Psalm 74

Read Psalm 74 ESV

Who - Asaph speaking to the LORD.

What - A lament to the LORD for the great calamity that has happened to Israel.  The temple has been burned and destroyed and people who do not worship the LORD rule the land.  The psalmist pleads with the LORD to come and act for the good of Israel and the LORD’S own name.  

When - No specific time stated, but the Babylonian exile and conquest is the only time that makes sense.  

Where - Unstated, but either Jerusalem our Babylon.  

Why - The Babylonians have overrun Israel, taken away the people and destroyed the Temple.  The psalmist pleads to the LORD for relief and help.  

Psalm 13

Read Psalm 13 ESV

Who - David is speaking to the LORD.  He made it into a song for the choir to sing to the LORD.  

What - David writes a song for a difficult situation, a time of despair.  He indicates he is at his end and cannot go any further with this difficult situation.  Whether his exhaustion is physical, emotional, spiritual or all three is not clear and can apply to any of them.  He is expressing his feeling of desperation and asking the LORD to intervene.  He feels abandoned and forgotten by the LORD.  (It is important to distinguish between a psalm and a theological writing.  This is describing a feeling, not making a statement about God’s character or actual acts.)1  David is making the case that his enemy is not a covenant faithful person.  This is not just someone who he has a disagreement with, it is a person who has abandoned covenant faithfulness with the LORD or never participated in it.  

When - Unstated, but could fit any of a number of instances in David’s life.  

Where - Unstated