IO Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. II And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 10. Hard to be understood. The idea seems to be that God's people are often led astray by the worldly prosperity of the godless. The "full cup" is the trouble they bring down upon themselves by so doing. Circe's cup of the heathen poet. See Isa. li. 22. II. "They" must be the godless. 13. The practical aspect of religion. "Innocency" is a trying not to do wrong. There is no reference to the forgiveness of sin, which could only be through the blood. 14. "Plagued." Is it too strong for the experience of many a child of God? 15. Study this verse well. 17. The difficulty was cleared up in the use of means. “Their end,” i.e., what is to come. If there 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. 21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 23 Nevertheless I am con tinually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength 27, 28. It is not good to forget God. It is good to draw near to Him. The summing up. "De Psalm 74. Maschil of Asaph. I O GOD, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou WRITER: Asaph. Not the Asaph of the time of David. OCCASION: Unknown. The lamentable state (4-9): what God had done for His people (12-17): what He was entreated to do (18-23). I, 2. The national depression must have been extreme. "Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt," of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. clare," &c. The more we trust God, the more we shall have to tell of His goodness. hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. 3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. 4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. 5 A man was famous accord points to either destruction or profanation of the temple. This yet more plain from vers. 7, 8. "Rod of thine inheritance," &c. land measured with a rod. Compare Titus ii. 14. 3. "Lift up thy feet," that is, Come and take notice of us. Compare Gen. xviii. 21. 4. A picture of insolent domineering. 5, 6. They destroy what it was once thought an honour to make in order to beautify God's house. The "carved work" was made out of the "thick trees." ing as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. 6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. 7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. 8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. 9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. 10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? II Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. 8. It is very doubtful whether synagogues" (as we understand the word in the New Testament) were in use until after the return from Babylon. The version called "the Septuagint " (so often quoted in the New Testament) renders the verse, "Let us make to cease the feasts of the Lord from the land." This agrees with the general idea of the context, that the enemies of Israel wanted to wipe out the service of the true God in their natural enmity to Him. Note this. 9. God had left them. "Signs": = |