【诗74:12】神自古以来为我的王──在地上施行拯救。 【Psalm 74:12】But you, O God, are my king from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth.

《诗篇》74篇的背景，是以色列在恶王西底家带领下硬着颈项，百姓和祭司长效法外邦人拜偶像，污秽圣殿，整个国家背离神，最终遭仇敌毁灭。Psalm 74 is set against the background of Israel becoming stiff-necked under the leadership of the wicked King Zedekiah. The people and the chief priests copied the practices of the surrounding nations, worshipped idols, and defiled the temple. The whole nation turned away from God and was eventually destroyed by its enemies.亚萨的后裔看见圣殿被毁、神的名被亵渎，内心极其痛苦；而更令人绝望的是，神迹不再显明，先知也不再说话，神仿佛离弃了祂的百姓，无人知道这黑暗还要持续多久。The descendants of Asaph saw the temple in ruins and God’s name dishonoured, and they were deeply distressed. Even more devastating was the fact that signs and wonders were no longer being seen, the prophets had fallen silent, and God seemed to have abandoned His people. No one knew how long the darkness would last.

从第12节开始，诗人的眼睛突然从残垣断壁中拔出，回顾历史并投向了永恒：“神自古以来是我的王，在地上施行拯救。” From verse 12 onwards, the psalmist suddenly lifted his eyes from the ruins, looked back through history, and turned his gaze towards eternity: “But God is my King from long ago; He brings salvation on the earth.”诗人开始“数算恩典”，回顾祂创造天地、掌管万有，带领以色列出埃过红海的大能。他因此确信，神的沉默绝非无能，而是出于祂至高的主权。He began to count God’s blessings, remembering His mighty power in creating heaven and earth, ruling over all things, and leading Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. Because of this, he became certain that God’s silence did not mean that He was powerless. It was part of His sovereign rule.

天下万事皆有定时，神是公义圣洁的，万不以有罪为无罪。以色列民犯罪、神的管教、惩治皆有定时。神忍痛让他们被掳巴比伦70年，受苦被奴役，正是神慈爱和公义的彰显。There is an appointed time for everything under heaven. God is righteous and holy, and He will never treat the guilty as innocent. There was a time for Israel’s sin, and there was also a time for God’s discipline and judgement. God allowed them, with deep sorrow, to be taken captive to Babylon for seventy years, where they suffered and lived in slavery. Yet even this revealed both His love and His justice.以色列民曾尊神为王，却因厌弃神、随从人意、敬拜偶像、放纵私欲，一次次偏离祂的道路，最终落在列国的攻击与掳掠中。The people of Israel had once honoured God as King, but because they rejected Him, followed human desires, worshipped idols, and indulged their sinful passions, they repeatedly turned away from His ways and eventually came under the attacks and captivity of the nations.但神的心意不是灭绝，乃是借着管教唤醒他们，使他们悔改归回，重新得着拯救。Yet God’s purpose was not to wipe them out, but to awaken them through discipline, so that they would repent, return to Him, and receive salvation again.

正如经上所说：“甚愿我的民肯听从我，以色列肯行我的道！我便速速治服他们的仇敌，反手攻击他们的敌人。”（诗 81:13-14）As Scripture says: “If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!  (Psalm 81:13–14)

主啊，求祢赦免我们，像以色列民，在祢的祝福中，忙着做生意、赚钱，物质丰富生活安逸，渐渐地贪爱世界，拜金钱、拜偶像，远离祢，听不到祢的声音了。Lord, please forgive us. Like the Israelites, while enjoying Your blessings, we became busy with business and making money. As our possessions increased and life became comfortable, we gradually began to love the world, worship money and idols, drift away from You, and lose the ability to hear Your voice.在家庭、生活和工作中任意而行，心中不再尊祢为王。随从世界，为升官发财、竟然行邪淫、恶欲、醉酒、荒宴、拜偶像，In our families, daily lives, and workplaces, we did whatever seemed right to us and no longer honoured You as King in our hearts. Following the ways of the world and chasing promotion and wealth, we even fell into sexual immorality, evil desires, drunkenness, wild parties, and idolatry.讨好世人，向世界屈膝，贪图享受，读经祷告越来越懈怠……滑进世界，跟不信的人没有区别，行放荡无度的路。We tried to please people, bowed to the world, and pursued pleasure, while becoming increasingly careless about reading the Bible and praying… We slipped into the world, became no different from unbelievers, and followed a path of uncontrolled living.我和很多基督徒都经历了，什么好处也没有抓到，因顺从罪使家族邪灵追赶我们，生病、被骗、生命陷入混乱、好像以色列民一样，被掳无望。Many Christians and I have experienced that we gained none of the benefits we were chasing. Because we gave in to sin, evil spirits connected with our family lines pursued us; we became ill, were deceived, and our lives fell into confusion. Like the Israelites, we seemed to be in captivity without hope.

主啊，我感谢祢，祢没有任由我们沉沦。祢借着我们受亏损、身体得病、各种急难使我们停下脚步，重新思想人生的意义；Lord, I thank You that You did not simply leave us to destruction. Through loss, illness, and many different crises, You caused us to stop and think again about the meaning of life. 借着牧者高举耶稣在自己生死之上，感动我们的心。在亏欠与感恩中，圣灵引导我们，思想耶稣为我们舍己、流血所成就的救恩；回想那曾在我们身上所施的恩典和怜悯。Through pastor who exalted Jesus above their own life and death, You moved our hearts. In the midst of our sense of failure and gratitude, the Holy Spirit led us to reflect on the salvation Jesus accomplished for us through giving Himself and shedding His blood, and to remember the grace and mercy You had already shown us. 我们的心因此降服，愿意再次尊祢为王。祢也借着各方各面的启示，一步步引导我们悔改归回，在我们身上施行拯救。Our hearts then surrendered, and we became willing to honour You as King again. Through revelation from many different directions, You also guided us step by step to repent and return, bringing salvation into our lives.

主啊，我感谢祢，有丰盛的慈爱和忍耐，不轻易发怒和降灾。“因为，他的怒气不过是转眼之间；他的恩典乃是一生之久。一宿虽然有哭泣，早晨便必欢呼。”(诗 30:5) Lord, I thank You that You are rich in steadfast love and patience, slow to anger and slow to bring calamity. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. ( Psalm 30:5) 祢从来没有改变过，从以色列民到如今我们，祢的心，从来都不是降灾祸的意念，乃是赐平安的意念，为了叫我们末后有指望，终久得福(耶29:11)……You have never changed. From the days of Israel until now, Your heart has never been to bring disaster, but to give peace, so that we may have hope for the future and ultimately receive blessing (Jeremiah 29:11)… 愿我一生敬畏祢，不忘记祢的作为，常常诉说祢的公义与慈爱，敬畏祢，尊祢为大。愿为你把这真理的旗帜扬起来，在全地见证祢的信实与大能拯救，使更多的人悔改归向祢。May I fear You all my life, never forget what You have done, and continually speak of Your righteousness and love. May I fear You and honour You as great. May I raise the banner of this truth for You and bear witness throughout the earth to Your faithfulness and mighty salvation, so that more people may repent and turn to You.

（李姊妹和写经团队 Sister Li and The Daily Devotional Team）