Psalm 74 7

Psalm 74:7 kjv

They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

Psalm 74:7 nkjv

They have set fire to Your sanctuary; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.

Psalm 74:7 niv

They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.

Psalm 74:7 esv

They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.

Psalm 74:7 nlt

They burned your sanctuary to the ground.
They defiled the place that bears your name.

Psalm 74 verses

Psalm 74 7 Meaning

This verse laments the catastrophic destruction and desecration of God's holy dwelling place, the Jerusalem Temple, by the enemies. It highlights a dual offense: first, the physical act of setting fire to and destroying the sanctuary; and second, the profound sacrilege of profaning the very place where God's name, representing His presence and character, was uniquely established and honored. The phrase "to the ground" emphasizes the totality of the devastation and humiliation.

Psalm 74 7 Context

Psalm 74 is a communal lament, deeply grieving a catastrophic national disaster, most likely the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC, although some scholars suggest a later period of defilement or desolation. The psalmist expresses the deep distress of the people who witness the profound devastation of their sacred space. The psalm highlights not only the physical destruction but also the theological crisis: How could God allow His dwelling place, the symbol of His presence among His people and the heart of their worship, to be utterly demolished and profaned by enemies who seemingly blaspheme His name? The entire psalm is a plea for God's intervention, recalling His mighty acts in the past, and questioning His apparent silence and inaction in the face of such profound desecration and suffering.

Psalm 74 7 Word analysis

• וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ (vayishlekhu): "And they cast/hurled." From the Hebrew root שָׁלַח (shalach), meaning "to send, cast, stretch out." In this context, combined with "in/with fire," it powerfully conveys the aggressive and intentional act of the enemies in destroying the sanctuary, not just by burning, but by violently throwing fire into it. It emphasizes the active, malicious intent of the destroyers.
• בָאֵשׁ (ba'esh): "in the fire / with fire." From אֵשׁ (esh), "fire," with the preposition בְּ (be), "in/with." This explicitly identifies the instrument of destruction as fire, the common method for utter destruction and humiliation of structures.
• מִקְדָּשֶׁךָ (miqdasheka): "Your sanctuary." From מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash), "a holy place, sanctuary, temple." The suffix `-ךָ` (ka) means "Your." This refers specifically to the Temple in Jerusalem, God's sacred dwelling place set apart for His worship. It underscores that what was attacked was not just any building, but a place uniquely consecrated to God Himself.
• אֶל־אֶרֶץ (el-erets): "to the ground." `אֶל` (el) means "to, toward" and `אֶרֶץ` (erets) means "land, ground, earth." This phrase emphasizes the complete flattening and razing of the structure, signifying utter ruin and the symbolic debasement of what was once exalted.
• חִלְּלוּ (chillelu): "they profaned / they desecrated." Hiphil perfect from the root חָלַל (chalal), which means "to pierce, to wound," but in the Hiphil, "to make common, to defile, to pollute, to profane." This word conveys not merely physical destruction, but a moral and spiritual outrage – turning something holy and consecrated into something common, unholy, and contemptible. It signifies a sacrilege against God Himself.
• מִשְׁכַּן (mishkan): "the dwelling place." From מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan), "dwelling, habitation, tabernacle." This term is often used for the portable Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) but is also applied to the Temple as God's chosen dwelling place among His people. It points to the intimacy of God's presence that was violated.
• שְׁמֶךָ (shemeka): "Your name." From שֵׁם (shem), "name," with the suffix `-ךָ` (ka), "Your." In biblical thought, God's "name" represents His presence, character, authority, and glory. The "dwelling place of Your name" indicates the specific place where God chose to reveal Himself, establish His covenant, and be worshipped according to His instruction. Its profanation is a direct assault on God's reputation and very identity.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "They have set Your sanctuary ablaze": This first phrase focuses on the destructive act of arson and its immediate target – the consecrated physical structure. "Set ablaze" highlights the intensity and totality of the destruction, while "Your sanctuary" emphasizes the divine ownership and sacredness of the place, making the act a direct affront to God.
• "they have profaned the dwelling place of Your name to the ground": This second phrase elaborates on the deeper spiritual significance of the destruction. It uses "profaned," which points to the sacrilegious nature of the act, far beyond mere vandalism. "The dwelling place of Your name" specifies the sacred object as not just a building, but where God's very presence and character resided. "To the ground" underscores the complete humiliation and demolition, symbolizing the apparent triumph of the enemy over God's established presence. The parallel structure emphasizes both the physical and theological dimensions of the disaster.

Psalm 74 7 Bonus section

The strong imagery of fire and "to the ground" highlights the complete physical annihilation. The use of "profaned" elevates the act beyond mere destruction; it points to a violation of the sacred realm, an affront to God's inherent holiness and reputation among the nations. In the ancient Near East, the destruction of a deity's temple was seen as the conquering of that deity by the gods of the victorious nation. Thus, this psalm cries out to God, pleading for Him to assert His power and refute such blasphemous interpretations of events. This lament ultimately served as a theological processing of immense national trauma and a fervent prayer for God's redemptive intervention, despite the perceived abandonment.

Psalm 74 7 Commentary

Psalm 74:7 describes the horrific reality of God's holy Temple being subjected to ultimate physical ruin and spiritual desecration by the enemies of Israel. The intentional burning and leveling of the sanctuary represents the peak of sacrilege, as it targeted the very nexus of God's presence and covenant with His people. The act was not just an attack on a building or a nation, but a direct challenge to the authority, honor, and holiness of the Almighty God. It resulted in a deep theological crisis, as the physical symbol of God's dwelling appeared to be conquered and humiliated, raising painful questions about divine protection and justice.