Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 74:5

"They seemed as men that lifted up Axes upon a thicket of trees." — Psalms 74:5 (ASV)

The Authorized Version, with the ancient versions, has entirely mistaken the meaning of this verse, though, unlike the Septuagint and Vulgate, it has the merit of being intelligible. Literally the words read, he (or it) is known like one causing to come in on high against the thicket of trees axes, which is generally understood as, it seems as if men were lifting up axes against a thicket of trees.

The ruthless destroyers go to work like woodcutters in a forest—the carved pillars are no more than so many trees to fell. But though this is intelligible, it does not read like Hebrew, and the contrast apparently intended between the signs of the heathen and the signs of Israel in Psalms 74:9 is not preserved. If, with the Septuagint, we read the verb in the plural, are known instead of is known, and supply the subject from the last clause, this contrast is clearly brought out:

They have set up their idols as signs,
They (these signs) are known in the lifting up on high.

These visible idols are easily seen and recognised as soon as set up, but (Psalms 74:9) we see not our signs.

According as ... —We now, as so frequently, have to supply the sign of comparison, and this clause with the next verse reads plainly enough—

As in a thicket of trees with axes,
So now they break down all the carved work thereof with
axes and hammers.

The “carved work” of Solomon’s Temple represented palm-trees and flowers (1 Kings 6:29), and possibly these were imitated in the second Temple; if so, the image is very appropriate.