I\u2019ll close the post with a simple prayer, trying to draw the themes together.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/a-psalm-a-day-5-1024x1024.png\")
<\/p>\n
On the 30th of January 2024, here’s Psalm 74:<\/p>\n
O God, why do you\u00a0cast us off forever?<\/span><\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>Your foes have\u00a0roared in the midst of your meeting place;<\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>We do not see our\u00a0signs;<\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>Yet\u00a0God my King is from of old,<\/span> 18\u00a0<\/sup>Remember this, O\u00a0Lord<\/span>, how the enemy scoffs,<\/span> 20\u00a0<\/sup>Have regard for\u00a0the covenant,<\/span> 22\u00a0<\/sup>Arise, O God,\u00a0defend your cause;<\/span> What is this Psalm about?<\/strong><\/p>\n Psalm 74 is a psalm of Lament, with god\u2019s people crying out to God regarding the rejection of a nation by God, and the desolation of the land and the destruction of God’s sanctuary by foreign invaders (v. 4-8) . At the same time, it builds to a worshipful crescendo, perhaps recognising God\u2019s attributes and being, in such a way as to hint to the reader that repentance is possible. <\/span><\/p>\n What does this Psalm teach about God?<\/strong><\/p>\n Addressed <\/span>to<\/em> <\/span>God, the very structure of the Psalm makes it clear that God is someone to whom we can speak. God has anger (v. 1), memory (v. 2), works salvation (v. 12) and can defend his cause (v. 22). These all imply the personal nature of God, and the way that God can and does act. <\/span><\/p>\n We also read that God is King (v. 12), and addressed as Lord (v. 18). This recognises God\u2019s sovereignty, and also the fact that we can know and speak to and about God. Psalm 74 also speaks of God\u2019s enemy, and our enemies, and a state of war that seems to exist (v. 23) – though this last somewhat pales in comparison to the character of the God who is king and lord.<\/span><\/p>\n How does this Psalm connect to God\u2019s people today?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think Psalm 74 is a challenge to God\u2019s people today to think through our present or other experience of distance from God, to recognise who God is, and to turn to him and address him. It is a Psalm that reminds us that God can be addressed, and we can turn (or return) to him. It also challenges us and reminds us that God is King and lord – not us, not those seemingly in power now, and this should be a comfort to us even on the darkest days. <\/span><\/p>\n A prayer drawn from Psalm 74<\/strong><\/p>\n Lord, you are our majestic King. The warrior who has never lost a battle. The one we can turn to and cling to. Help us see through the desolation we find ourselves in, and turn to you. Amen.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Throughout September 2022, I managed to read and reflect \u2013 briefly \u2013 on a Psalm each day. For December 2022, I attempted to pick up the discipline. I got part-way through that month, and so after a long hiatus, am … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"kt_blocks_editor_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[225,554,223,288,606,49],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4458"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4458"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4467,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4458\/revisions\/4467"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Why does your anger\u00a0smoke against\u00a0the sheep of your pasture?<\/span><\/span>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>Remember your congregation, which you have\u00a0purchased of old,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>which you have\u00a0redeemed to be\u00a0the tribe of your heritage!<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Remember Mount Zion,\u00a0where you have dwelt.<\/span><\/span>
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>Direct your steps to\u00a0the perpetual ruins;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>they set up their\u00a0own signs for\u00a0signs.<\/span><\/span>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>They were like those who swing\u00a0axes<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>in a forest of trees.<\/span><\/span>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>And all its\u00a0carved wood<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>they broke down with hatchets and hammers.<\/span><\/span>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>They\u00a0set your sanctuary on fire;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>they\u00a0profaned\u00a0the dwelling place of your name,<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>bringing it down to the ground.<\/span><\/span>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>They\u00a0said to themselves, \u201cWe will utterly subdue them\u201d;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>there is no longer any prophet,<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and there is none among us who knows how long.<\/span><\/span>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>How long, O God,\u00a0is the foe to scoff?<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Is the enemy to revile your name forever?<\/span><\/span>
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>Why\u00a0do you hold back your hand, your right hand?<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>working salvation in the midst of the earth.<\/span><\/span>
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>You\u00a0divided the sea by your might;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0broke the heads of\u00a0the sea monsters on the waters.<\/span><\/span>
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>You crushed the heads of\u00a0Leviathan;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.<\/span><\/span>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>You\u00a0split open springs and brooks;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0dried up ever-flowing streams.<\/span><\/span>
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>Yours is the day, yours also the night;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you have established\u00a0the heavenly lights and the sun.<\/span><\/span>
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>You have\u00a0fixed all the boundaries of the earth;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you have made\u00a0summer and winter.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0a foolish people reviles your name.<\/span><\/span>
\n19\u00a0<\/sup>Do not deliver the soul of your\u00a0dove to the wild beasts;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>do not forget the life of your poor forever.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.<\/span><\/span>
\n21\u00a0<\/sup>Let not\u00a0the downtrodden\u00a0turn back in shame;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>let\u00a0the poor and needy praise your name.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!<\/span><\/span>
\n23\u00a0<\/sup>Do not forget the clamor of your foes,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n