Tag: Psalm 74

Links for today’s readings:

Apr 27  Read: Jonah 1 Listen: (2:29) Read: Psalms 75-76 Listen: (2:33)

Reflection: Don’t Misrepresent God’s Name

By John Tillman

David wrote a trilogy of psalms using the tune “Do Not Destroy.” Psalm 75, written long after David, uses the same tune. Perhaps that is because this psalm responded to something precious being destroyed and something more precious surviving destruction.

Psalm 74 and 75 seem to be a pair. Psalm 74 laments. Psalm 75 comforts. Psalm 74 mourns the destruction of the temple, the place of God’s name. Psalm 75 discovers that God’s name is still near.

Why was the place of God’s name destroyed? One reason was misrepresenting the name of God.

The name of God, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3.14), is connected to the attributes of God: compassion, grace, being slow to anger, abounding in love and truth (Exodus 34.6). People, places, and communities can misuse God’s name (Exodus 20.7) by acting in ways that clash with God’s attributes.

When we slander compassion, withhold grace, rush to anger, refuse love, and reject truth, while claiming to represent God, we abuse God’s name and misrepresent God’s character. We are arrogantly exalting our horn (Psalm 75.4-5), our power, our judgment, our deeds. We are defying God’s kingdom from coming on earth as in Heaven. We are asserting our will and calling it by God’s name. (Matthew 6.10)

Because God is slow to anger, this may succeed for a time. It might look like blessing, but in truth God is allowing the arrogant to drink to the dregs a cup of judgment. (Psalm 75.8)

Will we be people to whom God’s name will remain near, even in times of judgment, destruction, and strife?

We may experience precious things that represented God’s name and presence to us being destroyed when God finds corruption in them. Our fruitless fig trees are cursed (Matthew 21.19-20). Our temple’s corrupt tables are flipped (Matthew 21.12). Our shepherds are exposed as ravening wolves (Eze 22.27; Matt 7.15; Acts 20.29).

Do not confuse the loss of places or people who represented God’s name with the loss of God’s presence. The place of God’s name, the temple, was destroyed. Yet, God’s name remained near those of the people who praised God and told of his deeds.

Nothing can, by its destruction, remove God’s name, his presence, from his faithful ones. Empires, cities, churches, and leaders can fall or be lost but Jesus will not lose one of those who trust in him. Represent God’s name as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, loving, and truthful. He will be with us to the end of the age.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Jesus said to us: “…Everything now covered up will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.” — Matthew 10.26-27

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Do Not Destroy?

Leaders go morally bankrupt in the same way Hemingway described financial bankruptcy—gradually, then suddenly.

Do Not Destroy?

Read more: Responding in Kind

There’s an old saying that we don’t have to attend every fight we are invited to. God doesn’t need our defense but he does desire our devotion.

Responding in Kind

Scripture Focus: Psalm 74. 7-9
7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name. 
8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!” 
They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land. 
9 We are given no signs from God; 
no prophets are left, 
and none of us knows how long this will be. 

Reflection: Today’s Roots, Tomorrow’s Fruit
By John Tillman

Asaph was a prophet, a poet, and a creative leader living in the golden age of the kingdom of Israel and of the worship of God in the Temple. He is often noted as playing the cymbals, and was appointed chief over all the Temple musicians.

David’s psalms are largely autobiographical. Asaph’s seem focused on the fate and faith of the country in times ahead. Despite living in Israel’s best years, many of Asaph’s works contain laments about the destruction of Israel or the Temple. 

During the lifespan of Asaph, The Temple was never under any threat similar to his description. It would be hundreds of years before the Babylonians laid waste to Solomon’s Temple and hundreds more before the Romans destroyed the Temple of Jesus’ day.

For this reason, some think this psalm was likely written later by a descendant of Asaph or merely in his style. Some think it could be looking back to the battle at Shiloh and the loss of the Ark of the Covenant. 

However, psalms were often considered to be prophecies. Jesus described David’s psalmody as being written, “by the Spirit.” When we know many psalms are prophetic, perhaps we need not doubt the prophetic nature of this psalm.

Christians often idealize (even idolize) David and his time as king. However, the roots of the sins that would eventually destroy the kingdom were present in David’s reign. Perhaps, Asaph saw that.

