Psalms 79

Psalms 79THEME: Future of Israel in the Great TribulationThis psalm is a prayernot for you and me to pray, but for God’s people, the nation Israel, in the Great Tribulation, which is the terrible day of trouble that is coming to them. This is another psalm of Asaph, a great musician, who was probably the writer and arranger of them. He was contemporary with David and probably served as his assistant.

Psalms 79:1

Although this psalm was prophetic at the time it was written, it accurately pictures the siege of Nebuchadnezzar and the subsequent Babylonian captivity. Also the Maccabean period brought such a calamity. This prophecy’s ultimate fulfillment will be during the Great Tribulation. Prior to the Babylonian captivity, the false prophets were saying that God would never allow their destruction and captivity. However, the city that the false prophets had said could never be taken was taken, and the inhabitants were carried away into captivity. The temple they said could never be destroyed was destroyed. The city, of course, was Jerusalem, and the people were the children of Israel. This happened several times, and it caused these people to cry out to God. The temple, the sanctuary, is the very center of things. Remember that this section of the Psalms corresponds to the Book of Leviticus which has as its theme the worship centering about the tabernacle and later the temple.

Psalms 79:2

This horrible carnage was difficult for the people of Israel to understand. Why was God permitting this to happen to them? The false prophets had been continually telling them that it could not happen to God’s people. Although the prophet Jeremiah had been faithfully giving God’s warning of judgment to come, he had been discredited and labeled as a traitor to his nation. The Israelites could not understand why God had not protected them. This is still a question in our day.

I understand that a great many Jews have become atheists because of the terrible persecution and suffering of their people in Germany during Hitler’s dictatorship. Of course it is difficult for them to understand it. Maybe they have the same questions the psalmist has. But have they been faithful to God? Are they back in proper relationship with Him? Have they accepted their Messiah?

Are they turning to Him? The answer, of course, is no. God has judged His people in the past and is judging them in our day. I feel that great judgment has come upon the church and will increase in the future. Judgment has come upon the nations of the world, nations like our own. Hear their cry:

Psalms 79:5

The Jews cry out, “Aren’t you going to let up on us, O Lord?” Then they cry to God for forgiveness:

Psalms 79:8

They pray, “Don’t remember our former iniquities.” But how will He be able to rub them out and forget them? Only through the death of Christ. When Christ is rejectedwhether it be by Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, bond or free, male or female, black or white, red or yellowthere is judgment. You have to meet Him in judgment or redemption; there are only two ways. Now listen to the plaintive cry of these suffering people:

Psalms 79:9

The children of Israel had been making the boast that God was among them and would deliver them. God had not delivered them, and they were being subjected to ridicule. The heathen were making fun of them. Notice the note of thankfulness on which this psalm ends:

Psalms 79:13

In that coming kingdom their sorrows and their tears will be gone forever, and so there will be praise from generation to generation.