in a culture that always wants more. Ultimately our contentment is centered around the fact that we know we will not be forsaken. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Even when the Church feels like it is broken and dysfunctional.
Even when our families seem to be torn apart.
Even when as Christians we seem to be focusing on the wrong priorities and not on the simplicity of loving God and walking with Him.
Even when we don’t seem to have “enough” and lack feels like it is our destiny – GOD will never leave us.
That is why even a Psalm that is hard to understand and get our heads wrapped around about sea monsters and the destruction of a temple can speak to us today.
God is the same God who we can plead with, and He will NOT leave us.
He will speak to us again. He will not remain silent. He will show up in the dark places of the earth when we feel there is no hope.
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