Prophecy seems to run in Asaph’s family. One of Asaph’s descendants speaks up before King Josiah in a moment of crisis with a prophecy from the Lord about salvation from invading armies. Prophecies can tell of coming salvation or warn of coming disaster. There’s no question which we prefer to listen to.

We need prophetic warnings no matter what our circumstances. It doesn’t matter if we live in a golden age or in one we wish could be restored to its former state, the warnings of the prophets are for us. Even in times of blessing, prophets speak to the roots of sins that will bear bitter fruit in the future. Today’s roots grow tomorrow’s fruit.

May we never shrug off the messages of prophets, especially when they tell us something that we don’t want to hear. Heeding dire warnings of the prophets during a golden age, may be the best way to ensure a flourishing, rather than a failing, future.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out. — Psalm 65.3

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Numbers 30 (Listen – 2:20)
Psalm 74 (Listen – 2:34)

This Weekend’s Readings
Numbers 31 (Listen – 5:52), Psalm 75-76 (Listen – 2:33)
Numbers 32 (Listen – 5:22), Psalm 77 (Listen – 2:12)

Read more about How to Read Prophetic Judgment
Judgment-filled prophecy is one case in scripture where it is safer to assume it’s about you than others. 

How to Read Prophetic Judgment :: Readers’ Choice

Read more about Sufferings and False Prophets
Some [faithful prophets] were maligned for being unpatriotic or hating their country. Some were arrested, killed, or accused of conspiracy against the king.

Sufferings and False Prophets

Psalm 74. 7-8
They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
   they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.
They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”
   They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land.

Reflection: A Prophet in a Golden Age
By John Tillman

Asaph was a contemporary of David and was writing psalms for worship both during David’s reign and afterward, under Solomon.

Asaph was not only a poet. Asaph performed music as well. He was a percussionist, often noted as playing the cymbals and it is likely he played multiple instruments as was appointed chief over all the musicians creating and performing for worship in the Temple.

Asaph is also a prophet. Psalms were often considered to be written as prophecy. Jesus described David’s psalmody as being written, “by the Spirit.”

The prophecy of destruction that this psalm describes would have seemed highly unlikely when it was written. During the lifespan of Asaph, The Temple was never remotely close to being under any threat similar to the ones mentioned in verses four through eight. It would be hundreds of years before the Babylonians laid waste to Solomon’s Temple and hundreds more before the Romans destroyed the Temple Jesus visited in Jerusalem.

Some, for this reason have questioned the authorship, saying that likely it was written later by a descendant or merely “in the style of” Asaph. But when we already ascribe prophetic power to the psalms in general, there is no specific reason to doubt the prophetic nature of this psalm.

Prophecy seems to run in Asaph’s family. It is one of Asaph’s descendants who speaks up to King Josiah in a moment of crisis with a prophecy from the Lord about invading armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites.

Asaph was a prophet, a poet, and a creative leader living in the golden age of the kingdom Israel and a golden age of the worship of God in the Temple. David’s works are largely autobiographical. Asaph’s seem to be focused on the fate and faith of the entire country in times ahead.

Despite living in some of Israel’s best years, many of Asaph’s works contain laments about the destruction of Israel or the Temple. Even in times of blessing, prophets can see the roots of sins that will bear bitter fruit in the future.

We need the warnings of the prophets no matter what our circumstances. It doesn’t matter if we live in a golden age or in one we wish could be restored to its former state, the warnings of the prophets are for us.

May we never trust in the power of a king. Even the greatest kings of Israel were sinners, guilty of great injustices.
May we never groan at the messages of prophets. Especially when they tell us something that we don’t want to hear.

Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Love the lord, all you who worship him; the Lord protects the faithful, but repays to the full those who act haughtily. — Psalm 31.23

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Numbers 30 (Listen – 2:20) 
Psalm 74 (Listen – 2:34)

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Read more about How to Read Prophetic Judgment
We blunt the point of prophecy’s spurs when we avoid the probability that we are the ones a prophecy is about. We miss the point of prophecy entirely when we weaponize it to attack others.

How to Read Prophetic Judgment :: Readers’ Choice

Read more about Lamenting Our Detestable Things
Idols are an expression of our desire for control and self-reliance. They are fueled by our selfishness and self-importance.

Lamenting Our Detestable Things