Psalm 74 – A plea to God for salvation and justice
(by Elder Yoong Yuen Soo)
During prolonged periods of distress and injustice, God seems to have forgotten His redeemed. The Psalmist asks, “Why? Why? How long? and Why?”
Several times, the Psalmist appeals to God, “Remember!” Remember!” Remember!”
Firstly, to remember all those whom He has redeemed, the sheep of His pasture. Secondly, to remember how His enemy scoffs and a foolish people reviles the Name of YHWH. Thirdly, to remember how the ignorant scoffs at the living God, their Creator.
Throughout history, God’s enemies desecrate the meeting places where true worshippers assembled. This is still happening in many places in the world. We, too, ask God, “Why? How long?” We wonder how long will God allow the poor and His redeemed to suffer and why He is holding back His hand of justice.
We must turn our eyes to God the Creator, who is the King over all the earth. Let us think of His power over all sea creatures and the rivers, His control of the seasons and His ownership of all the lands on the earth.
God will arise to defend His Name. He will not forget the souls of His beloved. He will not forget the reviling of the foolish ones and the clamour of His enemies.
Let’s Read Psalm 74
A maskil of Asaph.
1 O God, why do you cast us off forever?
Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,
which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!
Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;
the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!
4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;
they set up their own signs for signs.
5 They were like those who swing axes
in a forest of trees.
6 And all its carved wood
they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
they profaned the dwelling place of your name,
bringing it down to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our signs;
there is no longer any prophet,
and there is none among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?
Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!
12 Yet God my King is from of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might;
you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You split open springs and brooks;
you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night;
you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
you have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs,
and a foolish people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;
do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Have regard for the covenant,
for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
21 Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;
let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Arise, O God, defend your cause;
remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!
Let’s Pray
Lord Jesus Christ, You have made known Your Name to all. You are the great Creator who is now my Saviour. You received the insults that Your creatures heaped upon You. You bore all the scoffing of the fools and the clamour of Your enemies. Yet You loved them all and died for them.
LORD, work salvation among Your enemies, for You do not desire that any should perish but have eternal life. I will wait patiently and praise Your Name as long as I live! For You will remember Your redeemed and carry out Your justice for Your Name’s sake. In Your precious Name, I pray.
This devotional was kindly contributed by Dr. Chow Li Sze and her channel Heavenly Devotion. You may find the channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/HeavenlyDevotion/videos
About the Heavenly Devotion channel
The Heavenly Devotion channel is dedicated to encouraging you to listen to Bible Scriptures and pray with the Scriptures. They are inspired by the call of service as expressed and exemplified by Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:12-15.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrew 4:12 NKJV)
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