A Contemplationfn of Asaph.
O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Psa 74:2
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.
Psa 74:3
Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
Psa 74:4
Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
They set up their banners for signs.
Psa 74:5
They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.
Psa 74:6
And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.
Psa 74:7
They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
Psa 74:8
They said in their hearts,
“Let us destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
Psa 74:9
We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
Psa 74:10
O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
Psa 74:11
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
Psa 74:12
For God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Psa 74:13
You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
Psa 74:14
You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
Psa 74:15
You broke open the fountain and the flood;
You dried up mighty rivers.
Psa 74:16
The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
You have prepared the light and the sun.
Psa 74:17
You have set all the borders of the earth;
You have made summer and winter.
Psa 74:18
Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
Psa 74:19
Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
Psa 74:20
Have respect to the covenant;
For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
Psa 74:21
Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
Psa 74:22
Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
Psa 74:23
Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.
O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Psa 74:2
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.
Psa 74:3
Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
Psa 74:4
Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
They set up their banners for signs.
Psa 74:5
They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.
Psa 74:6
And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.
Psa 74:7
They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
Psa 74:8
They said in their hearts,
“Let us destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
Psa 74:9
We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
Psa 74:10
O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
Psa 74:11
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
Psa 74:12
For God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Psa 74:13
You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
Psa 74:14
You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
Psa 74:15
You broke open the fountain and the flood;
You dried up mighty rivers.
Psa 74:16
The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
You have prepared the light and the sun.
Psa 74:17
You have set all the borders of the earth;
You have made summer and winter.
Psa 74:18
Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
Psa 74:19
Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
Psa 74:20
Have respect to the covenant;
For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
Psa 74:21
Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
Psa 74:22
Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
Psa 74:23
Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.
Your Thoughts
1.Looking over this Psalm, was there a particular verse that you liked?
Read that verse over again.
It could even be a phrase.
No matter if it's one verse, one phrase, or one single word, Stop and think
about it for just a minute.
2. Why do you think you like it?
Have you been experiencing something in your life that resonated with this verse?
Possibly, Right?
3. That's the Word speaking to you. Maybe write it down. Turn it into a prayer and/or praise.
4. Pray and Thank God for this revelation and ask Him to make it clear how He wants to use it in your life.
5. Share what God spoke to you with someone. Let others be blessed too.
Read that verse over again.
It could even be a phrase.
No matter if it's one verse, one phrase, or one single word, Stop and think
about it for just a minute.
2. Why do you think you like it?
Have you been experiencing something in your life that resonated with this verse?
Possibly, Right?
3. That's the Word speaking to you. Maybe write it down. Turn it into a prayer and/or praise.
4. Pray and Thank God for this revelation and ask Him to make it clear how He wants to use it in your life.
5. Share what God spoke to you with someone. Let others be blessed too.
My Thoughts
The first thing that comes to me is the persecuted church around the world. It always amazes me to hear how Christians are being persecuted for their faith. It just doesn't seem possible. Yet since the fall of Adam and Eve, righteous people have been martyred for their faith. I think of Cain and Abel, and the prophets, and then of Jesus, and then of all those who have been allowed to die for their faith. Even today, there seems to be an increase of persecution for the Christians. Isis and Isalm have been responsible for so many deaths in the Middle East and in Africa. As well as, China and German and many other places globally. It make me so mad every time I hear it. I cry out for God's warring hand to stop it.
Yet, God is with them.
Sometimes we may wonder why God doesn't just deliver those people and crush the wicked.
I think that's where Asaph was in this Psalm.
God allows it, but one day He will strike with a fury and destroy wickedness from His presence.
Asaph seemed to be frustrated at the destruction of the sanctuary of worship and was upset with the torment of the wicked. After all he was the worship leader in the sanctuary and it was his place of worship to the Lord.
Do you have those special places that you go to worship God and get close to Him?
Can you imagine if one day you saw it destroyed?
Sad, but this is what Asaph is retelling us about in this Psalm.
The temple and sanctuary of God had been destroyed a number of times.
Titus came in to destroy Daniel 8
Roman came in to destroy.
Nebukanezer
and there is a coming a day in the future when the temple will be rebuild in Israel only to be desecrated once again.
However, when Jesus comes to establish His Kingdom here on Earth, no one will ever be able to harm it again. Praise the Lord. He is coming Soon.
SO let's look at this Psalm.
Verse 1-2
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
As hard as it to see the destruction, I like how Asaph reminds God that this is His inheritance. There is something about belonging that helps in a crisis. When you know you are God's child and His redemption, then you can be assured that whatever is going on God will rectify. Evil is present with us, yet God only allows it to go on for a limited time. We are his inheritance. You are his inheritance. You are precious to Him, no matter what.
Don't judge God's love by the trials you face?
Look at Job's life.
