Psalm 74:19,Psalm 74:21

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Psalms 74:19

the soul = the life. Hebrew. nephesh. multitude = company, or host; same word as "congregation" in next line. poor = oppressed. Hebrew. 'anah. See note on Proverbs 6:11 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Psalms 74:19

Psalms 74:19. O deliver not the soul, &c.— Do not give up thy turtle to the ravenous beast; Mudge. The Hebrew is literally, the beast of appetite, or the ravenous beast. We see in the next verse, that all the caves and coverts of the country were filled with parties, who skulked there to cut off straggling Jews: so that the covenant of God, whereby he obliged himself to perpetuate the seed of Abraham, was seemingly in danger of being defeated. It was natural therefore to express the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Psalms 74:19

19. multitude—literally, "beast," their flock or company of men ( :-). turtledove—that is, the meek and lonely Church. congregation—literally, "the company," as above—thus the Church is represented as the spoiled and defeated remnant of an army, exposed to violence. 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 74:18-23

4. An appeal to the covenant 74:18-23The writer also appealed for action because of God’s reputation ("Thy name," Psalms 74:18). He compared Israel to a harmless dove and the enemy to a raging wild beast (Psalms 74:19). God had promised to hear His people’s cries for help and had done so in the past (cf. Judges), but now He was silent. Consequently Asaph asked God to remember His covenant promises to Israel (Psalms 74:20). This may be a reference to the promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) or... 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 74:19

(19) O deliver.—To guide to the meaning of this verse, the word chayyah occurs in each clause, and it is presumable in the same sense (unless there is a purposed play on words). It may have one of three meanings: “life,” “animal,” “troop.” Psalms 17:9 suggests that chayyath nephesh go together in the sense of “greedy band,” and we get—“Deliver not to the greedy band thy dove;Forget not the band of the afflicted for ever.” 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

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Psalms 74:19

74:19 O deliver not the soul of thy {n} turtledove unto the multitude [of the wicked]: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.(n) He means the Church of God, which is exposed as a prey to the wicked. read more