Psalms 74:1-23

O God, why hast Thou cast us off for ever?

why doth Thine anger smoke against the sheep of Thy pasture?

The wail and prayer of a true patriot

I. The wail (Psalms 74:1).

1. Some communities of men are far more favoured of Heaven than others. The Jews were (Psalms 74:1). In this diversity of endowment--

(1) There is no just reason for complaining of God. As the Sovereign Author of all life, He has an undoubted right to determine as to whether He should give life to any or not; what kind of life it should be, and to how many; and what kind or measure of power He should give to each.

(2) There is no injury done to any. The man or community least favoured has no right to complain, for he is only responsible for what he has. Obligation is bounded by capacity.

2. The most favoured communities are not exempted from terrible calamities (Psalms 74:7).

3. These terrible calamities are often inflicted by wicked men.

4. The wicked men who inflict these calamities are ever under the control of God.

(1) He has power to arrest them (Psalms 74:10).

(2) This power He has sometimes signally displayed (Psalms 74:13).

(3) This power is implied in the universality of His dominion.

II. The prayer (Psalms 74:18).

1. The enemies of God are the enemies both of themselves and of their country (Psalms 74:18). A bad man cannot be a good citizen, but must be more or less a curse to his country. An ungodly man can never be a true patriot.

2. The interposition of God is necessary to deliver a country from the pernicious influence of wicked men (Psalms 74:22).

(1) The cause of true philanthropy is the cause of God.

(2) The cause of philanthropy is outraged on earth. Men, instead of loving each other as brethren, hate each, oppress each other, murder each other.

(3) The cause of philanthropy is dear to the heart of the good.

Hence the prayer, “Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause.” In this prayer two things are to be noted--
(i.) The anthropomorphic tendency of the soul.
(ii.) A good man’s conscious need of God.
How deeply did this godly patriot feel the necessity of God’s interposition. In the midst of his country’s distress he looked around, but there was help to be found nowhere but in heaven. (Homilist.)