Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand? Stretch it out to destroy them! Why do You withdraw Your hand?The phrase "withdraw Your hand" in Hebrew is "תָּשִׁיב יָדְךָ" (tashiv yadkha). The "hand" of God is often symbolic of His power and intervention in the world. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the hand was a symbol of strength and action. The psalmist is questioning why God seems to be withholding His power and not acting on behalf of His people. This reflects a deep yearning for divine intervention and justice, a common theme in the Psalms where the faithful cry out for God to demonstrate His might and deliverance. Stretch out Your right hand
The "right hand" (יְמִינְךָ, yemincha) is frequently associated with God's power and authority. In biblical times, the right hand was considered the hand of favor and strength. The psalmist is imploring God to actively engage and demonstrate His power. This plea is rooted in the belief that God's right hand is capable of delivering His people from their enemies, as seen in other scriptural references where God's right hand brings salvation and victory (e.g., Exodus 15:6). from Your bosom
The term "bosom" (חֵיק, cheq) refers to the chest or the fold of a garment, symbolizing closeness and intimacy. In this context, it suggests that God's power is near and readily available, yet it is being withheld. The imagery of the bosom conveys a sense of potential energy and readiness, emphasizing the psalmist's desire for God to unleash His power that is so close at hand. to consume them!
The word "consume" (כַּלֵּם, kalem) implies a complete and utter destruction. The psalmist is calling for God's judgment upon the enemies of His people. This reflects a common biblical theme where the righteous seek God's justice against those who oppose His will. The plea for consumption is not merely for retribution but for the restoration of God's order and the vindication of His people. It underscores the belief in God's ultimate sovereignty and justice, where evil will be decisively dealt with by His mighty hand. Persons / Places / Events 1. AsaphThe author of Psalm 74, Asaph was a Levite and one of King David's chief musicians. He is known for his deep and often lamenting psalms that reflect on the struggles and faith of Israel. 2. IsraelThe nation of Israel is the primary subject of this psalm, experiencing a period of distress and seeking God's intervention against their enemies. 3. Enemies of IsraelThe psalm refers to the adversaries who have brought destruction upon Israel, prompting the plea for divine intervention. 4. God's Right HandSymbolic of God's power and authority, often invoked in the Psalms as a means of deliverance and justice. 5. Temple DestructionThe psalm is traditionally associated with the destruction of the Temple, a significant event that led to national mourning and a plea for God's restoration. Teaching Points Understanding God's TimingGod's timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed. Trust in His wisdom and sovereignty, knowing that His plans are for our ultimate good. The Power of LamentLament is a biblical way to express grief and seek God's intervention. It is a form of prayer that acknowledges our dependence on God and invites His presence into our struggles. God's Right Hand as a Symbol of DeliveranceThe right hand of God symbolizes His power and authority. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God's power is available to them through faith in Christ. Faith in the Midst of DestructionEven when circumstances seem dire, maintain faith in God's ability to restore and redeem. He is a God of hope and new beginnings. Active Waiting on GodWhile waiting for God's intervention, remain active in prayer, worship, and service. Trust that God is working behind the scenes for His glory and our good. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of God's "right hand" in Psalm 74:11 enhance our understanding of His power and authority? 2. In what ways can we practice lament in our personal prayer life, and how does it help us draw closer to God? 3. Reflect on a time when you felt God was "withdrawing His hand." How did you see His faithfulness in hindsight? 4. How can we reconcile the tension between God's sovereignty and the presence of evil and suffering in the world? 5. What are some practical ways to remain active in faith while waiting for God's intervention in difficult situations? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 15:6This verse speaks of God's right hand as glorious in power, connecting to the plea in Psalm 74:11 for God to use His hand to bring about deliverance. Isaiah 51:9A call for God to awaken His arm as in days of old, similar to the plea in Psalm 74:11 for God to act against the enemies of His people. Psalm 44:23-26Another psalm of lament where the psalmist asks why God seems to be asleep or inactive, paralleling the sentiment in Psalm 74:11. People Asaph, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Bosom, Consume, Covering, Destroy, Draw, Drawest, Folds, Garment, Hold, Keeping, Midst, Pluck, Pocket, Remove, Robe, Turn, Withdraw, Withdrawest, WithinDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 74:11 1265 hand of God
1270 right hand of God
5562 suffering, innocent
5934 restraint Psalm 74:1-23 6115 blame Psalm 74:10-11 1185 God, zeal of
5800 blasphemy
9210 judgment, God's Psalm 74:10-18 8817 ridicule, objects of Library The Meaning
Of the Red Dragon with Seven Heads fighting with Michael about the new-born Child. The first vision of the little book, of which we treated in the eleventh chapter, ran through the whole Apocalyptical course, from the beginning to the end, and that, as we elsewhere observed, to point out its connexion with the seals and trumpets. Now to that vision the remaining prophecies of the same interval, and of the affairs of the Church are to be accommodated, in order to complete the system of the little …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the ApocalypseThe Prophet of the Highest.
