Chapter 74

Ps.74:1. Finally, let us not corrupt you, psalm to Asaph. In this psalm, the person of the Apostles is introduced, who advise people to put an end to wickedness, and present to them a seemingly terrible and Divine judgment. Ps.74:2. I confess to You, O God... We will tell of all Your wonders. The Apostolic Face makes a vow, freed from persecutors, to see the miracles of God. Ps.74:3. I will judge what is right. This is what the Savior says, heeding the vow of the Apostles. Ps.74:4. The melting earth and all those living on it. According to Your righteous judgment, You caused the earth to melt, that is, Jerusalem, and all those living on it. But this can be understood in two ways: both in a good way, “melting” in the meaning: she ceased to be strong in wickedness, and in a bad way - as a designation of the punishment that befell them. The pillars of Jerusalem are the holy Apostles, according to what has been said: “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). And the Apostle says: “And having known the grace given to me, James and Cephas and John became pillars” (Gal. 2:9). Ps.74:5. Reh to those who do wrong: do not do wrong. With these words, the Apostles begin to offer their advice to people to put an end to wickedness, and they humiliate the Jewish people for their pride, while exalting the believing pagans for their humility. Ps.74:6. Do not lift up your horns on high; because animals that have horns are too proud of them. And the psalm commands not to increase lawlessness with arrogance and not to set the tongue in motion against the Lord. Ps.74:7. Like below from the exodus, below from the west, below from the empty mountains. This means the entire inhabited world. “Exodus” refers to the east, in which the sun rises; “west” – the place where the sun sets; “empty mountains” - north and south: because these countries are uninhabited due to excessive cold and heat. So, do not be lawless, because no one in the whole universe, saying anything blasphemous about God, will hide from Him. Ps.74:8. This one humbles, and this one exalts. Just as a good judge humbles the wicked, he exalts the humble in heart. This must be understood about two peoples, I mean the Jews and the believing pagans. For the first are humbled because of arrogance, and the second are exalted because of humility. “He... makes kings and puts down” (Dan. 2:21), “he raises up the poor from the earth and lifts up the poor from the rot” (Ps. 113:7). He, having humbled those who were of circumcision, exalted those who were of the Gentiles. Ps.74:9. Like a cup in the hand of the Lord, wine is not dissolved, full of dissolution. In the hand of the Lord is a cup, into which the Lord seems to squeeze both the good and bad fruits of each person, and mixing the good with the evil, fills the cup with this. And then, those whose “weakness” is not poured out, that is, their sins remain, they drink the cup, that is, they become drunk with their own bad deeds. And likewise, the Saints will drink the cup of life in the kingdom of heaven with the Lord Jesus, according to the word of the Lord himself: “Whenever I drink with you in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 26:29). Ps.74:10. I will rejoice forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. When I partake of the cup of life, then I will have joy from it. Ps.74:11. And I will break all the horns of sinners. If, during the humiliation of the Saints, the horn of sinners rises on high; then it is obvious that, with the exaltation of the Saints, the “horns of sinners” will be broken. Who are these sinners if not the wicked demons who resist the people of God? “And the horn of the righteous shall be exalted. Horn" refers to kingdom or dominion. Therefore, he says, when the righteous, after the overthrow of the evil forces, receive strength; then, then precisely, the wonderful works of God will be revealed. That’s why at the beginning of the psalm the Prophet said: “I will tell all your wonders when the time comes” (Ps. 75:2-3). You might be interested in: