GOD BRINGS SALVATION ON THE EARTH
Passage: Psalm 74:1~23  
Key verse: 12
Psalm 74A maskil[a] of Asaph.
1 O God, why have you rejected(A) us forever?(B)
Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(C)
2 Remember the nation you purchased(D) long ago,(E)
the people of your inheritance,(F) whom you redeemed(G)—
Mount Zion,(H) where you dwelt.(I)
3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(J)
all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.
4 Your foes roared(K) in the place where you met with us;
they set up their standards(L) as signs.
5 They behaved like men wielding axes
to cut through a thicket of trees.(M)
6 They smashed all the carved(N) paneling
with their axes and hatchets.
7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
they defiled(O) the dwelling place(P) of your Name.(Q)
8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush(R) them completely!”
They burned(S) every place where God was worshiped in the land.
9 We are given no signs from God;(T)
no prophets(U) are left,
and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long(V) will the enemy mock(W) you, God?
Will the foe revile(X) your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?(Y)
Take it from the folds of your garment(Z) and destroy them!
13 It was you who split open the sea(AC) by your power;
you broke the heads of the monster(AD) in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan(AE)
and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.(AF)
15 It was you who opened up springs(AG) and streams;
you dried up(AH) the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.(AI)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries(AJ) of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.(AK)
18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
how foolish people(AL) have reviled your name.
19 Do not hand over the life of your dove(AM) to wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted(AN) people forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant,(AO)
because haunts of violence fill the dark places(AP) of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed(AQ) retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy(AR) praise your name.
22 Rise up,(AS) O God, and defend your cause;
remember how fools(AT) mock you all day long.
23 Do not ignore the clamor(AU) of your adversaries,(AV)
the uproar(AW) of your enemies,(AX) which rises continually.
1 O God, why have you rejected(A) us forever?(B)
Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(C)
2 Remember the nation you purchased(D) long ago,(E)
the people of your inheritance,(F) whom you redeemed(G)—
Mount Zion,(H) where you dwelt.(I)
3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(J)
all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.
4 Your foes roared(K) in the place where you met with us;
they set up their standards(L) as signs.
5 They behaved like men wielding axes
to cut through a thicket of trees.(M)
6 They smashed all the carved(N) paneling
with their axes and hatchets.
7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
they defiled(O) the dwelling place(P) of your Name.(Q)
8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush(R) them completely!”
They burned(S) every place where God was worshiped in the land.
9 We are given no signs from God;(T)
no prophets(U) are left,
and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long(V) will the enemy mock(W) you, God?
Will the foe revile(X) your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?(Y)
Take it from the folds of your garment(Z) and destroy them!
13 It was you who split open the sea(AC) by your power;
you broke the heads of the monster(AD) in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan(AE)
and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.(AF)
15 It was you who opened up springs(AG) and streams;
you dried up(AH) the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.(AI)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries(AJ) of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.(AK)
18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
how foolish people(AL) have reviled your name.
19 Do not hand over the life of your dove(AM) to wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted(AN) people forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant,(AO)
because haunts of violence fill the dark places(AP) of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed(AQ) retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy(AR) praise your name.
22 Rise up,(AS) O God, and defend your cause;
remember how fools(AT) mock you all day long.
23 Do not ignore the clamor(AU) of your adversaries,(AV)
the uproar(AW) of your enemies,(AX) which rises continually.
Footnotes
- Psalm 74:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Cross references
- Psalm 74:1 : S Ps 43:2
- Psalm 74:1 : S Ps 44:23
- Psalm 74:1 : Ps 79:13; 95:7; 100:3
- Psalm 74:2 : S Ex 15:16; S 1Co 6:20
- Psalm 74:2 : S Dt 32:7
- Psalm 74:2 : S Ex 34:9
- Psalm 74:2 : S Ex 15:13; S Isa 48:20
- Psalm 74:2 : Ps 2:6
- Psalm 74:2 : Ps 43:3; 68:16; Isa 46:13; Joel 3:17, 21; Ob 1:17
- Psalm 74:3 : Isa 44:26; 52:9
- Psalm 74:4 : La 2:7
- Psalm 74:4 : S Nu 2:2; S Jer 4:6
- Psalm 74:5 : Jer 46:22
- Psalm 74:6 : S 1Ki 6:18
- Psalm 74:7 : S Lev 20:3; Ac 21:28
- Psalm 74:7 : S Lev 15:31
- Psalm 74:7 : Ps 75:1
- Psalm 74:8 : Ps 94:5
- Psalm 74:8 : 2Ki 25:9; 2Ch 36:19; Jer 21:10; 34:22; 52:13
- Psalm 74:9 : S Ex 4:17; S 10:1
- Psalm 74:9 : S 1Sa 3:1
- Psalm 74:10 : Ps 6:3; 79:5; 80:4
- Psalm 74:10 : ver 22
- Psalm 74:10 : S Ps 44:16
- Psalm 74:11 : S Ex 15:6
- Psalm 74:11 : Ne 5:13; Eze 5:3
- Psalm 74:12 : Ps 2:6; S 24:7; 68:24
- Psalm 74:12 : Ps 27:1
- Psalm 74:13 : S Ex 14:21
- Psalm 74:13 : Isa 27:1; 51:9; Eze 29:3; 32:2
- Psalm 74:14 : S Job 3:8
- Psalm 74:14 : Isa 13:21; 23:13; 34:14; Jer 50:39
- Psalm 74:15 : S Ex 17:6; S Nu 20:11
- Psalm 74:15 : S Ex 14:29; S Jos 2:10
- Psalm 74:16 : S Ge 1:16; Ps 136:7-9
- Psalm 74:17 : Dt 32:8; Ac 17:26
- Psalm 74:17 : S Ge 8:22
- Psalm 74:18 : Dt 32:6
- Psalm 74:19 : S Ge 8:8; S Isa 59:11
- Psalm 74:19 : S Ps 9:18
- Psalm 74:20 : S Ge 6:18
- Psalm 74:20 : Job 34:22
- Psalm 74:21 : Ps 9:9; 10:18; 103:6; Isa 58:10
- Psalm 74:21 : S Ps 35:10
- Psalm 74:22 : Ps 17:13
- Psalm 74:22 : S Ps 53:1
- Psalm 74:23 : Isa 31:4
- Psalm 74:23 : S Ps 65:7
- Psalm 74:23 : S Ps 46:6
- Psalm 74:23 : S Nu 25:17
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
There are times in life when we find ourselves in the midst of the ruins due to the consequence of sin or the effects of living in a fallen world. We feel like the world has been turned upside down and God has cast us off. What is the best response in that situation? We still need to come to God, even with pained hearts and honest questions: “Why?” and “How long?” God waits for us to come just as we are through our earnest prayers. We also need to look back to what God has done in our lives and how he accomplished our salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The anchor of our faith is Jesus Christ our king who brings salvation on the earth.
Prayer: Lord, help me pray to you even in times of spiritual confusion and ruins, remembering your marvellous work in me and in the world.
One Word: God is my King