Psalm 74: When the Temple Is in Ruins but God Is Still King

Who Wrote Psalm 74?

Psalm 74 is identified in its title as “Maschil of Asaph.” Asaph was one of the chief musicians appointed by Asaph during the reign of David. Many Bible scholars believe this psalm was either written by Asaph himself or by one of his descendants from the guild of musicians known as the “sons of Asaph.”

The psalm was written during a time of national disaster when Jerusalem and the sanctuary had been attacked and left in ruins.

A Sermon on Psalm 74

“When Everything Around You Falls Apart”

There are times in life when we stand among the ruins.

The ruins of a broken heart.

The ruins of a shattered dream.

The ruins of a family problem.

The ruins of a nation that seems to have lost its way.

Psalm 74 was written from the ruins.

The people of God looked at the destruction around them and cried:

“O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?” (Psalm 74:1)

Have you ever felt like that?

Perhaps you prayed and heaven seemed silent.

Perhaps you waited and nothing changed.

Perhaps you wondered where God was in your storm.

The wonderful thing about this psalm is that it teaches us that faith does not deny pain. Faith brings pain to God.

The Cry of a Broken People

The psalm begins with questions.

“Why?”

“How long?”

The people could not understand why God had allowed such suffering.

Yet notice what they did not do.

They did not run from God.

They ran to God.

Many people stop praying when trouble comes.

The psalmist prayed more.

When life makes no sense, keep talking to God.

When tears fill your eyes, keep talking to God.

When answers are few, keep talking to God.

God can handle our questions.

Looking Beyond the Ruins

The enemy had destroyed the sanctuary.

The holy place had been defiled.

Everything the people treasured seemed lost.

Yet suddenly the psalm changes direction.

The writer lifts his eyes from the ruins and looks upward.

“For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” (Psalm 74:12)

What a statement!

The buildings may be destroyed.

The city may be burning.

The future may look uncertain.

But God is still King.

Circumstances change.

Governments change.

Empires rise and fall.

But God remains on the throne.

The devil cannot remove Him.

The world cannot vote Him out.

Time cannot weaken Him.

God is still King.

Remember What God Has Done

The psalmist begins remembering God’s mighty works.

He remembers how God divided the sea.

He remembers God’s victories over His enemies.

He remembers that God created the heavens and the earth.

Why does he do this?

Because faith grows when we remember.

Sometimes we spend so much time looking at today’s problem that we forget yesterday’s victories.

The God who saved you before can save you again.

The God who carried you through one valley can carry you through another.

The God who opened doors in the past still has the key today.

God Has Not Forgotten

The enemy mocked God’s people.

The enemy laughed at God’s name.

Everything looked hopeless.

Yet the psalmist ends by saying:

“Arise, O God, plead thine own cause.” (Psalm 74:22)

In other words:

“Lord, we cannot fix this ourselves. We need You.”

That is often where God begins His greatest work.

When our strength ends, His strength begins.

When our wisdom fails, His wisdom shines.

When our resources run dry, His resources remain limitless.

Conclusion

Psalm 74 teaches us that even when life appears to be in ruins, God is still reigning.

The people could not see the answer yet.

They could not see restoration yet.

But they knew something greater:

God was still King.

Perhaps today you are standing among some ruins of your own.

Do not give up.

Do not lose heart.

Do not stop praying.

The God who created the heavens and the earth has not forgotten you.

The same God who parted the sea, delivered His people, and sustained them through every trial is still at work today.

The ruins are not the end of the story.

God is still writing the final chapter.

“For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” — Psalm 74:12. Amen.

GOD IS A GOOD GOD

GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES

Written for georgeswebministries

18th June 2026