Psalm 74:1 “O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.”
It is a very sad thing to note that the Lord’s dwelling in “Zion” is mentioned in the past tense. The Psalmist describes the painful ruin of “Zion” (Psalms 74:3-10) and explains that the Lord had withdrawn His “hand” (Psalm 74:11) of protection and provision from them. Cyclically, throughout the Bible, when the Children of God turn away from God to embrace the carnal enticements and idols of this world, after much patience and many warnings, the Lord withdraws his “hand” from them, leaving them without protection and provision. Then, their enemies move in to ravage and ruin them, leaving them in devastating misery. In the past, the Lord had made His Holy Presence well known among them; He had watched over them to protect them and to abundantly bless them with good things. Now, their enemies that were once no threat to them, have now destroyed them. So, the Psalmist is urgently praying that the Lord would “Remember” them and to “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. 23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.” (Psalm 74:22-23). Throughout the Bible we find that, when they were sufficiently humbled, He did indeed eventually make His presence known to them and He once again blessed and prospered them. But, we find in the New Testament that “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11). Consequently, the enemy so ravaged the place that there was “not … left one stone upon another” (Luke 21:6). But, the Lord immediately began to abundantly pour out His great blessings “upon the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16), the “Jerusalem which is above” (Galatians 4:26); that is, the Church of Jesus Christ. Now, let us hear Paul’s warning: “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:20-22)!