3. ‘Lord God, Lift up Thy Feet!’ Psalm 74:3-7

Text: “Lift up Thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.  Thine enemies roar in the midst of Thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.”                                                                                                                       Psalm 74:3-4.

Good morning, increasingly oppressed, Christian!  You and I who are, by God’s Sovereign grace, Spiritually regenerate, Bible-believing Christians, have been most aware of, first, the introduction of a Politically-Correct spirit throughout once solid Christian societies; then, an increase in anti-Christian belief systems; followed by a steep and gradual decline in the moral standards of all things we see and hear in the news media world and public advertising. 

Like a dry rot that creeps slowly, but so very surely, into a good strong piece of timber, the world in which we Christians live today, in this 21^st semi-apostate Century, has become increasingly more crass, lewd, and irreligious.  Even church congregations have begun to bring all sorts of worldly rubbish into the confines of church-meetings – so much so that many have begun to separate ourselves from even attending such circuses of humanistic celebration.

“Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  Purge out therefore the old leaven (sin, and doctrinal error), that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is Sacrificed for us: therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:6-7)

“For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”   (1 Peter 4:17-18)

It is against such increased apostasy, open and blatant disobedience; anti-Christian hindrances and militant oppositions to faith in God, that the Psalmist is crying out for the immediate ‘lifting up’ of God’s feet in response.  But, what exactly does this ‘lifting up of God’s feet’ signify today?

Verse 3. “Lift up Thy feet. Abu Walid renders it, Tread hard upon Thine enemies.  The Jewish Arab, Show forth Thy punishment, adding in a note that the lifting up the feet implies punishment, the bringing under by force being usually expressed by treading under the feet.” (Henry Hammond 1605-1660)

“Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.”  (Psalm 94:17)

Verse 4. “Thine enemies roar in the midst of Thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.” 

Historical Context:

Verses 4-7. “(The Persecution under Antiochus, BC 168) Athenaeus proceeded to Jerusalem, where with the assistance of the garrison, he prohibited and suppressed every observance of the Jewish religion, forced the people to profane the Sabbath, to eat swine’s flesh and other unclean food, and expressly forbade the national rite of circumcision.  The Temple was dedicated to Jupiter Olympius: the statue of that deity was erected on part of the altar of burnt-offerings, and sacrifice duly performed… As a last insult, the feasts of Bacchanalia, the licence of which, as they were celebrated in the later ages of Greece, shocked the severe virtue of the older Romans, were substituted for the national Festival of Tabernacles.

“The reluctant Jews were forced to join in these riotous orgies, and to carry the ivy, the insignia of the god.  So near was the Jewish nation, and the worship of Jehovah, to total extermination.”  (Henry Hart Milman, in ‘A History of the Jews’, 1791-1868)

These are the historical records of how God’s chosen people were tested to the utmost, by the world, the flesh, and that old Serpent, the Devil, down through the ages of Biblical history.  Little has changed today.  The onslaught is certainly more subtle, but the intent of Satan to obliterate the worship of the One True God, Jehovah, remains exactly the same.  Oh, that the Living Lord God would ‘…lift up His feet…’ and tread down the enemies of Christian faith throughout this wicked world!

Verse 5. “A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.  Once men were renowned for felling the cedars and preparing them for building the Temple, but now the axe finds other work, and men are as proud of destroying as their fathers were of erection.

“Thus, in the olden times our sires dealt sturdy blows against the forests of error and laboured hard to lay the axe at the root of the trees; but alas! Their sons appear to be quite as diligent to destroy the truth and to overthrow all that their fathers built up.  Oh, for the good old times again!  Oh, for an hour of Luther’s hatchet, or Calvin’s mighty axe!”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 321)

Dictionary Definition: Apostasy – (noun) abandonment of one’s religion, principles or party; a revolt from ecclesiastical obedience, from a religious profession, or from holy orders; defection.  Apostate: (noun) a person who has abandoned their religion, principles, etc; a renegade, deserter from any allegiance…  (The Chambers Dictionary, page 71)

The widespread apostasy we have been witnessing now for many years is, basically, a departure from true KJV Bible belief and purity of Christian doctrine.  What is now deemed as ‘politically correct’ has been spued from pulpits, often by mere ‘hirelings’, who are in pulpits as a means of being in full employment, as opposed to a calling from the Lord God.  Never has the old adage, ‘Good living, for a living’ been a more appropriate accusation from the world.  Preaching Christ, and Him Crucified for our sins, has become an unpopular ministry to perform.  Praise God there are still some ‘out there’ who are faithful to the Word!

Verse 7. “They have cast fire into Thy sanctuary. Those who hate God are never sparing of the most cruel weapons.  To this day, the enmity of the human heart is quite as great as ever; and, if Providence did not restrain, the saints would still be as fuel for the flames.” (C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, page 321)

“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on earth?”  (Luke 18:8)

Thought: It is time for Christians to pray, “Lord, lift up Thy feet”; help us, Thy people.