Psalms 74:3

Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; [even] all [that] the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

Lift up {H7311}{H8685)} thy feet {H6471} unto the perpetual {H5331} desolations {H4876}; even all that the enemy {H341}{H8802)} hath done wickedly {H7489}{H8689)} in the sanctuary {H6944}.

Hurry your steps to these endless ruins, to the sanctuary devastated by the enemy.

Turn Your steps to the everlasting ruins, to everything in the sanctuary the enemy has destroyed.

Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual ruins, All the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.

Commentary

Psalms 74:3 is a poignant cry for divine intervention, capturing the deep anguish of a people witnessing the desecration and destruction of their most sacred place, the Temple. This verse forms part of a communal lament, reflecting profound sorrow and an urgent appeal to God amidst overwhelming calamity.

Context of Psalms 74:3

Psalm 74 is a Maskil of Asaph, a communal lament psalm likely composed during a period of national catastrophe, most notably the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The psalm vividly describes the enemy's brutal actions, their burning of God's sanctuary, and the silencing of prophetic voices. In this desperate plea, the psalmist calls upon God to remember His covenant and to act decisively against those who have brought such ruin and reproach upon His name and dwelling place.

Key Themes in Psalms 74:3

  • A Plea for Divine Action: The phrase "Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations" is a fervent plea for God to come and actively witness the devastation. It is an anthropomorphic expression, urging the Almighty to survey the scene of destruction and intervene. The psalmist wants God to see the full extent of the ruin and respond with His powerful presence.
  • Profound and Lasting Desolation: The "perpetual desolations" (Hebrew: mash'ot netzach, meaning "everlasting ruins" or "eternal desolations") emphasize the widespread and enduring nature of the destruction. This was not a temporary setback but a devastating blow with long-term consequences, affecting the very heart of their religious and national identity.
  • Sacrilege in the Sanctuary: The core grievance is that "the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary." This refers to the desecration and destruction of the Temple, the very place where God's presence was believed to dwell among His people. Such an act was not merely military conquest but an act of profound blasphemy and an affront to God Himself. This echoes similar laments over the defiled holy place, as seen in Lamentations 2:7, where the Lord "hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary."

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase for "Lift up thy feet," haram pa'ameyka (ื”ึธืจึตื ืคึฐึผืขึธืžึถื™ืšึธ), conveys a sense of God taking deliberate steps to intervene, to come and survey the damage. It is an appeal for God to actively engage with the reality of their suffering. "Perpetual desolations," mash'ot netzach (ืžึทืฉึปึผืืื•ึนืช ื ึถืฆึทื—), highlights the enduring nature of the destruction, suggesting that the enemy's actions have left a lasting scar, not just a temporary wound.

Related Scriptures

The psalmist's cry for God to "lift up thy feet" is a desperate call for divine action, similar to other biblical appeals for God to "Arise, O Lord" or "lift up thine hand." The profound grief over the desecrated sanctuary resonates with other laments, such as Psalms 79:1, which similarly mourns the defilement of God's holy temple by foreign invaders.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalms 74:3 provides a model for prayer in times of overwhelming difficulty and spiritual attack. When we witness "perpetual desolations" in our world, our communities, or even within our own spiritual lives, this verse encourages us to bring our lament directly to God. It reminds us that God sees and hears our cries, even when His intervention seems delayed. It fosters a trust that despite the enemy's wicked actions and the apparent triumph of evil, God is ultimately sovereign and will act to restore His glory and His people. This verse encourages us to persist in prayer, reminding God of His promises and His character, and to wait for His righteous judgment and ultimate restoration.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Lamentations 1:10

    The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen [that] the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command [that] they should not enter into thy congregation.

  • Psalms 79:1

    ยถ A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

  • Daniel 9:17

    Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.

  • Jeremiah 52:13

    And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great [men], burned he with fire:

  • Isaiah 61:4

    ยถ And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

  • Mark 11:17

    And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

  • Micah 1:3

    For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
โ† Back