City Life Starter

I. The Word: Psalms 74:9-12

9 We do not see our signs;

there is no longer any prophet,

and there is none among us who knows how long.

10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? 

Is the enemy to revile your name forever?

11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?

Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!

12 Yet God my King is from of old,

working salvation in the midst of the earth.

II. Reflection Questions:

1. Have you ever felt as though God abandoned you?
2. If so, what emotions did that create?
3. Did you feel safe expressing those feelings toward God?

Logical Perspective

This Psalm expresses both doubt and honor toward God amid Israel’s destruction. The author passionately argues that God is allowing a foreign nation to defile Israel, yet suddenly switches tone to declare the Lord as sovereign.  Today’s verses surround a  transition point in the Psalm; V9-11 is a stanza accusing God of abandonment, and V12 starts a news stanza praising God for his unending power.

V9-11’s structure of the argument is elegant and paced. V9 begins the stanza with an objective description of the evidence before the author states any subjective conclusions. The Israelites are accustomed to signs, prophets, and Words of Knowledge as a representation of God’s presence in their lives, and the author concludes their sudden lack of these communications means God is not there. In V10, the author asks God for an answer; answers he presumably has not received due to the lack of communication that was described in V9. V11 climaxes and ends the stanza with a subjective conclusion about God’s actions during their time of need. The author harshly accuses God of being a shrewd man standing with his hands in his pockets; he could take his hands out to help them, but he chooses to withhold His saving power. Finally, the author ends the stanza with a direct, unapologetic command for God to intervene. How bold! Interestingly, as soon as this harsh command is uttered the prayer turns into a reverent description of God’s power and future salvation.

Emotional Perspective

This Psalms is the beginning of a rollercoaster ride. Its anger slowly chugs up and up like the initial incline, building suspense in V9-10. The beginning of V11 is the top of the hill, and his demand for God to do something is the stomach-flipping drop. The author doesn’t functionally believe he can tell God what to do, but this climaxing command allows him to vent out his anger. After this though, the ride becomes enjoyable and refreshing as V12 begins to proclaim God’s ultimate victory. This author uses the prayer to exhale his anger, then fill up that space with hope toward the future.

Conclusion

Prayer is less about helping God, and more about preparing our hearts for submission to Him. God never needed Psalm 74 to remind him of Israel’s suffering, and he didn’t eventually deliver them because of this author’s command. This author felt an anger that nearly turned him against God, and he couldn’t turn himself back to God without expressing that anger first. He had every right to feel upset based on the destruction he’s witnessing and the lack of evidence of God’s presence, and this Psalm allowed him to express that in a measured and logical manner. Once expressed, the author had space in his heart to submit to God’s will and saving power.

Application

There are many times when we go through hardship and doubt God’s love. Even though He will never truly forsake us, that knowledge may not change how orphaned we feel in the moment. Though anger and despair may lead us to doubt God’s goodness, we must remember that Christ died to be an empathetic priest. Jesus cushions all our negative emotions better than anyone else; moreover, we often need to vent these feelings before we can see his glory. As a wonderful friend told me yesterday, “God can handle our emotions… and I think He’d rather us be honest than not.” He knows our emotions aren’t based on His sovereign truth, which is why He lets us use Him as our punching bag instead of unwisely spilling our anger against our neighbor. It’s okay; mourn and seethe toward Him. He will be there to support you, and He will be there to fill you with His Spirit once you’ve emptied yourself out.