(LUKE I.) "Ye hermits blest, ye holy maids, The nearest heaven on earth, Who talk with God in shadowy glades, Free from rude care and mirth; To whom some viewless Teacher brings The secret love of rural things, The moral of each fleeting cloud and gale, The whispers from above, that haunt the twilight vale." KEBLE. Formative Influences--A Historical Parallel--The Burning of the Vanities--"Sent from God" "Thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Most High"--thus Zacharias addressed his infant …
F. B. Meyer—John the Baptist How those are to be Admonished who Abstain not from the Sins which they Bewail, and those Who, Abstaining from Them, Bewail them Not.
(Admonition 31.) Differently to be admonished are those who lament their transgressions, and yet forsake them not, and those who forsake them, and yet lament them not. For those who lament their transgressions and yet forsake them not are to be admonished to learn to consider anxiously that they cleanse themselves in vain by their weeping, if they wickedly defile themselves in their living, seeing that the end for which they wash themselves in tears is that, when clean, they may return to filth. …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Wisdom of God
The next attribute is God's wisdom, which is one of the brightest beams of the Godhead. He is wise in heart.' Job 9:9. The heart is the seat of wisdom. Cor in Hebraeo sumitur pro judicio. Pineda. Among the Hebrews, the heart is put for wisdom.' Let men of understanding tell me:' Job 34:44: in the Hebrew, Let men of heart tell me.' God is wise in heart, that is, he is most wise. God only is wise; he solely and wholly possesses all wisdom; therefore he is called, the only wise God.' I Tim 1:17. All …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Balaam's Prophecy. (Numb. xxiv. 17-19. )
Carried by the Spirit into the far distant future, Balaam sees here how a star goeth out of Jacob and a sceptre riseth out of Israel, and how this sceptre smiteth Moab, by whose enmity the Seer had been brought from a distant region for the destruction of Israel. And not Moab only shall be smitten, but its southern neighbour, Edom, too shall be subdued, whose hatred against Israel had already been prefigured in its ancestor, and had now begun to display Itself; and In general, all the enemies of …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Jesus Makes a Preaching Tour through Galilee.
^A Matt. IV. 23-25; ^B Mark I. 35-39; ^C Luke IV. 42-44. ^b 35 And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up went out [i. e., from the house of Simon Peter], and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. [Though Palestine was densely populated, its people were all gathered into towns, so that it was usually easy to find solitude outside the city limits. A ravine near Capernaum, called the Vale of Doves, would afford such solitude. Jesus taught (Matt. vi. 6) and practiced solitary …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Sun Rising Upon a Dark World
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon then hath the light shined. C ontrasts are suited to illustrate and strengthen the impression of each other. The happiness of those, who by faith in MESSIAH, are brought into a state of peace, liberty, and comfort, is greatly enhanced and heightened by the consideration of that previous state of misery in which they once lived, and of the greater misery to which they were justly exposed. …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 74:11 NIVPsalm 74:11 NLTPsalm 74:11 ESVPsalm 74:11 NASBPsalm 74:11 KJV
Psalm 74:11 Commentaries
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