Counseling through the Psalms: Psalm 74 - Praying in Painful Times

Psalm 74 occurs likely after Jerusalem’s fall and 586 BC. For years, God had warned His people that they needed to turn away from their sin and turn to Him, and God had sent prophets to urge His people to turn back to Him.

The people turned a deaf ear to God. Because of their sin and rebellion, God allowed the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar to take the city of Jerusalem.
If you read 2 Kings 25:8–15, you will read of the city’s destruction and the temple.

If you have not lived in a war-torn area, it is hard to imagine what the nation of Israel must have felt. Think about this: God’s people and the city of God have been ravaged and ransacked. The walls have been torn down, and the temple has been desecrated. The temple was the place of God’s presence. Now the people of God have been taken away in bondage and slavery. It appears the presence of God is gone from their midst.

The psalmist shares his fears and grief with God. Psalm 74 is a psalm of lament. The psalmist requests God and pleads with Him to remember His covenant with His people.

But seemingly out of nowhere, the psalmist’s mood turns. He begins to reflect on God’s protection of His people in the past and His promises to rescue His people in the future.

He remembers who God is and what God has done. He ends the song by asking God to rescue his people and remember His promises.

Message Exposition
00:00 - Introduction
05:04 - Fear and Faith: Praying in Times of Terrible Destruction
06:55 - The psalmist shares his fears and grief (Psalm 74:1-11)
18:42 - The psalmist expresses his faith in God (Psalm 74:12-23)
32:10 - The Gospel in Psalm 74
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