Psalms 74:2
Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old,
&c.] Alluding to the redemption of the congregation of Israel out of
Egypt, when they were said to be "purchased", (Exodus 15:16) and as that
people were typical of the people of God, they may be said to be
"purchased then", even of old; though the purchase in reality was not
made till the blood of Christ was shed, with which he purchased his
church, (Acts 20:28) , indeed he was the Lamb, slain from the foundation of
the world, in the purpose and promise of God, and in the typical
sacrifices so early offered up, (Revelation 13:8) , and besides, the words may be
considered as the words of the church of God groaning under
antichristian oppression and cruelty, hundreds of years since the death
of Christ, and so may be said to be of old purchased; and which is
called a "congregation", because a select number, chosen of God, and
called out of the world, and brought into one body, and into fellowship
with Christ and one another; and though they may not meet together in
one place, they are all of one body, and will one day make one general
assembly and church of the firstborn, called "the congregation of the
righteous", (Psalms 1:5) now it is desired of the Lord for these, that they
might be remembered with his lovingkindness and tender mercies, with
his covenant and promises, and be delivered and saved out of the hands
of their enemies:
the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed;
the Targum
adds, out of Egypt; but this is to be understood not of the redemption
of the people of Israel, but of the redemption of the church of God
from sin, Satan, the law, the world, hell, and death; who are chosen by
the Lord for his inheritance, his peculiar treasure and portion; and
which he highly values and esteems, and is dear unto him as such, as
the redemption of them by the blood of Christ shows:
this Mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt;
meaning the church of God,
which often goes by this name, both in the Old and in the New
Testament, comparable to the mount of Zion for its height, holiness,
and immoveableness; where the Lord has promised to dwell, and where he
does dwell, and will for evermore. As the reference to Sion literally
understood, it is called "this Sion", because well known, and because
the psalm might be composed or said in it, as Kimchi observes; and
which shows that it was written before the destruction of the city and
temple, and while Zion was the seat of religious worship, and therefore
a prophecy of future times.