Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 74:1

"O God, why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?" — Psalms 74:1 (ASV)

O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? — You seem to have cast us off forever, or finally. Compare (Psalms 44:9), note; (Psalms 13:1), note. Why doth thine anger smoke. See (Deuteronomy 29:20). The presence of smoke indicates fire, and the language here is such as often occurs in the Scriptures, when anger or wrath is compared with fire. See (Deuteronomy 32:22); (Jeremiah 15:14).

Against the sheep of thy pasture — Your people, represented as a flock. See (Psalms 79:13); (Psalms 95:7). This increases the tenderness of the appeal. The wrath of God seemed to be enkindled against his own people, helpless and defenseless, who needed his care, and who might naturally look for it — as a flock needs the care of a shepherd, and as the care of the shepherd might be expected. He seemed to be angry with his people, and to have cast them off, when they had every reason to anticipate his protection.