We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In their distress, the psalmist declares they can no longer see "signs," which refers not just to physical markers, but to the very ordinances and visible tokens of God's presence that had sustained them before. This profound absence means there's no prophet to offer understanding or comfort about when their suffering will end, leaving them in a state of deep spiritual darkness and uncertainty.
We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalm is a cry of lament from a people suffering immense devastation, likely the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. They feel abandoned by God, as their enemies have desecrated holy sites and mocked their faith. This verse expresses their deep despair over the loss of tangible signs of God's presence and the absence of prophetic voices to guide or comfort them, leaving them in a state of agonizing uncertainty about when their suffering will end.
Imagine a time when the familiar markers of God's presence seem to vanish. What happens to faith when the usual signs are gone?
The psalmist laments, 'We see not our signs.' These 'signs' weren't just random good luck charms; they were the tangible evidences of God's faithfulness and presence among His people. Think of the miraculous acts in Egypt, the pillar of cloud and fire, or even the sacred structures and ordinances like the Temple, Sabbaths, and sacrifices.
When these disappear, it's more than just an inconvenience. It signifies a profound sense of abandonment. The external, visible proofs that God is with His people are gone, leaving them in a spiritual wilderness. This absence can feel like God has turned His face away, leaving them in darkness and confusion.
What happens to a community when there's no one left to speak God's Word into their present crisis?
The lament continues: 'there is no longer any prophet.' This isn't necessarily saying that literally every prophet in existence vanished. Instead, it speaks to the absence of prophetic voices among them, in their specific place of distress, who could offer guidance, comfort, or a word from the Lord.
During times of exile or intense suffering, prophets often served as God's mouthpieces. They interpreted current events through God's lens, reminded people of God's promises, and pointed towards future hope. When those voices are silent, the people are left without that divine perspective, making it harder to understand God's purposes or to find encouragement to persevere.
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When God's signs are hidden and His prophets are silent, the only question left is: 'How long?'
The psalm culminates in the desperate question: 'neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.' This highlights the immense burden of uncertainty. It's one thing to face hardship, but it's another to have no idea when or how it will end.
Even if a prophecy existed (like Jeremiah's seventy years), its application or exact starting point might be unclear to the suffering people. The lack of a prophet to clarify and confirm the duration of their suffering leaves them adrift. This deepens their despair because there's no clear horizon of hope, no estimated end to their pain. It's a raw expression of human vulnerability when faced with seemingly unending trials.
Understand the original words
'oth · Hebrew Noun
Divine manifestations, wonders, or miraculous acts intended to confirm God’s message and reveal His power to His people.
nabi' · Hebrew Noun
A messenger chosen by God to speak His truth, foretell future events, and call the people to repentance.
This psalm expresses deep anguish during a time of profound national and spiritual crisis, likely the Babylonian exile, when the visible signs of God's presence and guidance were gone, leaving the people without prophetic comfort or clear understanding of their future.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar begins his campaigns against Judah, leading to the first deportation of nobles and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the exile and a significant disruption of Jewish life and worship.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, King Jehoiachin and many more prominent citizens are exiled to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel is among this group, ministering to the exiles.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and ushering in the full devastation of the land. This event leaves the Jewish people without their central place of worship and national identity.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel's Ministry in Babylon
Ezekiel delivers powerful prophecies to the exiles by the Chebar canal, offering both judgment and hope, but his ministry is confined to the Babylonian exiles.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon. This event paves the way for the eventual return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus's Decree for Return
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple. This marks the end of the Babylonian exile but the beginning of a long process of restoration.
This verse echoes the lament in Psalms 74:9, as both express a sense of deep loss and the absence of divine guidance during times of extreme suffering and national devastation. The psalmist's cry about not seeing signs and having no prophet resonates with Jeremiah's sorrow over the vanished signs of God's presence and the silence of prophets.
Ezekiel 7:26This passage from Ezekiel shares the theme of spiritual desolation and the absence of divine communication, similar to Psalms 74:9. Both verses highlight a time when prophecy ceases, and the people are left without the ordinary means of understanding God's will or the duration of their trials.
This reference connects to Psalms 74:9 by illustrating a historical period where prophets were indeed absent, contributing to the people's sense of abandonment and uncertainty. The Maccabean era's lack of prophetic voices mirrors the lament in the psalm about not knowing 'how long' their suffering would last.
While Psalms 74:9 laments the lack of anyone knowing 'how long,' Jeremiah 25:11 provides a specific prophetic timeframe for the exile. This highlights the specific crisis in the psalm – not necessarily a lack of *any* prophecy, but a lack of *present, local* prophecy to articulate the duration of their suffering, a common issue during times of widespread distress.
jfbPsalms 74:9: "We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long."
- signs—of God's presence, as altar, ark, &c. (compare Ps 74:4; 2Ch 36:18, 19; Da 5:2).no more any prophet—(Isa 3:2; Jer 40:1; 43:6).how long—this is to last. Jeremiah's prophecy (Jer 25:11), if published, may not have been generally known or understood. To the bulk of the people, during the captivity, the occasional and local prophetical services of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Da…
pulpitPsalms 74:9: "We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long."
Verse 9. - We see not our signs. Some suppose "standards" to be meant, as in ver. 4, where the same word is used; but it is, perhaps, better to understand, with Dr. Kay, "Divine ordinances, which were standing signs of God's presence - as the tabernacle, the sacrifices, the sabbaths." There is no more any prophet. It has been said that this shows the psalm not to have been wri…
In their distress, the psalmist declares they can no longer see "signs," which refers not just to physical markers, but to the very ordinances and visible tokens of God's presence that had sustained them before. This profound absence means there's no prophet to offer understanding or comfort about when their suffering will end, leaving them in a state of deep spiritual darkness and uncertainty.
The psalm is a cry of lament from a people suffering immense devastation, likely the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. They feel abandoned by God, as their enemies have desecrated holy sites and mocked their faith. This verse expresses their deep despair over the loss of tangible signs of God's presence and the absence of prophetic voices to guide or comfort them, leaving them in a state of agonizing uncertainty about when their suffering will end.
The psalm is a cry of lament from a people suffering immense devastation, likely the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. They feel abandoned by God, as their enemies have desecrated holy sites and mocked their faith. This verse expresses their deep despair over the loss of tangible signs of God's presence and the absence of prophetic voices to guide or comfort them, leaving them in a state of agonizing uncertainty about when their suffering will end.
"We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long." — In their distress, the psalmist declares they can no longer see "signs," which refers not just to physical markers, but to the very ordinances and visible tokens of God's presence that had sustained…
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Last reviewed October 2026