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Commentary on Psalms 74 verses 12–17
The lamenting church fastens upon something here which she calls to mind, and therefore hath she hope (as Lam 3:21), with which she encourages herself and silences her own complaints. Two things quiet the minds of those that are here sorrowing for the solemn assembly: -
I. That God is the God of Israel, a God in covenant with his people (Psa 74:12): God is my King of old. This comes in both as a plea in prayer to God (Psa 44:4, thou art my King, O God!) and as a prop to their own faith and hope, to encourage themselves to expect deliverance, considering the days of old, Psa 77:5. The church speaks as a complex body, the same in every age, and therefore calls God, "My King, my King of old," or, "from antiquity;" he of old put himself into that relation to them and appeared and acted for them in that relation. As Israel's King, he wrought salvation in the midst of the nations of the earth; for what he did, in the government of the world, tended towards the salvation of his church. Several things are here mentioned which God had done for his people as their King of old, which encouraged them to commit themselves to him and depend upon him.
1.He had divided the sea before them when they came out of Egypt, not by the strength of Moses or his rod, but by his own strength; and he that could do that could do any thing.
2.He had destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Pharaoh was the leviathan; the Egyptians were the dragons, fierce and cruel. Observe, (1.) The victory obtained over these enemies. God broke their heads, baffled their politics, as when Israel, the more they were afflicted by them, multiplied the more. God crushed their powers, though complicated, ruined their country by ten plagues, and at last drowned them all in the Red Sea. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, Eze 31:18. It was the Lord's doing; none besides could do it, and he did it with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. This was typical of Christ's victory over Satan and his kingdom, pursuant to the first promise, that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head. (2.) The improvement of this victory for the encouragement of the church: Thou gavest him to be meat to the people of Israel, now going to inhabit the wilderness. The spoil of the Egyptians enriched them; they stripped their slain, and so got the Egyptians' arms and weapons, as before they had got their jewels. Or, rather, this providence was meat to their faith and hope, to support and encourage them in reference to the other difficulties they were likely to meet with in the wilderness. It was part of the spiritual meat which they were all made to eat of. Note, The breaking of the heads of the church's enemies is the joy and strength of the hearts of the church's friends. Thus the companions make a banquet even of leviathan, Job 41:6.
3.God had both ways altered the course of nature, both in fetching streams out of the rock and turning streams into rock, Psa 74:15. (1.) He had dissolved the rock into waters: Thou didst bring out the fountain and the flood (so some read it); and every one knows whence it was brought, out of the rock, out of the flinty rock. Let this never be forgotten, but let it especially be remembered that the rock was Christ, and the waters out of it were spiritual drink. (2.) He had congealed the waters into rock: Thou driedst up mighty rapid rivers, Jordan particularly at the time when it overflowed all its banks. He that did these things could now deliver his oppressed people, and break the yoke of the oppressors, as he had done formerly; nay, he would do it, for his justice and goodness, his wisdom and truth, are still the same, as well as his power.
II. That the God of Israel is the God of nature, Psa 74:16, Psa 74:17. It is he that orders the regular successions and revolutions, 1. Of day and night. He is the Lord of all time. The evening and the morning are of his ordaining. It is he that opens the eyelids of the morning light, and draws the curtains of the evening shadow. He has prepared the moon and the sun (so some read it), the two great lights, to rule by day and by night alternately. The preparing of them denotes their constant readiness and exact observance of their time, which they never miss a moment. 2. Of summer and winter: "Thou hast appointed all the bounds of the earth, and the different climates of its several regions, for thou hast made summer and winter, the frigid and the torrid zones; or, rather, the constant revolutions of the year and its several seasons." Herein we are to acknowledge God, from whom all the laws and powers of nature are derived; but how does this come in here? (1.) He that had power at first to settle, and still to preserve, this course of nature by the diurnal and annual motions of the heavenly bodies, has certainly all power both to save and to destroy, and with him nothing is impossible, nor are any difficulties or oppositions insuperable. (2.) He that is faithful to his covenant with the day and with the night, and preserves the ordinances of heaven inviolable will certainly make good his promise to his people and never cast off those whom he has chosen, Jer 31:35, Jer 31:36; Jer 33:20, Jer 33:21. His covenant with Abraham and his seed is as firm as that with Noah and his sons, Gen 8:21. (3.) Day and night, summer and winter, being counterchanged in the course of nature, throughout all the borders of the earth, we can expect no other than that trouble and peace, prosperity and adversity, should be, in like manner, counterchanged in all the borders of the church. We have as much reason to expect affliction as to expect night and winter. But we have then no more reason to despair of the return of comfort than we have to despair of day and summer.
