Psalms 74:1

O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?..... This the church supposed because of the prevalence, oppression, and triumph of the enemy, because of the hardships and afflictions she laboured under,

O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? Psalms 74:1-23.

Psalms 74 i.e. Composed by Asaph; either, 1. By that famous Asaph who flourished in David’ s time, and by the Spirit of God foresaw and foretold the things here mentioned. But the clear, and exact, and particular, and most pathetical description of the thing here expressed, looks much more like a narrative of what is past than a prophecy of what is to come; which usually is delivered marc darkly. Besides, such a prophecy of the destruction of the temple before it was built would have been a great discouragement to the building of it, and would probably have been taken notice of by Solomon in his prayer for it, when it was newly built. Or, 2. By some of his posterity, who is called by their father’ s name, Asaph, as the children Of Israel are frequently called Jacob, or Israel, and David’ s successors David; as hath been noted. Or, 3. By some other person of that name, though of another family; who then was a man of renown, though now his memory be lost. Or this may be rendered for Asaph, i.e. for his posterity; and it might be said by some other holy man of God. But the former seems more probable. This is evident, that this Psalm speaks of the destruction of the temple, and of Jerusalem, and of God’ s people, by the Chaldeans; though some think it. looks further, even to the pollution of the temple by Antiochus; although the things said to be done, , agree much better to the former, and were not done by Antiochus. The church complaineth of the desolation which the enemies had made in the temple and synagogue, ; prayeth God to help by his great power, , against the reproach and blasphemy of the enemies, . He prayeth for God’ s beloved and covenanted ones, . Why hast thou cast us of for ever, so as to leave us no visible hopes of restitution? Thine anger; or, thy nose; a metaphor from a man who in a great rage sends forth fumes out of his nostrils. Against the sheep of thy pasture; against thy chosen and peculiar people.

Psalms 74:1 « Maschil of Asaph. » O God, why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? [why] doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?A Psalm of Asaph] Concerning the Babylonish captivity, saith Kimchi; which either was here foretold by David’ s Asaph, or bewailed by another of that name, who lived at that very time, when the Jews groaned under those grievous calamities. Ver. 1. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?] The greatness of their grief and diuturnity of their misery draw from them such expressions of discontent, as if they were doubtful of an utter dereliction. Why doth thine anger (or thy nose) smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?] Anger is a fire, and in men or other creatures enraged a smoke seemeth to go out of their nostrils. Xenophon saith of the Thebans, when they are angry they breathe fire. This, then, is spoken of God after the manner of men.

(1) Why hast . . .—Better, why hast thou never ceased abandoning us?Anger.—Literally, nostril, as in Psalms 18:8, “there went a smoke from his nostril.” The sheep of thy pasture.—An expression peculiar to the Asaphic psalms and Jeremiah 23:1.

PSALM LXXIV The psalmist complains of the desolations of the sanctuary, and pleads with God, 1-3; shows the insolence and wickedness of their enemies, 4-8; prays to God to act for them as he had done for their fathers, whom, by his miraculous power, he had saved, 9-17; begs God to arise, and vindicate his own honour against his enemies, and the enemies of his people, 18-23. NOTES ON PSALM LXXIV The title is, Maschil of Asaph, or, "A Psalm of Asaph, to give instruction." That this Psalm was written at a time when the temple was ruined, Jerusalem burnt, and the prophets scattered or destroyed, is evident. But it is not so clear whether the desolations here refer to the days of Nebuchadnezzar, or to the desolation that took place under the Romans about the seventieth year of the Christian era. Calmet inclines to the former opinion; and supposes the Psalm to be a lamentation over the temple destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 1. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?] Hast thou determined that we shall never more be thy people? Are we never to see an end to our calamities?

1–3. An appeal to God, Who seems to have abandoned and forgotten the people and city of His choice.

O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? - Thou seemest to have cast us off forever, or finally. Compare Psalms 44:9, note; Psalms 13:1, note. “Why doth thine anger smoke.” See Deuteronomy 29:20.

1. Why hast thou cast us off for ever—The rejection and desolation appeared absolute and without remedy. See Psalms 74:3; Psalms 74:10.