Psalm 74:17 NIV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 74:17

Psalms 74:17. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth Thou hast fixed the bounds, both of the habitable world in general, so that the seas, though they do encompass and assault them, yet are not, and never shall be, able to remove them, and of all the countries and people upon earth, whom thou hast confined within such bounds as thou hast seen fit. Thou hast made summer and winter As the former clause of the verse shows God’s power and government over all places, so this displays his... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Psalms 74:1-23

Psalms 74:0 Israel in captivityThis psalm belongs to the time that followed the destruction of the nation Israel. Assyria conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC, and Babylon the southern kingdom during the years 605-587 BC. The people were taken captive into foreign lands and the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (2 Kings 25:8-12). Now, with the centre of their religious life gone, the people feel cut off from God. Worse than that, the bitter years in captivity lead them to doubt God’s... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Psalms 74:1-23

Psalms 74The writer appears to have written this communal lament psalm after one of Israel’s enemies destroyed the sanctuary. [Note: See Ralph W. Klein, Israel in Exile: A Theological Interpretation, pp. 19-20.] The Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C. may therefore be the background. The writer asked the Lord to remember His people and defeat her enemies, as He had in the past, for His own glory (cf. Psalms 79; Psalms 137; Lam.)."The temple has been violated. The key... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Psalms 74:10-17

3. An appeal for divine help 74:10-17The psalmist pleaded for God to help His people and to subdue their enemy. The Lord’s reputation fell with the sanctuary in the eyes of Israel’s neighbors. Ancient Near Easterners regarded a god’s temple as the reflection of his glory. Now that the temple on Mt. Zion had suffered damage, the nations would have concluded that Yahweh was unable to defend His people.Asaph recalled God’s mighty acts in the past in order to motivate Him to act for His people by... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 74:1-23

Psalms 74, 79 seem to reflect the same historical situation, and are usually ascribed to the same author. Both were written in a time of national calamity, when the Temple was profaned (Psalms 74), and the Israelites ruthlessly slaughtered (Psalms 79) by a heathen enemy. The occasion described must have been either the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadrezzar’s army (586 b.c., 2 Kings 24; 2 Chronicles 36:11 f; Jeremiah 39:1-8; Jeremiah 52:1-4), or the persecution of the Jews by Antiochus... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 74:16-18

(16-18) An appeal from the God of history to the God of nature. Not only did He work wonders, but even the universe is the work of His hand. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Psalms 74:17

(17) All the borders of the earth—i.e., earth in all directions, and to its utmost bounds; as we say, “from pole to pole.” read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Psalms 74:1-23

Psalms 74:1-23Two periods only correspond to the circumstances described in this psalm and its companion (Psalms 79:1-13)-namely, the Chaldean invasion and sack of Jerusalem, and the persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes. The general situation outlined in the psalm fits either of these; but, of its details, some are more applicable to the former and others to the later period. The later date is strongly supported by such complaints as those of the cessation of prophecy (Psalms 74:9), the... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Psalms 74:1-23

Psalms 74:0 The Enemy in the Sanctuary 1. The Prayer on account of the enemy (Psalms 74:1-3 ) 2. The work of the enemy (Psalms 74:4-9 ) 3. Intercession for intervention (Psalms 74:10-23 ) This is a Psalm for instruction, a Maschil Psalm. The enemy is seen in the sanctuary. This has been applied to the defilement of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, but prophetically it rather refers to that end-time, when the enemy will defile the temple with the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Psalms 74:1-23

Psalms 67:0 The first half dozen of these psalms form a group millennial and Messianic. The first is millennial. It is Israel who speaks; the psalm cannot be appreciated unless the word “us” in Psalms 67:1 is so applied. When God has mercy upon and blesses Israel in the latter days, His way and His saving health unto all nations (Psalms 67:2 ) will begin to be known. In other words, the present age is one of out-gathering, but the age to come (millennial) will be one of in-gathering. God is now... read more