Psalm 79.
In point of time we have now reached in Book 3 of the Psalms, nearly to the appearance of the Lord Jesus as the long awaited Messiah-King of Israel, Son of David, King of kings and Lord of lords. It will be remembered that the Third Book which includes Psalms 73 to 89, deals with Israel nationally, (the 12 tribes); while the Second Book (Psalms 42 to 72) took up the case of the remnant of the Jews as driven out of Jerusalem, because of their faithfulness to God at the beginning of the last 3 1/2 years, before the Lord comes to the world to set up His earthly kingdom.
Not very long before the Lord will descend in power, He will bring about the attack by the desolator spoken of by Him in Matthew 24:15. The “abomination of desolation” is a reference to idolatry which is abomination to God to be begun in the temple at Jerusalem, which God will punish by causing a desolating army, or armies, to overrun the land of Palestine and capture Jerusalem. It is this situation which is the occasion of Psalm 79. (Scriptures which tell of the invasion are Daniel 9:27; 11:40-45; Joel 1 and 2; Zechariah 14:1, 2; Ezekiel 38 and 39; Micah 5:5, 6; Isaiah 10 and 28:2).
This psalm is then an appeal to God on behalf of Israel when the northern and other armies (not part of the to-be-revived Roman Empire) will have ruthlessly attacked Jerusalem and defiled the rebuilt temple, destroyed much of the city, killed many of its inhabitants. Will God allow this to go unnoticed? His people deserve the punishment they are receiving, but will He be angry with them forever? Shall His jealousy burn like fire? (verse 5). In due time, doubtless, He will answer the supplications here found.
As in many other psalms, the language used with regard to enemies (verses 6, 10, 12), entirely suitable for the righteous in the coming dispensation, is wholly unsuited for the Christian who is called to love his enemies, to bless when cursed. Indeed, the language of the psalm while speaking deeply to our hearts of sorely tried saints just before the Millennium, does not express the Christian’s position; we who believe, in this singularly privileged period of grace, know ourselves accepted in the Beloved One, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:6, 7). To apply the language of Psalm 79 to ourselves, is to make Jews of ourselves. We must rightly divide the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15).
ML 03/22/1931