Breakdown of Psalms 74:18-22

"Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name. Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever. Have regard for the covenant,…" — This verse is a powerful plea, reminding God that the enemy's scoffing and a foolish people's blasphemy aren't just attacks on humanity, but direct insults against God's very name and reputation. The…

Psalms 74:18-22 Meaning Explained

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Psalms 74:18-22

Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name. Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever. Have regard for the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise your name. Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!

English Standard Version (ESV)

This verse is a powerful plea, reminding God that the enemy's scoffing and a foolish people's blasphemy aren't just attacks on humanity, but direct insults against God's very name and reputation. The psalmist isn't just asking for personal rescue, but for God's honor to be vindicated against those who mock Him.

What Psalms 74:18-22 means

The psalmist, witnessing the devastation of God's sanctuary and people, cries out to God. He lists God's past mighty acts of creation and deliverance, contrasting them with the present suffering and the enemy's arrogant taunts. This verse marks a turning point, as the plea shifts from recalling God's power to urging God to remember the enemy's insults and the foolish people's blasphemies, which seem to go unpunished.

God, Remember Their Reproach!

The enemy isn't just attacking people; they're attacking God's very name. Why is this so critical for the psalmist, and why should it be for us?

The core of this prayer isn't just about the suffering of God's people, but about the desecration of God's honor.

The Enemy's Goal

The oppressors aren't just aiming for political or physical victory. Their ultimate goal is to undermine faith in God. By mocking God's power and presence, they seek to convince people that God is weak, absent, or even non-existent. This is why their scoffs and revilings are so deeply offensive – they strike at the heart of who God is.

God's Character at Stake

For the psalmist, God's reputation is paramount. The prayer "Remember this" is an urgent plea for God to act, not just for the sake of the suffering people, but to vindicate His own name. Allowing the enemy to continue their blasphemy would be a stain on God's glorious character and might lead others to believe the lies of the enemy.

Our Response

When we see God's name dishonored, whether through false accusations, disrespect, or the actions of those who claim to follow Him but live wickedly, we too are called to feel the weight of that reproach. Our prayers can echo this psalmist's cry: "Remember your name, O God, and let your truth prevail."

The Folly of Blasphemy

The verse calls the people who revile God's name 'foolish.' What kind of foolishness is this, and what does it reveal about those who defy the Almighty?

The psalmist uses the term 'foolish people' to describe those who openly disrespect God. This isn't just a lack of intelligence; it's a deep-seated moral and spiritual deficiency.

Ignorance of True Power

These 'fools' fail to grasp the immense power and sovereignty of the God they mock. They act as if God is weak or absent, unaware that they are challenging the Creator of the universe. Their actions are a profound misunderstanding of reality.

Understand the original words

Original language

LORDיְהוָה

YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun

The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, revealing Him as the self-existent, faithful, and redeeming One who entered into relationship with His people.

Rememberזָכַר

zakar · Hebrew Verb

To call to mind, or to act upon a promise or relationship; in Scripture, it often implies a request for God to intervene on behalf of His people according to His faithfulness.

enemyאוֹיֵב

oyeb · Hebrew Noun

One who is hostile or opposed, often representing the spiritual or physical adversaries of God and His people; in the Psalms, it frequently refers to those who reject God's authority.

foolishנָבָל

nabal · Hebrew Adjective/Noun

A person who lacks spiritual understanding or moral discernment, specifically one who acts as if there is no God and actively opposes His righteousness.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during the period of the Babylonian exile or shortly after, perhaps around the 6th century BC.
Author: Traditionally understood as Asaph, a Levite musician in David's court, though the specific authorship and historical context are debated among scholars.
Location: Likely written from Jerusalem, reflecting on the destruction of the Temple and the city.
Genre: Poetry (specifically a lament psalm), characterized by direct address to God and vivid imagery.