Asaph has understood, because on the Title of the Psalm there is, "understanding of Asaph." And what says he? "But God, our King before the worlds, has wrought Salvation in the midst of the earth" [Psalm 74:12]. On the one hand we cry, "No longer is there prophet, and us He will not know as yet:" but on the other hand, "our God, our King, who is before the worlds" (for He is Himself in the beginning of the Word [John 1:1] by whom were made the worlds), "has wrought Salvation in the midst of the earth." "God therefore, our King before the worlds," has done what? "has wrought Salvation in the midst of the earth:" and I am yet crying as if forsaken!...Now the Gentiles are awake, and we are snoring, and as though God has forsaken us, in dreams we are delirious. "He has wrought Salvation in the midst of the earth."
In the same way we may suitably understand what we read in the psalm, “But God, our King before the worlds, hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth;” so that the Lord Jesus may be understood to be our God who is before the worlds, because by him the worlds were made, working our salvation in the midst of the earth, for the Word was made flesh and dwelt in an earthly body.
“But God is our king before the ages; he has worked salvation in the midst of the earth.” That understanding of Asaph, which the superscription was predicting and foretelling in the spirit of prophecy that the Savior the Lord would come, pertains to the second section and lists in a rhetorical tour de force how many miracles he has done in heaven and on earth. And that he was speaking about his incarnation—lest anyone might think that he was a temporal lord—he attests that he had already been a king before the foundation of the world, as he himself says in the gospel, “I was born in this [age].” For the times are called ages [secula] because they roll back into themselves [in se]. Next comes the phrase, “He worked salvation in the midst of the earth.” Although this can also be understood to refer to the miraculous deeds which he is recognized to have done visibly before people, nonetheless we would take this better to refer to the salvation of souls, which he did through his life-giving preaching.
“You strengthened the sea in your power; you crushed the heads of dragons on the waters.” And truly it would show what he said earlier—namely, that the Lord the Savior was king before the ages, who deigned to suffer for us, so that he would destroy death by dying, bestow freedom to the captives and recompense to the guilty—so he repeats the miracles which he had once done among the nation of the Jews. For he strengthened the watery deeps of the Red Sea, when the water was divided in two walls so as to make the ship-traversing sea into a path of dry land. Next comes “You crushed the heads of dragons on the waters.” The mystery of the earlier miracle explains well enough that that prefigurement of the crossing of the Red Sea was pointing to the waters of Holy Baptism, where the heads of dragons, that is, of unclean spirits, were made nothing because the salvific font makes clean the souls which the demons make unclean with the filth of their sins.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 74:12 stands as a profound declaration of God's eternal sovereignty and active redemptive power, strategically placed within a communal lament. Amidst the deep anguish and questions arising from national catastrophe and the desecration of the Temple, this verse anchors the psalmist's hope in the immutable character of God. It asserts that God is the ancient, reigning King who consistently works deliverance and rescue, not only for His people but across the entire earth. This declaration serves as a crucial theological pivot, shifting the focus from present despair to the unwavering reality of God's past faithfulness and His ongoing, universal work of salvation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 74:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message amidst a psalm of lament. The most prominent is Affirmation or Declaration, where the psalmist, in the face of overwhelming despair, makes a definitive statement of faith in God's character. This declaration serves as a powerful Theological Anchor, providing stability and hope in a context of chaos by pointing to an unchanging truth about God's nature. The phrase "King of old" utilizes Temporal Adverbial Emphasis, stressing the eternal and pre-existent nature of God's reign, thereby contrasting it sharply with the transient and devastating nature of human suffering and historical events. Furthermore, the verse employs Merism or Synecdoche where "earth" represents not merely the physical ground but the entire human realm and all creation, implying the universal reach and public display of God's saving power. The active verb "working" (implied by the Hebrew participle) suggests Continuous Action, underscoring that God's salvation is an ongoing process, not merely a historical event. The entire verse functions as a powerful Contrast to the surrounding lament, serving as a