Psalms 74:14

"Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces;

Thou gavest him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Thou didst cleave fountain and flood:

Thou driedst up mighty rivers."

We reject as irresponsible the claims of certain radicals that we have in this passage references to, "Primitive creation mythology, the Akkadian creation myth, and to the mythical conflict between Marduk and Tiamat."[15] It may be freely admitted, of course, that some of the terminology here was also used in some of the ancient myths referred to; but as Kidner expressed it, "What Baal had done in the realm of myth, God had actually done in the realm of history, and had done it for his people, 'working salvation' (Psalms 74:12). What these verses survey is the Exodus and the crossing of the Jordan."[16]

Rhodes reminds us that, "The Babylonians and Canaanites believed their myths to be true, but our psalmist did not. He used some of their language in referring to the Lord in order to state symbolically his power as the one true God and Creator."[17]

As Dummelow pointed out, "The terms 'sea-monsters' and 'Leviathan' (or crocodile) are simply figures of speech for Egypt."[18]

"Food to the people inhabiting the wilderness" (Psalms 74:14). This does not mean that Israel fed, literally, upon the bodies of Pharaoh's army washed ashore, but that Israel was armed with the weapons of the destroyed enemy. The dead bodies no doubt became the food of wild birds and beasts. Dummelow stated that "the people" here refers to the wild animals.[19]

"Thou driedst up mighty rivers" (Psalms 74:15). The plural is evidently used here for emphasis. Certainly, the primary reference is to Israel's crossing the Jordan at flood stage, and doing so upon dry land!