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Day 47

Psalm 74:20a "Have respect to the covenant..."

Day 47 – Psalm 74

“Have respect to the covenant…” Psalm 74:20a

PLEADING THE COVENANT

One of the most important gifts that God had given to Israel was “the covenant”. The psalmist knew its importance and employed it as a basis of praying to the Lord.

“Have respect to the covenant;
For the dark places of the earth are full of the
haunts of cruelty.”
Psalm 74:20

1. “Have respect to the covenant”

a) There were a number of covenants given by God.
b) Some covenants were most specific:-
i) The Aaronic covenant was reserved for the priestly line.
ii) The Davidic covenant was only applicable to the royal line.
c) There were two covenants that could be specifically qualify as “the covenant”.
i) The Abrahamic covenant
This was the first covenant God gave to Israel through Abraham.
ii) The Mosaic covenant was probably in mind
God gave to Israel a special covenant at Mount Sinai. In most Old Testament references the Mosaic covenant is in mind.
d) Pleading with God to respect His covenant.
i) It is an appeal to God for help.
ii) In God’s covenant, if His people were to return to God from their sins, He would deliver them.
iii) This covenant promise was specifically mentioned.

“When you are in distress… when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice
(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you,
nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.”
Deuteronomy 4:30-31

2. “The dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty”

a) Israel was experiencing much cruelty under the hands of the Babylonians.
b) The nation was walking in a very dark place indeed and without God’s help His people would be made desolate.