Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 76:1
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm [or] Song of Asaph. In Judah [is] God known: his name [is] great in Israel.
1. known ] Lit., one who has made Himself known. By this recent deliverance He has once more “made Himself known in her palaces as a sure refuge” (Psa 48:3; cp. Psa 9:16; Isa 33:13).
his name is great ] Cp. Psa 75:1; Psa 47:2; Psalms 48, 1, 10; Psa 77:13.
Israel ] The covenant name, denoting the people of God’s choice. Now that the kingdom of Israel had fallen, Judah was the representative of the whole nation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
1 3. God has once more shewn His might in Zion by shattering the power of her assailants.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In Judah is God known – That is, he has made himself known there in a special manner; he has evinced his watchful care over the city so as to demand a proper acknowledgment; he has manifested himself there as he has not elsewhere. It is true that God is known, or makes himself known everywhere; but it is also true that he does this in some places, and at some times, in a more marked and striking manner than he does in other places and at other times. The most clear and impressive displays of his character are among his own people – in the church. His name is great in Israel. Among the people of Israel; or, among his own people. The meaning here is, that, by some act referred to in the psalm, he had so displayed his power and his mercy in favor of that people, as to make it proper that his name should be exalted or praised.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 76:1-12
In Judah is God known: His name is great in Israel.
Glorious aspects of the Divine character
I. As the glorious resident in the midst of His people (Psa 76:1-2). God is everywhere; but is in an especial sense present with holy souls. They are represented as His temple, which implies–
1. Special connection with Him.
2. Special consecration to Him.
3. Special manifestation of Him.
II. As the triumphant conqueror of his enemies. He does His work–
1. Thoroughly (Psa 76:3-5).
2. Easily (Psa 76:6). His word is the fire that will burn up corruption, the hammer that will break the rocky heart, the sword that will slay moral evil.
3. Judicially (Psa 76:8-9). God is infinitely just in crushing all evil. Satan is a usurper, and all his hosts are rebels. As a just God, He will put all-enemies under His feel. In a moral sense, God is a God of battles. He is eternally warring against wrong.
III. As the absolute master of malign passions (Psa 76:10).
1. He subordinates human wrath. As the mariner makes the gale his servant to bear his vessel to the port, so God makes the malign passions of men and devils to bear on His great purposes to their complete fulfilment.
2. He restrains it. He allows the wrath of His creatures to go no further than He chooses. As He has set a boundary to the ocean, He has also to the human passions. So far shalt thou go, and no further.
IV. As the supreme object of human worship (Psa 76:11). This implies two things.
1. Devout resolutions. Vow and pay unto the Lord your God. In this clause we have the fundamental God, and do right, and we shall get on as much as He thinks good for us. (A. K. H. Boyd, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
PSALM LXXVI
The true God known in Judah, Israel, Salem, and Zion, 1, 2.
A description of his defeat of the enemies of his people, 3-6.
How God us to be worshipped, 7-9.
He should be considered as the chief Ruler: all the potentates
of the earth are subject to him, 10-12.
NOTES ON PSALM LXXVI
The title, “To the chief Musician on Neginoth, a Psalm or Song of Asaph.” See the titles to Ps 4:1; Ps 6:1. The Vulgate, Septuagint, and others have, “A Psalm for the Assyrians;” and it is supposed to be a thanksgiving for the defeat of the Assyrians. The Syriac says it is a thanksgiving for the taking of Rabbah, belonging to the children of Ammon. It is considered by some of the best commentators to have been composed after the defeat of Sennacherib. That it was composed after the death of David, and after the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah were separated, is evident from the first verse. If Asaph was its author, it could not be the Asaph that flourished in the days of David but some other gifted and Divinely inspired man of the same name, by whom several others of the Psalms appear to have been composed during the captivity.
