O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? Psalms 74:1. Complaint that God casts off His people; prayer that He will remember Zion, His inheritance purchased of old (Psalms 74:1); His people's misery: the for has destroyed God's sanctua... [ Continue Reading ]
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. REMEMBER THY CONGREGATION, WHICH THOU LAST PURCHASED OF OLD. A strong plea for present deliverance is here urged-namely, Gods, grace of o... [ Continue Reading ]
Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. -The enemy has destroyed God's sanctuary and synagogues, and there are no tokens of God's presence in the land. Verse 3. LIFT UP THY FEET UNTO THE PERPETUAL DESOLATIONS - `ruins' (Psalms... [ Continue Reading ]
O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? O GOD, HOW LONG ... FOR EVER - () SHALL THE ENEMY BLASPHEME THY NAME? The prophet, in his zeal and piety, is more concerned for the dishonour done to God's name than for the suffering of himself and his pe... [ Continue Reading ]
Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. WHY WITHDRAWEST THOU ... THY RIGHT HAND? - the symbol of God's might. Why dost thou remain an inactive spectator of our wrongs? (Proverbs 19:24; Lamentations 2:3 is parallel). PLUCK IT OUT OF THY BOSOM - rather, '(d... [ Continue Reading ]
For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. FOR GOD IS MY KING OF OLD, WORKING SALVATION IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH - rather 'of the land'-Palestine. As King and therefore Guardian of Israel from of old time, He cannot utterly forsake His own people. The past is a guar... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. THOU ... THOU. The seven-fold repetition of the emphatic "thou" stand in majestic contrast to the powerless 'I.' Human feebleness sinks into the arms of Divine Omnipotence, and feels safe. THOU DIDST DI... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. THOU BRAKEST THE HEADS OF LEVIATHAN IN PIECES, AND GAVEST HIM TO BE MEAT TO THE PEOPLE INHABITING THE WILDERNESS. The plural "heads" is put for the singular, his monstrous head being... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers. THOU DIDST CLEAVE THE FOUNTAIN AND THE FLOOD - Thou didst cause the water of the fountain to break forth by cleaving-referring to ; ; . THOU DRIEDST UP MIGHTY RIVERS - as the Jordan (). Not easily dried up: never so by... [ Continue Reading ]
The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. THE DAY IS THINE. Not only the sea and the waters, but the day and the light are at thy sovereign control. Not only in history, but also in creation and in providence, God reigns. THOU HAST PREPARED THE LIGHT A... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter. THOU HAST SET ALL THE BORDERS OF THE EARTH - its boundaries toward the sea (, etc.; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. -The prayer (Psalms 74:1) resumed and expanded. Verse 18. REMEMBER THIS - answering to Psalms 74:2; Psalms 74:10. THE FOOLISH PEOPLE - (Psalms 39:8) These self-wise and proud enemies ar... [ Continue Reading ]