Psalm 74 seems to have been written post-disaster, possibly after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Notice just a sampling of the described devastation:
Perpetual ruins. Everything in the sanctuary, destroyed. Roaring foes. The dwelling place of God’s name, profaned. Scoffing enemies. Foolish revilers. The land, filled with violence.
Understandably, the psalm’s author is full of questions. Why? How long? Will this last forever?
“Yet.”
It’s the small, weighty first word in Psalm 74:12, and what a precious word it is! A glimmer of light in the dark.
Yet God my King is from of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.
“Yet” is the psalmist’s anchor–deeper than the despair, stronger than the storm. God is. God is my King. God is working. My King is a God of salvation.
Live long enough and tough times will come. In your case and my case, it’s not going to be ruined walls and a devastated temple. Maybe it’s cancer. The loss of a job. A house fire. The betrayal of a close friend. A bitter disappointment. Divorce. An unrealized dream. The death of a child. When the toughest of tough times come, do you have a “yet”? A light in the darkness? An anchor deeper than the despair and stronger than any storm?
“Yet my favorite team won the championship last season…”
Not much of a “yet.”
“Yet I lived in a house with more square footage than we could fill…”
Not much weight.
“Yet last year’s vacation was the envy of all my coworkers…”
Not much strength.
“Yet I have quite the following on social media…”
Not much depth.
If you’re ready and willing to live for a better “yet,” Psalm 74:12 is a pretty good place to start.
Yet God my King is from of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Meditate on that precious sentence throughout the day. Carry it with you this week. God is. God is my King. My King is working. My King is a God of salvation. My abundant, never-failing “yet.” Worthy of worship, devotion, and everything I have to give.