Verse 1. In Judah is God known] The true God revealed himself to the Jews. The Israelites, after the separation of the tribes, had the same knowledge, but they greatly corrupted the Divine worship; though still God was great, even in Israel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Is great, i.e. famous and renowned, and greatly to be praised and admired.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1, 2. These well-known termsdenote God’s people and Church and His intimate and gloriousrelations to them.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In Judah is God known,…. God is to be known, and is made known, by his works of creation, and by his providences, and particularly by his judgments in the whole world, even among the Gentiles; and he was made known by his word and ordinances, his statutes and his judgments, among the Jews, to whom these were specially given; and he is made known by his Spirit, and in his Son in a spiritual and saving manner to such who are Jews inwardly, or the true circumcision: moreover this may be understood of Christ, God manifest in the flesh, and regard his appearance in human nature in the land of Judea; he was, according to prophecy, of the tribe of Judah as man, and was born in Bethlehem, a city in that tribe, where David was, and of the family of David, that formerly lived there: and he was made known by John the Baptist, who came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and by his being baptized of him in Jordan; by his own ministry and miracles in that land, and by the preaching of his apostles in the several cities of it, he was known in person to many; and by the fame of his doctrine and miracles to more, though seemingly but to few:
his name is great in Israel; he himself is great, for his name is himself, being the great God, and possessed of all divine perfections; his offices and titles are great, he is a great Saviour, a great High Priest, a great Prophet risen up in Israel, a great King, add the great Shepherd of the sheep; his works which make him known are great, his works of creation and providence, in which he is jointly concerned with his Father; the mighty works he did on earth, and especially the great work of our redemption; and his Gospel, which is called his name, Ac 9:15, brings glad tidings of great and good things; by means of which, and the wonderful things he did in the land of Israel, his fame was spread about in it, for he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; here his marvellous works were done, and his Gospel first preached, which afterwards went into all the earth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In all Israel, and more especially in Judah, is Elohim known (here, according to Psa 76:2, participle, whereas in Psa 9:17 it is the finite verb), inasmuch as He has made Himself known (cf. , Isa 33:13). His Name is great in Israel, inasmuch as He has proved Himself to be a great One and is praised as a great One. In Judah more especially, for in Jerusalem, and that upon Zion, the citadel with the primeval gates ( Psa 24:7), He has His dwelling-place upon earth within the borders of Israel. is the ancient name of Jerusalem; for the Salem of Melchizedek is one and the same city with the Jerusalem of Adonizedek, Jos 10:1. In this primeval Salem God has , His tabernacle (= , Lam 2:6, = , as in Psa 27:5), there , His dwelling-place, – a word elsewhere used of the lair of the lion (Psa 104:22, Amo 3:4); cf. on the choice of words, Isa 31:9. The future of the result is an expression of the fact which is evident from God’s being known in Judah and His Name great in Israel. Psa 76:4 tells what it is by which He has made Himself known and glorified His Name. , thitherwards, in that same place (as in fact the accusative, in general, is used both in answer to the question where? and whither?), is only a fuller form for , as in Isa 22:18; Isa 65:9; 2Ki 23:8, and frequently; Arab. tamma ( tumma ) and (from ) confirm the accusative value of the ah . (with Phe raphatum , cf. on the other hand, Son 8:6)
(Note: The pointing is here just as inconsistent as in , and on the contrary .))
are the arrows swift as lightning that go forth (Job 41:20-28) from the bow; side by side with these, two other weapons are also mentioned, and finally everything that pertains to war is gathered up in the word (cf. Hos 2:18). God has broken in pieces the weapons of the worldly power directed against Judah, and therewith this power itself (Isa 14:25), and consequently (in accordance with the prediction Hos 1:7, and Isa 10, 14, Isa 17:1-14, 29, Isa 31:1-9, 33, 37, and more particularly Psa 31:8) has rescued His people by direct interposition, without their doing anything in the matter.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Triumph in God. | |
To the chief musician on Neginoth. A psalm or song of Asaph.
1 In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. 2 In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. 3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. 4 Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. 5 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. 6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
The church is here triumphant even in the midst of its militant state. The psalmist, in the church’s name, triumphs here in God, the centre of all our triumphs.
I. In the revelation God had made of himself to them, v. 1. It is the honour and privilege of Judah and Israel that among them God is known, and where he is known his name will be great. God is known as he is pleased to make himself known; and those are happy to whom he discovers himself–happy people that have their land filled with the knowledge of God, happy persons that have their hearts filled with that knowledge. In Judah God was known as he was not known in other nations, which made the favour the greater, inasmuch as it was distinguishing, Psa 147:19; Psa 147:20.
