Remember!

Psalm 74:1-3

¹ O God, why have you rejected us forever?
    Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
² Remember the nation you purchased long ago,
    the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—
    Mount Zion, where you dwelt.
³ Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,
    all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

This Psalm is written in response to Israel’s being destroyed by one of its enemies, most likely the Assyrians, or Babylonians.  They had ransacked the temple and destroyed all the holy things of God.  The psalmist cries out to God and asks him to remember His people.  Though the people might have deserved for God to withhold his hand of protection, the psalmist wanted God to remember the promises he had made to His people and his covenant love. 

Then he appeals to an interesting argument. He says, “We are given no signs from God; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be. How long will the enemy mock you, God? Will the foe revile your name forever? ¹¹ Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!” (vv. 9-11) The psalmist argues that God should deliver them from their enemies, if nothing else for his own reputation. 

The big theme here is “remembrance”.  In essence the psalmist is saying, “God don’t forget the promises you made to us.”  For a Christian, we call on God to remember what He did for us on the cross through His Son, Jesus.  On the cross, Jesus purchased us to be His own people.  He delivered us from our enemy sin, death and the power of the devil.   In Jesus, we know that God has not rejected us forever, but accepted us forever.  As the apostle Paul says in Romans 8:38, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, not even death!”

The psalmist reminds us that when we feel forsaken by God, we can remember all the promises God has made to us, which were fulfilled in Jesus.  That is why in Holy Communion we say the words, “Do this in remembrance of me.”  The power of Holy Communion is that we remember what God did for us on the cross when His Son’s body was broken and his blood poured out for the forgiveness of our sin!  Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have been delivered from the power of sin forever. We have been purchased out of the world to be God’s own people.  We know God won’t forget us, let’s make sure we don’t forget him and what He has done for us!