Psalm 74 Reveals Us Methods to Make an Argument to God

Methods to Argue with God

We frequently hear the psalms described as fashions for prayer and lament. They educate us supply God the reward he’s due and categorical our thanksgiving for the numerous methods he gives and cares for his folks. They present us pour out our hearts to God, bringing our unhappiness, fear, and misery to our loving heavenly Father in occasions of grief, uncertainty, and battle.

In addition they educate us argue with God. At first look, that most likely doesn’t sound fairly proper. Wouldn’t or not it’s irreverent to argue with God? Isn’t our job to observe his instructions and settle for his sovereign plans? It actually could possibly be irreverent to argue with God, relying on the posture of our hearts and the character of our argument. And finally, sure, we undergo his lordship and stroll in obedience.

However Psalm 74 reveals us that there’s an acceptable approach to carry an argument to God that honors him and expresses our religion.

We frequently have a unfavorable affiliation with the phrase “argument.” It would recall to mind a toddler disrespectfully pushing again on a mum or dad’s instruction or a heated alternate with a co-worker about the perfect route for a undertaking. However as we think about the thought of bringing an argument to God, it’s extra useful to think about a courtroom. Attorneys current an argument—a set of causes—primarily based on legislation and precedent, and so they attempt to persuade a choose to make a specific ruling on behalf of their consumer. Attorneys might current their arguments with ardour and urgency as long as they keep respect for the choose’s authority.

In Psalm 74, we discover a comparable situation. Asaph is writing a company lament on behalf of God’s individuals who have suffered nice losses by the hands of enemy invaders. Whereas in lots of psalms of lament we discover the psalmist asking God for consolation, on this psalm, Asaph is asking God for judgment and deliverance. He lays out his argument in 3 sections.

First, Asaph presents the issue to God with nice ardour and element. “Oh God, why do you solid us off ceaselessly?” he asks in verse 1. “Keep in mind your congregation . . . Keep in mind Mount Zion,” he pleads (Ps. 74:2). God’s folks really feel forgotten. They’ve watched as an enemy destroyed the temple, breaking down its carved wooden with hatchets and hammers (Ps. 74:6), setting the sanctuary on hearth, “bringing it all the way down to the bottom” (Ps. 74:7), and “profan[ing] the dwelling place of [God’s] identify” (Ps. 74:7).

“How lengthy, O God, is the foe to scoff?” Asaph questions (Ps. 74:10). “Why do you maintain again your hand, your proper hand?” (Ps. 74:11). Struggling typically brings up onerous questions on the place God is and what he’s doing amidst our ache. And Asaph reveals us what we are able to do with these questions—carry them to God.

But it surely’s essential to notice that Asaph isn’t bringing these inquiries to God with the air of a whiny baby who isn’t getting his means. As a substitute, he appears to be making the argument that the enemy’s offense is finally towards God, and subsequently, God ought to reply. Discover that as he describes the destruction of the temple, Asaph emphasizes that it belongs to God—“your congregation” and “your heritage” (Ps. 74:2), “your foes” and “your assembly place” (Ps. 74:4), “your sanctuary” and “the dwelling place of your identify” (Ps. 74:7).

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Pondering again to the courtroom analogy, on this first part of the psalm, Asaph is making an argument primarily based on legislation. He’s making the case that the enemy has damaged God’s legislation by profaning and dishonoring God’s temple and identify.

Then secondly, Asaph makes an argument primarily based on precedent, if you’ll. In Psalm 74:12–17 he factors to the previous works of the Lord. He says, “You divided the ocean by your would possibly” (Ps. 74:13), “crushed the heads of Leviathan” (Ps. 74:14), and “break up open springs and brooks” (Ps. 74:15). He particulars previous works of the Lord that show God’s energy and would possibly.

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Whereas within the earlier part he argued that God ought to act as a result of he has mainly been offended, right here Asaph is arguing that God has greater than sufficient energy and would possibly to defeat this foe. Asaph is saying that God not solely ought to act on this scenario, however God can act. God “established the heavenly lights and the solar” (Ps. 74:16) and “fastened all of the boundaries of the earth” (Ps. 74:17), so defeating this enemy is not any drawback for him.

Asaph then brings his closing level of argument—the covenant. “Have regard for the covenant,” Asaph pleads in Psalm 74:20. Charles Spurgeon referred to as this attraction to the covenant the “master-key” of the psalm. “Heaven’s gate should open to this,” he wrote. “God will not be a person that he ought to lie; his covenant he won’t break.”¹ Asaph’s argument finally rests right here. God has made a promise to his folks, and God doesn’t break his guarantees.

Psalm 74 reveals us that there’s an acceptable approach to carry an argument to God that honors him and expresses our religion.

As we stroll via Psalm 74 and think about Asaph’s argument, we are able to see that it’s removed from being an irreverent grievance. Every facet of his argument is an expression of religion. Asaph factors out how the enemy has profaned God’s sanctuary and damaged God’s legislation as a result of he believes that God is simply and holds lawbreakers to account. He particulars previous works of the Lord that show God’s would possibly as a result of he has religion that God can and can act in energy once more, simply as he has earlier than. And he factors to the covenant as a result of he has religion that God is true to his Phrase and can fulfill his guarantees to his folks.

However Psalm 74 isn’t recorded in Scripture in order that we are able to admire Asaph for his religion and well-considered argument. In his commentary on this psalm, Dr. James Montgomery Boice encourages us to observe Asaph’s mannequin. “Make a listing of why God ought to reply your prayer and plead these causes,” he writes. “Both God will reply, or one can find that your prayer will not be an excellent one and you’ll pray for one thing higher.”² Bringing an argument to God isn’t nearly calling him to behave, it’s about contemplating our personal wishes and motivations.

Psalm 74 provides us a mannequin for making an argument to God that’s primarily based in his legislation, his character and works, and his guarantees. Once we come to God on this means, we honor him with our religion and discover hope as we’re reminded of his faithfulness.

Winfree Brisley is coauthor with Sharonda Cooper of Flip Your Eyes: A Bible Examine on the Psalms.

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