II. In the tokens of God’s special presence with them in his ordinances, v. 2. In the whole land of Judah and Israel God was known and his name was great; but in Salem, in Zion, were his tabernacle and his dwelling-place. There he kept court; there he received the homage of his people by their sacrifices and entertained them by the feasts upon the sacrifices; thither they came to address themselves to him, and thence by his oracles he issued out his orders; there he recorded his name, and of that place he said, Her will I dwell, for I have desired it. It is the glory and happiness of a people to have God among them by his ordinances; but his dwelling-place is a tabernacle, a movable dwelling. Yet a little while is that light with us.
III. In the victories they had obtained over their enemies (v. 3): There broke he the arrows of the bow. Observe how threatening the danger was. Though Judah and Israel, Salem and Zion, were thus privileged, yet war is raised against them, and the weapons of war are furbished.
1. Here are bow and arrows, shield and sword, and all for battle; but all are broken and rendered useless. And it was done there, (1.) In Judah and in Israel, in favour of that people near to God. While the weapons of war were used against other nations they answered their end, but, when turned against that holy nation, they were immediately broken. The Chaldee paraphrases it thus: When the house of Israel did his will he placed his majesty among them, and there he broke the arrows of the bow; while they kept closely to his service they were great and safe, and every thing went well with them. Or, (2.) In the tabernacle and dwelling-place in Zion, there he broke the arrows of the bow; it was done in the field of battle, and yet it is said to be done in the sanctuary, because done in answer to the prayers which God’s people there made to him and in the performance of the promises which he there made to them, of both which see that instance, 2Ch 20:5; 2Ch 20:14. Public successes are owing as much to what is done in the church as to what is done in the camp. Now,
2. This victory redounded very much, (1.) To the immortal honour of Israel’s God (v. 4): Thou art, and hast manifested thyself to be, more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. [1.] “Than the great and mighty ones of the earth in general, who are high, and think themselves firmly fixed like mountains, but are really mountains of prey, oppressive to all about them. It is their glory to destroy; it is thine to deliver.” [2.] “Than our invaders in particular. When they besieged the cities of Judah, they cast up mounts against them, and raised batteries; but thou art more able to protect us than they are to annoy us.” Wherein the enemies of the church deal proudly it will appear that God is above them. (2.) To the perpetual disgrace of the enemies of Israel, Psa 76:5; Psa 76:6. They were stouthearted, men of great courage and resolution, flushed with their former victories, enraged against Israel, confident of success; they were men of might, robust and fit for service; they had chariots and horses, which were then greatly valued and trusted to in war, Ps. xx. 7. But all this force was of no avail when it was levelled against Jerusalem. [1.] The stouthearted have despoiled and disarmed themselves (so some read it); when God pleases he can make his enemies to weaken and destroy themselves. They have slept, not the sleep of the righteous, who sleep in Jesus, but their sleep, the sleep of sinners, that shall awake to everlasting shame and contempt. [2.] The men of might can no more find their hands than the stout-hearted can their spirit. As the bold men are cowed, so the strong men are lamed, and cannot so much as find their hands, to save their own heads, much less to hurt their enemies. [3.] The chariots and horses may be truly said to be cast into a dead sleep when their drivers and their riders were so. God did but speak the word, as the God of Jacob that commands deliverances for Jacob, and, at his rebuke, the chariot and horse were both cast into a dead sleep. When the men were laid dead upon the spot by the destroying angel the chariot and horse were not at all formidable. See the power and efficacy of God’s rebukes. With what pleasure may we Christians apply all this to the advantages we enjoy by the Redeemer! It is through him that God is known; it is in him that God’s name is great; to him it is owing that God has a tabernacle and a dwelling-place in his church. He it was that vanquished the strong man armed, spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Psalms 76
The Terrible One To Be Praised
This Psalm of Asaph describes how God has overthrown the mighty armies of the heathen of the earth that have arrayed themselves against Him and His people. It sets forth how God will eventually subdue all the wicked men and governments of the earth, under the feet of His royal, redemptive Son, Christ Jesus, Act 3:20-23; 1Co 15:24-28; Rev 19:11-16.
