Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

To be far from God is to perish and be destroyed, to be near him fills our life with good things. The song ends where it began and Asaph’s life is more transparent than ever as he is completely convinced of the goodness of God. The perspective that he has gained in the sanctuary compels him to share the Lord’s wonders with everyone, even with us who live at the end of the ages.

PSALM 74: MY KING FROM AGES PAST The Destruction of the Sanctuary

This psalm and its twin, Psalm 79, tell the story of the destruction of the sanctuary, the devasta- tion of Jerusalem and the ruin of the entire nation of Judah during the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians in 588 B.C. When an individual, a church or a nation loses its ‘sanctuary’ of worship; destruction and chaos sets in. There is also a positive message here; spiritual worship is one of the vital keys to bringing a nation to the knowledge of Christ. It is divided into three sections:

I DESTROYED YOUR SANCTUARY - 1-11 II DAY AND NIGHT BELONG TO YOU - 12-17 III DON’T FORGET YOUR PEOPLE - 18-23

INTRODUCTION:

“A psalm of Asaph.”

Asaph lived hundreds of years before the destruction of the temple referred to in this psalm. There are two possible answers to the question of authorship. First of all this might be a prophecy given to Asaph as he saw into the distant future. Secondly it might have been written by one of his descendants as the Bible always refers to their family name. “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there…a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.” (2 Chron. 20:14,15)

I DESTROYED YOUR SANCTUARY - 1-11

“O God, why have you rejected us forever? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture? Remember that we are the people you chose in ancient times, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession! And remember Mount Zion (Jerusalem) your home here on earth.” (1,2) Asaph is one of the most questioning writers in the Bible. In five of his twelve songs he formulates his questions directly towards God trying to understand the situations surrounding the events of his life. His use of the word forever is also a characteristic of his writing giving his psalms a universal rather than just a local appeal. His imagery of Judah being the ‘sheep’ of God is also found several times in his psalms. • “You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep…” (77:20) • “He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s de- scendants–God’s own people, Israel.” (78:71) • “Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever…”(79:13) • “Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Jacob like a flock…” (80:1) Even though the situation is disastrous, Asaph reminds God that they are his covenant people and that Mount Zion, a prophetic picture of the New Testament church; is his chosen, eternal home. Asaph was responsible for ministering praise and prophecy before the Ark of the Covenant on this mountain. • “From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance.” (50:2) • “Salem (Jerusalem) is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home.” (76:2) • “He chose instead the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved. There he built his towering sanctuary, as solid and enduring as the earth itself.” (78:68)

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