Attributed commentary excerpt
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 74:4
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Notes on the Whole Bible
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · 19th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Thine enemies roar - This refers to the shout and tumult of war. They raised up the war-cry even in the very place where the congregations had been assembled; where God had been worshipped. The word rendered “roar” properly has reference to wild beasts; and the meaning is, that their war-cry resembled the howling of beasts of prey. In the midst of thy congregations - literally, “in the midst of thine assembly.” This is a different word from that which is rendered “congregation” in Psalms 74:2. This word - מועד mô‛êd - means a meeting together by mutual appointment, and is often applied to the meeting of God with his people at the tabernacle, which was therefore called “the tent of the congregation,” or, more properly, “the tent of meeting,” as the place where God met with his people, Exodus 29:10, Exodus 29:44; Exodus 33:7; Leviticus 3:8, Leviticus 3:13; Leviticus 10:7, Leviticus 10:9; “et saepe.” The meaning here is, that they roared like wild beasts in the very place which God had appointed as the place where he would meet with his people. They set up their ensigns for signs - That is, they set up “their” banners or standards, as “the” standards of the place; as that which indicated sovereignty over the place. They proclaimed thus that it was a conquered place, and they set up their own standards as denoting their title to it, or as declaring that they ruled there. It was no longer a place sacred to God; it was publicly seen to belong to a foreign power. return to 'Top of Page'
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