Scripture v. 1-12:
Verses 1-3 relate that God is known or recognized by His mighty deeds of power in the past, by both the people of Judah and Israel. His tabernacle, (sanctuary) of worship and praise, and His dwelling (residing) place, were in Zion, the city and mountain of God, Psa 48:1. See also Psa 46:4; Psa 87:3. For there in that city, it is declared, “he broke the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle.” Selah, meaning meditate on, digest find spiritual nourishment in this. God broke the world-power’s weapons that were gathered against Salem or Jerusalem, the place of safety and peace. Gen 14:18; There Melchizedek once resided as King and Priest of the most High God, before the Law. Wherever the Almighty dwells, there may be found peace and safety, Psa 46:4-5. God fought for Israel in her battles, preserved His people through all their chastening experiences at the hands of the Assyrians, Babylonians, and other armed powers, and brought them back to Jerusalem, the city of peace, where they shall yet be gathered again, Luk 21:24. See also accounts of these struggles, and victories, 2Ch 14:12-13; 2Ch 20:22-25; 2Ch 32:21, as further described in the fall of Sennacherib’s mighty army, 2Ki 19:35-36; Psa 46:9; Psa 37:35-36; Eze 39:9.
Verse 4 declares that He is “more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey,” heaps of booty captured in battle against the enemy armies God overthrew against Judah and Israel, so many times as they righteously obeyed and walked before Him, Jer 4:7; Eze 38:12; Dan 7:4; Dan 7:8; Dan 7:17. See also Psa 46:2-3; Nah 2:11; Nah 3:1.
Verse 5 adds “the stout-hearted are spoiled,” they who dared to assault Jerusalem, Isa 46:12-13. “They have slept (fallen to sleep) their sleep,” of death, Job 12:17; Job 12:19; Eze 38:12-13; Eze 39:4. Their death-sleep is described Psa 13:3; Jer 51:39; Jer 51:57; Nah 3:18; 2Ki 19:35. It is added that, “none of the men of might have found their hands,” to destroy the city of God, for death had paralyzed them.
Verse 6 explains one or more such attempted encounters, and the final by Sennacherib’s army before Jerusalem at the east,” at thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep,” a sleep of death, as the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his army, but more specifically at this time when 185,000 Assyrians of Sennacherib’s army were stricken to death, out side Jerusalem, on one fateful night of God’s judgment, 2Ch 32:21; 2Ki 19:35-36; Exo 15:1; Exo 15:21; Nah 2:13; Zec 12:4. The next morning:
“There lay the rider, distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail.”
See also Eze 39:20-24. Nations that heard of it were in awe:
“Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green
That host with their banner at evening was seen;
Like the leaves of the forest, when autumn has fled,
That host in the morning, lay scattered and dead.”
Verse 7 asserts in rhetoric form that no one is able to stand in judgment, before the rebuke of this mighty, terrible, living God, at His anger, can he? The necessary inference is “no.” He is therefore a God to be feared with reverence or respect, Nah 1:6.
Verse 8 declares “Thou didst cause judgment to be heard (Divine judgment) from heaven,” by the angel that smote the 185,000 men of the Assyrian army that had besieged Jerusalem, the city of God, 2Ch 32:21; 2Ki 19:35-36; Isa 37:33-37; Zec 14:3. The result was that “the earth feared and was still,” brought to stunned stillness or silence; Invasions against Jerusalem ceased, as a result of this mighty act of Divine intervention, Psa 46:6; Psa 46:9-10; Isa 14:7.
Verse 9 concludes “when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth,” the above description is what happened, “Selah.” Digest the meaning of it. He arose not only to save Judah and Jerusalem but also those oppressed Gentile nations from fear of being looted by the mighty armies of the wicked. So shall it be when the Lord returns to the earth to bring final triumph and rewards to all the righteous, with special covenant honors for Israel, and His church, which He called from and sent among the Gentiles, to bear His name till He comes again, Mat 5:5; Psa 22:26; Rev 14:4-5. For He shall come “to be glorified In the saints, (His church, Rev 19:7-9) and admired In all them that believe,” who are not of either Israel or His church, 2Th1:10; Rev 5:8-10.
