Psalms 74

Psalms 74:1

THE title: [Of Asaph] see Psal. 50. in the title. Now Asaph living in Davids time, and the subject of this Psalme being evidently of the desolation caused by the Chaldeans, Asaph could not be the composer of it, but some other Prophet of those times, who put it to Asaphs posterity, who was one of the three heades of holy singers, 1 Chron. 25. 1. 2. to sing it in the Iewessynagogues in Babylon. For ever] that is to say, without any hope or appearance of being restored

Psalms 74:2

The rod] the Italian, the tribe, namely the tribe of Iudah, which above all the rest had this promise, to be preserved in the dignity and degree of being Gods people, and named his inheritance, Deuteronomy 32:9. and never to faile untill the comming of Christ, Genesis 49:10.

Psalms 74:3

Lift up] come to visite them to take compassion of them and to restore them: [perpetuall] which are irreparable unlesse thou settest thine helping hand unto them.

Psalms 74:4

Roare] the Italian, have roared, that is to say, have made great outryes, and kept a great stirre when they gave the onset, or after the victory: [of thy congregations] the Italian, of thy Temple, the Hebrew, of thy place of meeting, or congregation so is the tabnacle called, Exodus 27:21. and afterwards Solomons Temple, which is here expressely made mention of: [for signes] namely for trophics, or monuments of victories.

Psalms 74:5

A man was famous] the Italian, that shall be known, that is to say, they have left such tokens of their fury, that the remembrance thereof will last in after ages: [as hee had] that is to say, 〈◊〉 as a wood-man with his hook or harche〈…〉〈…〉s downe the shrubs, and bushes without any respect or difference: even so have the enemies spoiled and broken all the ornaments of thy Temple, whereof see 1 Kings 6. 18. 29. 32.

Psalms 74:8

All the Synagagues] the Italian, all the places of meeting, for besides the Temple, there were in every city, or inhabited and frequented places, oratories or synagogues, where the people came together to pray, or to heare the ordinary exposition of the Iaw. Others will have the Temple only meant; divided into a great many parts and members.

Psalms 74:9

Our signes] namely the frequent miracles formerly wrought for our deliverances. Or the signes of Gods presence, such as the Arke was Vrim and Thummim, &c. Or the sacraments of his grace and covenant, as sacrifices and other ceremonies were: [that knoweth] that 〈…〉th any prophetick revelation, to know when the end of our troubles will bee.

Psalms 74:11

Pluck it cut of thy] the Italian, let it not remaine in thy, which is the action of one that stands idle, and carelesse, see Prov. 19. 24. and 26. 15.

Psalms 74:13

Of the dragons] the Italian, of the whales, hee seemes to meane the heads of the Egyptian host, as in the verse following Pharaoh himselfe is meant by Leviathan, a common name for all your great sea creatures. For Egypt is scituate between two seas: and within it is almost every where watered by the river Nilus, see Isaiah 51:9. Ezech. 29. 3. and 32. 2.

Psalms 74:14

To the people] namely to the wilde beasts, which devoured the Egyptians carkasses, which were cast up upon the shoar.

Psalms 74:16

Is thine] thou art the author, preserver, and governour, of this alternall course of nature, namely of the day and the night. Vnder which he seemes also to meane that alternall course of his providence, by which hee sendes his Church, sometimes prosperity, and sometimes adversitie.

Psalms 74:17

The borders] hereby may be understood the seas which devide and sever the earth, or in regard of particular countries the naturall frontiers of seas, hills, and derts, see Deuteronomy 32:8. Whereby hee seemes to inferre that Gods people having also had their confines, which had beene broken through Gods judgements, it would one day please him to re-establish and preserve them.

Psalms 74:19

Thy turtle dove] namely thy Church, represented in scripture under the names of such kinds, of weak, mild, simple, and sociable same creaures, which are most exposed to wrongs and injuries, see Cant. 2. 10. and 4. 1 Mat 10:16.

Psalms 74:20

The covenant] formerly made with thy people, see Zach. 9. 11 [the dark places] that is to say, the countrey being desert, and horrid is full of robberles, and receptacles for murtherers.

Psalms 74:21

Ashamed] that is to say, fallen from all hopes, and denied the request of his prayers: [praise] let them have occasion to praise it, through their deliverance.

Psalms 74:23

Increaseth] the Italian, ascendeth, it goeth up to heaven; that is to say, their insolent blasphemies, are directed to thee, and doe provoke thee to vengeance, as Gen. 4. 10. and 18. 0.Exodus 3:7. Or it encreaseth, that is to say, it gathereth strength by reason of thy patience. The meaning is, if thou lettest them alone, there will bee no end of their rage. Others translate it,in the tumult of those which set upon thee, which ascendeth, &c.