The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 73

EXPOSITION. the Babylonian conquest; and (3) the early PSALM LXXIV. Maccabean period, or the reign of Juda.a "TeE misery of the Jews is here at its Maccab11ms. In favour of the first is the deepest" (Four Friends, p. 291), The ascription of the psalm in the "title" to psalmist describes J erusslem ss fallen into Asaph. But all other considerations are "perpetual ruins" (vcr. 3). The temple.is against it. There is no evidence that violated (ver. 3); its carved work is ruth- Shishak ever entered Jerusalem. He cer- lessly cut down (ver. 6); the aid of fire has tainly did uot break down the carved work of been called in to destroy it, and its walls the temple, or set the temple on fire, mnch les11 are cast down to the ground (ver. 7). Nor "cast it down to the ground." His invasion blLB Jerusalem alone suffered, The object was a mere raid, and Rehoboam seems to has been to "make havoc " of Israel "al- have bought his retreat by the sacrifice of together;" and the enemy have spread the temple trensw:y (2 Kings xiv. 25-28; themselves, and " burnt up all the houses of 2 Chron. xii. 2-12). The circumstances God in the land" (ver. 8). The prophets described in the pijalm are also unsuitable have succumbed; their voices are heard no to the reign of Judas Maccab11:1us, in whose more (ver. 9). A blasphemous enemy lords time the temple suffered deeeoration at the it over the entire oountry (vere. 10, 23), and hands of the Syrians, bnt was not seriously sets up its banners as signs of its dominion damaged, much less demolished. Thus the (ver. 4), Three periods have been assigned only date suitable for the composition of for the composition of the psalm : (1) the the psalm is that immediately following the time of the invasion of Shishak; (2) that of capture of the city unde~ Nel:mchadnezzar. l'BALMB-ll, e  82 THE DOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, J.XUV, 1-23,