Psalm 74 (73):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They were unaware. What did they not comprehend? That "thou wouldest not have power against Me, if it had not been given thee from above." (John 19:11) They failed to grasp that it was not their dignity to crush, seize, or destroy the city, but their malice was used like a tool of God’s judgment. They became instruments of His wrath, not for the sake of His kingdom. For God often mirrors the actions of man. Occasionally, in a fit of anger, a man takes up a rod or a branch that lies nearby, strikes his child with it, and then casts the rod into the fire, leaving an inheritance for his son. Likewise, God may, through wicked individuals, instruct the righteous and, through the temporary authority of the condemned, bring forth those destined to be saved.

Regarding the oak tree, the lumberjacks hewed its entrances with their tools. In this manner, He illustrates the devastation of the city and the Holy Sanctuary. Utilizing the instruments meant for chopping and logging, they dismantled barriers and shattered the entrances of structures, akin to an oak tree, ravaging all that was crafted with skill and beauty.

Even in the departure referenced above, as indicated in verse 4, the sturdy oak’s timber is hewn with axes. You shall dismantle its entrances with mourning and disdain. Employing the tools of lumberjacks and carpenters, the structures are shattered, and the entries of the dwellings are severed, just as the oak has been felled, bringing down all that was crafted with skill and elegance.

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Thus, it is to be understood: the oak tree stands as a grove of timber nestled between the mountains, serving as a symbol of strength and resilience. The Romans, as it is written, felled the gates of Jerusalem with axes, much like one would chop wood, and with crowbars, they ravaged the roofs and gates of the households, laying waste to all wooden structures. They also breached their walls using blades and chisels; indeed, a chisel is the craftsman's instrument, employed for carving stones, dismantling walls, and conquering strongholds.

The faithful recount the horrors inflicted by their adversaries in Jerusalem, asserting that the actions taken by these aggressors were comparable to those of thieves and marauders. They wielded weapons fashioned from wood and iron, demolishing the city’s walls and hacking apart the temple doors with axes. Everything that had been crafted with exquisite artistry was marred and ravaged; yet their appetite for destruction was insatiable, culminating in the burning of the grandest temple in existence, dedicated to the glory of God. To illuminate the brutality of the attackers, the Prophet depicts them encouraging one another to leave nothing unscathed. In essence, the Prophet laments that these foes were so ruthless that they left no part of the city untouched.

Ultimately, in Christ—the Perfecter of all righteousness, who is celebrated with songs of gratitude and will be exalted forever. This Psalm was inspired by the Holy Spirit and communicated by David to Asaph, the leader of the musicians, to herald a joyful prophecy to the Israelites regarding the forthcoming triumph over Sennacherib, the king of Assyria (4 Sam. 19:35). This event symbolizes the ultimate victory of the Holy Church over all its adversaries, granted by God through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57).