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Day 35

Psalm 74:5 "Like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees."

Day 35 – Psalm 74

“Like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees.” Psalm 74:5

A VIVID ANALOGY

Strong imagery was employed to describe the invaders who were laying waste to the land of Israel.

“They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees.
And now they break down its carved work, all at once…”
Psalm 74:5-6

1. “They seem like”

a) An analogy is offered.
b) The imagery chosen is that of hewers of trees (lumberjacks).

2. “Who lift up Axes among the thick trees”

a) The work of chopping down trees is being envisioned.
b) Few things would please those who fell trees for a living than to be “among the thick trees”.
c) There seems to be joy in the cutting down of trees.

3.”And now they break down its carved work”

a) There is another imagery here.
b) The Temple of the Lord had many beautiful objects carved out of wood.
c) These “lumberjack invaders” were chopping up the wooden objects as if they were trees.
d) Carved work would include:-
i) The showbread table
ii) The ark of the Covenant

4. “All at once”

a) Religious artifacts were usually ornately done.
b) Months or even years of work would have been devoted to create these beautiful religious articles.
c) However to these brutish and unfeeling lumberjack invaders these religious objects might as well be no more than trees waiting to be felled. These objects were destroyed “all at once”.