Remember trail are producing a heavenly nature in us. No, it isn't easy and it's easier to write this than apply it for sure. Yet, truth behold, Jesus is doing something and it will work out for our good. We have to trust Him.
Trust Him.
He loves you.
Verse 10
O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
Asaph didn't have the end of Bible to understand, he just was going off of what he was experiencing.
The answer is no however sometimes it is hard not to think theses thoughts.
Do you ever feel that way today?
I know I do. I cry out How long Oh God? How Long?
No one knows the day or hour, but we sure know the seasons, right?
This world is prime for Jesus return. The more we see wickedness arise the more we need to encourage ourselves that Jesus is ever close.
Psa 74:11
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
Again, I like Asaph. God at any moment can do anything. He can destroy and wipe people out if He wanted too, yet often time He chooses not too. Why?
He is very slow to anger and full of mercy. But don't let that fool you. It's only to give those individuals an opportunity to change. Once they are gone, they have no hope.
It's hard to understand but God sees every man's heart and knows their end.
Look at Saul who he renamed Paul.
On his destructive journey, you bet I would have asked God to destroy the wickedness. That is what God did. He destroyed the wicked man of Saul and converted his heart to the apostle Paul.
You see God sees different than we see.
He knows who will be saved and not. For those who won't be saved, their end is the grave and ultimate destruction.
Put your burdens in the hand of the Lord, and you can be assured He will do what is Just, True, and Right.
Verse 12
For God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Asaph came to this realization that God is working His salvation on Earth.
God rules ultimately over all things.
He is King of King, and Lord of Lords.
He is working. Trust Him.
verses 13-17
Remembering of the creative power of God.
It is interesting because I am in the book of Job for my devotions. Job was put to the test and trials for sure. Although people were trying to figure out the reason for the allowance of such harm in Job's life, no one could explain it and Job couldn't understand it. However in Job 38, God speaks. God speaks to Job of all His power and strength in Creation. It's one of my favorite parts of scripture.
Asaph sounds like he must of read Job and was reminding himself of the awesomeness of God.
It's a very good practice especially when in a trial.
Sometimes we just don't know why? But we do know the WHO?
God is in control. We are called to trust in Him no matter what. He made the universe, He made the stars, He made you and me, and He will do as He pleases.
Are you in some affliction today? Trust God through the Journey. It's not easy but when you stop trying to figure out the Why and look at WHO is with you, it helps your mind be more at peace with whatever you face.
I personally am facing a physical hardship right now. I get discouraged because the pain is real and constant and I feel horrible and weak. I am challenged to fight through negative thoughts, and allow the God of the Universe to do what He pleases. I pray for healing everyday, but I also know that at any moment He can heal me and change this issue in my life. I don't understand it, but I trust that no matter what I face, God is with me.
verse 13-14
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 divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
Now that's the God we serve. Awesome upon Awesome.
Verse 18
Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name
Remind God what you are going through, what the world is going through. Talk to Him about everything that weighs on your heart today.
Verse 19
Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
I like that Asaph calls us turtledoves: Gentle fragile creatures.
We are all but dust. We are all hopeless without Christ.
verse 22
Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
I like that "plead Your own cause." I don't know why but it makes me laugh.
Asaph was really wanting to see God destroy the wicked. He wanted God
to intervine and do something.
Here at the end it was as if he is saying, "God do what you want".
You do it God.
verse 23
Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.
I find it interesting that Asaph doesn't conclude on a positive note of worship to God.
He is still wrestling. On the contrary, David usually ends the Psalms with some reflection on God's character.
I think Asaph needed to have a worship session on finish with God being praised for He will do His pleasure.... Something like that.
I don't know it's just a thought.
My encouragement to myself and to you is that we end on worship.
So often we can let this life get us looking at the wicked instead of God. We can allow these evil things to get roots in our mind and lodge there.
But when you worship, you get untangled from these thing and you find yourself in the palm of God Almighty.
No longer fretting about but resting.
Get yourself in a place of worship today.
Peace the Peace of God through it all, is what we need.
Hang in there and find yourself in His arms today.
Blessings.
Yet, God is with them.
Sometimes we may wonder why God doesn't just deliver those people and crush the wicked.
I think that's where Asaph was in this Psalm.
God allows it, but one day He will strike with a fury and destroy wickedness from His presence.
Asaph seemed to be frustrated at the destruction of the sanctuary of worship and was upset with the torment of the wicked. After all he was the worship leader in the sanctuary and it was his place of worship to the Lord.
Do you have those special places that you go to worship God and get close to Him?
Can you imagine if one day you saw it destroyed?
Sad, but this is what Asaph is retelling us about in this Psalm.
The temple and sanctuary of God had been destroyed a number of times.
Titus came in to destroy Daniel 8
Roman came in to destroy.