beacon of hope and a reminder of God's immutable character in the face of overwhelming adversity, transforming the tone of the psalm from one of questioning to one of confident assertion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 74:12 offers a profound theological statement, asserting God's eternal and active kingship even in the darkest moments of human history. It establishes that God's sovereignty is not diminished by human suffering or national catastrophe; rather, His identity as the "King of old" provides the ultimate ground for hope and the assurance that His work of salvation is continuous and universal. This verse connects deeply with the biblical narrative of God as the covenant-keeping deliverer, who intervenes on behalf of His people and whose power extends over all creation. It reminds us that faith is not merely believing in God's existence, but trusting in His unchanging character and His ongoing commitment to redeem and restore, regardless of present circumstances.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 74:12 provides an enduring source of comfort and a powerful call to faith for believers navigating personal trials, societal turmoil, or global crises. In moments when circumstances seem to contradict God's goodness or presence, this verse compels us to anchor our hope not in fleeting realities but in the immutable character of God as the "King of old." It encourages us to remember His past faithfulness, recognizing that the God who delivered His people throughout history is the same God actively "working salvation" in our present. This calls for a profound shift in perspective, moving from a focus on our immediate distress to a confident trust in His eternal sovereignty and His ongoing, universal redemptive purposes. Our response to despair, then, is not to succumb but to declare, like the psalmist, the truth of God's unchanging reign, allowing this declaration to fuel our prayers, strengthen our resolve, and inspire our witness to a world in need of His saving power.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "King of old" mean in the context of this verse?
Answer: "King of old" (Hebrew: melek miqqedem) emphasizes God's eternal and timeless sovereignty. It means that God has been the reigning King from eternity past, before creation, and His reign is not bound by human history or current events. This phrase highlights His unchanging nature, His pre-existence, and His enduring authority over all things. In a psalm of lament, where the psalmist is questioning God's apparent inaction amidst national devastation, this declaration serves as a powerful reminder that God's character and power remain constant, providing a stable foundation for faith even when circumstances are chaotic. It contrasts God's eternal reign with the temporary nature of human suffering and the destruction of earthly structures like the Temple, affirming that His ultimate authority remains unchallenged.
How does "working salvation" relate to God's kingship?
Answer: The phrase "working salvation" reveals that God's kingship is not passive or distant; it is active and redemptive. As King, God is continuously involved in the affairs of His creation, particularly in delivering, rescuing, and preserving His people. This "salvation" (Hebrew: yᵉshûwʻâh) is comprehensive, encompassing deliverance from enemies, danger, distress, and sin. It demonstrates that God's authority is exercised through His active intervention to bring about restoration and well-being. This concept is central to the biblical narrative, where God repeatedly acts to save His people, from the miraculous Exodus to the ultimate salvation offered through Christ. His kingship is defined by His power to save and His faithfulness to His covenant promises, proving that His reign is one of benevolent and effective intervention.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 74:12, with its declaration of God as the "King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the eternal King, the pre-existent Son, through whom all things were created and sustained, as powerfully affirmed in Colossians 1:15-17. Jesus embodies the "King of old," not merely as a historical figure but as the eternal Word who was with God and was God from the very beginning (John 1:1). His entire earthly ministry was a dynamic demonstration of God "working salvation in the midst of the earth." From His miraculous healings and deliverances from demonic oppression to His ultimate triumph over sin and death on the cross, Jesus brought about the comprehensive yᵉshûwʻâh (salvation) that the Old Testament anticipated. His death and resurrection, performed "in the midst of the earth" for all to witness, are the definitive acts of God's saving power, offering redemption not just to Israel but to all nations (Luke 24:46-47). Through Christ, God's eternal kingship is fully revealed, and His universal salvation is made accessible to everyone who believes, establishing a new covenant and a spiritual kingdom that transcends all earthly boundaries and endures forever (Hebrews 1:8).