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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.
"You have made all the ends of the earth" [Psalm 74:17]....Behold in what manner He has made the ends of the earth, that has wrought Salvation in the midst of the earth. "You have made all the ends of the earth. Summer and spring You have made them." Men fervent in the Spirit are the summer. You, I say, hast made men fervent in the Spirit: You have made also the novices in the Faith, they are the "spring." "Summer and Spring You have made them." They shall not glory as if they have not received: "You have made them."
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SUMMARY
Psalms 74:17 is a profound declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and meticulous control over creation, asserting His role as the divine architect who establishes the physical boundaries of the world and orchestrates the predictable cycles of the seasons. This affirmation, embedded within a psalm of communal lament, serves as a theological anchor, reminding the distressed psalmist and all believers that the God who governs the cosmos is also intimately involved in the affairs of humanity, providing a steadfast foundation for faith amidst chaos and uncertainty.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound theological message. The phrase "summer and winter" functions as a merism, a rhetorical device where two contrasting parts represent the whole. Here, it signifies all seasons and, by extension, all time and natural cycles, emphasizing God's comprehensive control over the entire temporal order of creation, not just these two specific seasons. The verb "set" (KJV) or "established" (NIV/ESV) implies an act of a surveyor or architect, an example of anthropomorphism, attributing human-like actions to God. This makes God's sovereign act of ordering the earth more relatable and understandable to the human mind, highlighting His deliberate and precise design. Furthermore, the verse utilizes synthetic parallelism, where the second line expands upon or completes the thought of the first. "Thou hast set all the borders of the earth" speaks to God's spatial ordering, while "thou hast made summer and winter" speaks to His temporal and climatic ordering. Together, these two clauses comprehensively declare God's absolute and meticulous control over all aspects of the physical world, from its grand geographical structures to its cyclical rhythms.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 74:17 serves as a profound theological anchor, especially within the context of a lament. It grounds the psalmist's desperate plea in the unshakeable truth of God's cosmic dominion and unwavering faithfulness. The God who established the physical laws governing the earth and orchestrated the predictable rhythms of the seasons is the same God who is sovereign over human history and the affairs of His people. This verse is a powerful affirmation of God's general providence, demonstrating that His creative power is not a one-time event but an ongoing act of sustenance and governance. It reminds us that even when human circumstances appear chaotic and out of control, there is an ultimate divine order that prevails, providing a steadfast foundation for hope and trust in God's character and His ultimate justice.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For believers today, Psalms 74:17 offers profound comfort and a powerful call to worship, particularly when faced with personal challenges, societal upheaval, or global crises that seem to defy explanation or solution. This verse reminds us that God remains on His throne, actively governing the universe with meticulous precision. Just as He faithfully brings the seasons and maintains the earth's boundaries with unwavering consistency, He is also in control of our lives and the course of history. It encourages us to surrender our anxieties and fears to the One who holds all things together, finding peace and stability in His sovereign care and unwavering faithfulness, even when circumstances feel chaotic or unjust. Our trust is not in fleeting human power or predictable earthly systems, but in the immutable character of the God who orchestrates the cosmos.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does the psalmist remind God of His creative power in a lament?
Answer: In a lament, reminding God of His creative power is a rhetorical strategy and a profound act of faith. The psalmist is not informing God of something He doesn't know, but rather appealing to God's established character and past actions as a basis for present intervention. If God is powerful enough to order the entire cosmos, setting its physical "borders" and orchestrating its "summer and winter" cycles, then He is certainly powerful enough to intervene in the human realm and rescue His people from their distress. It's an appeal to God's covenant faithfulness, reminding Him of His own established order and His people's place within it. This act of remembrance serves to bolster the psalmist's own faith and express hope that the God who controls the macrocosm can also control the microcosm of their suffering, as seen in other psalms that recall God's mighty deeds, such as Psalm 89:9-11.
Does "borders of the earth" refer to national boundaries or physical geography?
Answer: While "borders of the earth" certainly encompasses physical geography—the divinely established landmasses, oceans, and natural divisions of the globe—in a broader theological sense, it can also imply the boundaries and destinies of nations and peoples. The ancient worldview often saw cosmic order as reflecting societal order. God's setting of boundaries for the earth implies His ultimate authority over all human habitation and political structures. This aligns with the biblical understanding that God determines the times and places for nations to dwell, as articulated in Acts 17:26. Thus, the phrase carries both a literal geographical meaning and a broader theological implication of God's sovereign control over human history and geopolitics.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's providence?
Answer: This verse is a powerful affirmation of God's general providence. It declares that God is not merely a distant creator who set the world in motion and then withdrew; rather, He is an active, ongoing sustainer of His creation. His setting of the earth's borders and His making of summer and winter demonstrate His continuous oversight, control, and provision for the natural world. This consistent ordering of the cosmos, ensuring its regularity and productivity, provides a foundational assurance for trusting in His specific providence in human affairs. If God faithfully governs the vast universe, ensuring its rhythms and sustaining all life, then believers can be confident that He also meticulously cares for His people and orchestrates their lives, as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:26-30.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Psalms 74:17 profoundly declares God the Father's cosmic ordering and sustenance, the New Testament reveals that this divine activity is ultimately accomplished through and in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is not only the agent of creation but also the one who actively upholds and sustains all things. John 1:3 declares that "All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made." Similarly, Colossians 1:16-17 explicitly states that "by him all things were created... all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." This means that the "borders of the earth" and the reliable cycles of "summer and winter" find their ultimate meaning, coherence, and continued existence in Christ. His power to calm the storm in Mark 4:39 demonstrates His direct authority over the very elements and forces of nature mentioned in the Psalm. Furthermore, in His resurrection and the promise of a new creation, Christ is actively re-ordering a fallen world, ultimately bringing all things under His perfect dominion and restoring creation to its intended harmony, as foreshadowed in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Thus, the cosmic order celebrated in Psalms 74:17 points forward to the comprehensive sovereignty of the resurrected Christ, through whom all creation is sustained and will ultimately be redeemed.