Nebukanezer
and there is a coming a day in the future when the temple will be rebuild in Israel only to be desecrated once again.
However, when Jesus comes to establish His Kingdom here on Earth, no one will ever be able to harm it again. Praise the Lord. He is coming Soon.
SO let's look at this Psalm.
Verse 1-2
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
As hard as it to see the destruction, I like how Asaph reminds God that this is His inheritance. There is something about belonging that helps in a crisis. When you know you are God's child and His redemption, then you can be assured that whatever is going on God will rectify. Evil is present with us, yet God only allows it to go on for a limited time. We are his inheritance. You are his inheritance. You are precious to Him, no matter what.
Don't judge God's love by the trials you face?
Look at Job's life.
Remember trail are producing a heavenly nature in us. No, it isn't easy and it's easier to write this than apply it for sure. Yet, truth behold, Jesus is doing something and it will work out for our good. We have to trust Him.
Trust Him.
He loves you.
Verse 10
O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
Asaph didn't have the end of Bible to understand, he just was going off of what he was experiencing.
The answer is no however sometimes it is hard not to think theses thoughts.
Do you ever feel that way today?
I know I do. I cry out How long Oh God? How Long?
No one knows the day or hour, but we sure know the seasons, right?
This world is prime for Jesus return. The more we see wickedness arise the more we need to encourage ourselves that Jesus is ever close.
Psa 74:11
Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
Again, I like Asaph. God at any moment can do anything. He can destroy and wipe people out if He wanted too, yet often time He chooses not too. Why?
He is very slow to anger and full of mercy. But don't let that fool you. It's only to give those individuals an opportunity to change. Once they are gone, they have no hope.
It's hard to understand but God sees every man's heart and knows their end.
Look at Saul who he renamed Paul.
On his destructive journey, you bet I would have asked God to destroy the wickedness. That is what God did. He destroyed the wicked man of Saul and converted his heart to the apostle Paul.
You see God sees different than we see.
He knows who will be saved and not. For those who won't be saved, their end is the grave and ultimate destruction.
Put your burdens in the hand of the Lord, and you can be assured He will do what is Just, True, and Right.
Verse 12
For God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Asaph came to this realization that God is working His salvation on Earth.
God rules ultimately over all things.
He is King of King, and Lord of Lords.
He is working. Trust Him.
verses 13-17
Remembering of the creative power of God.
It is interesting because I am in the book of Job for my devotions. Job was put to the test and trials for sure. Although people were trying to figure out the reason for the allowance of such harm in Job's life, no one could explain it and Job couldn't understand it. However in Job 38, God speaks. God speaks to Job of all His power and strength in Creation. It's one of my favorite parts of scripture.
Asaph sounds like he must of read Job and was reminding himself of the awesomeness of God.
It's a very good practice especially when in a trial.
Sometimes we just don't know why? But we do know the WHO?
God is in control. We are called to trust in Him no matter what. He made the universe, He made the stars, He made you and me, and He will do as He pleases.
Are you in some affliction today? Trust God through the Journey. It's not easy but when you stop trying to figure out the Why and look at WHO is with you, it helps your mind be more at peace with whatever you face.
I personally am facing a physical hardship right now. I get discouraged because the pain is real and constant and I feel horrible and weak. I am challenged to fight through negative thoughts, and allow the God of the Universe to do what He pleases. I pray for healing everyday, but I also know that at any moment He can heal me and change this issue in my life. I don't understand it, but I trust that no matter what I face, God is with me.
verse 13-14
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 divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
Now that's the God we serve. Awesome upon Awesome.
Verse 18
Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name
Remind God what you are going through, what the world is going through. Talk to Him about everything that weighs on your heart today.
Verse 19
Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
I like that Asaph calls us turtledoves: Gentle fragile creatures.
We are all but dust. We are all hopeless without Christ.
verse 22
Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
I like that "plead Your own cause." I don't know why but it makes me laugh.
Asaph was really wanting to see God destroy the wicked. He wanted God
to intervine and do something.
Here at the end it was as if he is saying, "God do what you want".
You do it God.
verse 23
Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.
I find it interesting that Asaph doesn't conclude on a positive note of worship to God.
He is still wrestling. On the contrary, David usually ends the Psalms with some reflection on God's character.
I think Asaph needed to have a worship session on finish with God being praised for He will do His pleasure.... Something like that.
I don't know it's just a thought.
My encouragement to myself and to you is that we end on worship.
So often we can let this life get us looking at the wicked instead of God. We can allow these evil things to get roots in our mind and lodge there.
But when you worship, you get untangled from these thing and you find yourself in the palm of God Almighty.
No longer fretting about but resting.
Get yourself in a place of worship today.
Peace the Peace of God through it all, is what we need.
Hang in there and find yourself in His arms today.
Blessings.
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