Historical background

This psalm likely reflects the deep despair and anger of the Judean people following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians. The psalmist cries out to God, remembering the enemy's taunts and the perceived abandonment by God, while also appealing to God's covenant faithfulness and power to restore His people and His name's honor.

c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar II conquers Jerusalem, destroys the First Temple, and exiles many of the Judean population. This event represents a profound national and religious crisis.
c. 586-538 BC
The Babylonian Exile
The exiled Judeans live in Babylon, facing cultural and religious challenges. Many lament their situation and long for the restoration of their homeland and worship.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian king Cyrus the Great overthrows the Babylonian Empire, opening the way for the return of exiled peoples to their homelands.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the beginning of the restoration period.

Key themes

01Divine name insulted
02Enemy's arrogant scoffing
03God's remembrance invoked
04Foolish people revile

Cross-references

Jeremiah 18:13

This passage describes Israel's unfaithfulness and how they act like a foolish people, paralleling the 'foolish people' who revile God's name in Psalm 74.

Romans 2:24

Paul quotes from Jeremiah (and implicitly echoes the sentiment of Psalm 74) to show that the actions of the people of God can cause God's name to be blasphemed among the nations.

Isaiah 51:7

This verse calls on the people to listen to God's instruction and not fear the reproaches of their enemies, mirroring the plea in Psalm 74 to remember God's name against scoffers.

Lamentations 2:15-16

This passage in Lamentations echoes the theme of Psalm 74, describing how enemies clap their hands and hiss, rejoicing over Jerusalem's destruction and reviling God's name.

Scholarly commentary

Psalms 74:18: "Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name."

Though we deserve to be forgotten and destroyed, yet remember thyself, and do not suffer thine and our enemies to reproach and blaspheme the name of that great and glorious God, the Creator and sovereign Lord of the whole world, whom they ought always to reverence and adore. The foolish people; who, though they think themselves and are thought by others to be wise, yet in…
poole

Psalms 74:18: "Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name."

Verses 18-23. - In conclusion, the psalmist prays earnestly that God will deliver his people from their wicked oppressors (vers. 18, 19), that he will remember his covenant (ver. 20), cause the oppressed ones to praise him (ver. 21), and assert himself against those who insult and oppose him (vers. 22, 23). Verse 18. - Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord…
pulpit

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What Psalms 74:18-22 means

Original language

LORDיְהוָה

YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun

The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, revealing Him as the self-existent, faithful, and redeeming One who entered into relationship with His people.

Rememberזָכַר

zakar · Hebrew Verb

To call to mind, or to act upon a promise or relationship; in Scripture, it often implies a request for God to intervene on behalf of His people according to His faithfulness.

enemyאוֹיֵב

oyeb · Hebrew Noun

One who is hostile or opposed, often representing the spiritual or physical adversaries of God and His people; in the Psalms, it frequently refers to those who reject God's authority.

foolishנָבָל

nabal · Hebrew Adjective/Noun

A person who lacks spiritual understanding or moral discernment, specifically one who acts as if there is no God and actively opposes His righteousness.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during the period of the Babylonian exile or shortly after, perhaps around the 6th century BC.
Author: Traditionally understood as Asaph, a Levite musician in David's court, though the specific authorship and historical context are debated among scholars.
Location: Likely written from Jerusalem, reflecting on the destruction of the Temple and the city.
Genre: Poetry (specifically a lament psalm), characterized by direct address to God and vivid imagery.

Historical background

c. 586 BC— this verse

Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple

The Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar II conquers Jerusalem, destroys the First Temple, and exiles many of the Judean population. This event represents a profound national and religious crisis.

c. 586-538 BC

The Babylonian Exile

The exiled Judeans live in Babylon, facing cultural and religious challenges. Many lament their situation and long for the restoration of their homeland and worship.

539 BC

Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon

The Persian king Cyrus the Great overthrows the Babylonian Empire, opening the way for the return of exiled peoples to their homelands.

538 BC

Edict of Cyrus

Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, marking the beginning of the restoration period.