Verse 10 certifies that even the wrath of man shall be turned to praise God, in the hour of judgment, and remaining, lingering wrath he shall restrain, Exo 9:16; Exo 18:11; Psa 75:8; Psa 68:30. See too Gen 37:18-19; Gen 50:20; Dan 3:19; Act 4:26; Act 4:28; Rev 11:18.
Verse 11 commands “vow, and pay unto the Lord your God,” as you have vowed or pledged to do; keep your vows, Ecc 5:4; Deu 23:21-22. “Let all … about him bring presents (free will gifts) unto him who ought to be feared,” Psa 68:29; Psalms 89; For the redeemed shall one day gather “round about” Him, the Lamb, Rev 4:4; Rev 7:17.
Verse 12 concludes in His final terrible judgment He shall “cut off the spirit of the princes (Heb yibetzor), cut off like a vine dresser that which encumbers, Rev 14:18-19, cut off their breath, their lives, Psa 104:29. ft is added “He is terrible (in judgment) to the kings of the earth, Psa 68:35.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
1. God is known in Judah. In the outset, we are taught that it was not by human means that the enemies of Israel were compelled to retire without accomplishing any thing, but by the ever-to-be-remembered aid of Jehovah. Whence came that knowledge of God and the greatness of his name which are spoken of, but because He stretched forth his hand in an extraordinary manner, to make it openly manifest that both the chosen people and the city were under his defense and protection? It is therefore asserted, that the glory of God was conspicuously displayed when the enemies of Israel were discomfited by such a miraculous interposition.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
INTRODUCTION
Superscription.To the chief Musician on Neginoth. See Introduction to Psalms 54.
A Psalma Song of Asaph. (See notes on the authorship of Psalms 74) The superscription may be thus paraphrasedA Psalm, a Song of Asaph, to be delivered to the director of music, that he may arrange for its performance with the accompaniment of stringed instruments.
Occasion.There appear to us very good reasons for regarding the Psalm as a celebration of Israels victory over the Assyrians. The preceding Psalm sang the heroic anticipation of triumph, this one the uxultant realisation of triumph.
GOD THE CHAMPION OF THE GOOD
The victorious army of Sennacherib is encamped before Jerusalem threatening to besiege it unless Hezekiah will submit to them, and admit them into the city. The invading army was very numerous and powerful, and was emboldened by many and signal victories. In his extremity Hezekiah is strengthened by the word of the Lord, by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, and he refuses to surrender to the generals of Sennacherib. Isaiah declared, that the virgin, the daughter of Zion, despised and laughed to scorn the invaders. According to His promise, God interposed on behalf of His people, and on the first night of the siege, a hundred fourscore and five thousand, with their captains and generals, were destroyed. (Vide 2 Chronicles 32; Isaiah 37; Josephus Antiq. x. 1.)
We may profitably regard this chapter of ancient history as an illustration of Gods Championship of His people. It is common to speak of human life upon earth as a battle. To every man who is in any degree acquainted with the meaning and importance of life there are difficulties and struggles to be encountered. There is disorder to be attacked, subdued, made orderly and rhythmic. There are ignorance, stupidity, brutality, to be encountered and vanquished by intelligence, wisdom, and manliness. The truly good man, he who, in the strength of God, is trying to live holily, usefully, and bravely, especially finds life a battle. To him there are not only the manifest enemies of ignorance, vice, and crime, but subtle, spiritual foes within him and around him. His own soul is beleaguered by enemies. The cause of God in the world, too, is attacked by foes, as was Jerusalem by the Assyrian hosts. We are inadequate to contend with forces so numerous and powerful. Yet there be more with us than with him: with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles.
I. The enemies of the good are many and mighty. The Assyrian army was vast and powerful, and had been very victorious. The Psalmist speaks of them as the stouthearted, the men of might. They illustrate the enemies of the people of God. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, &c. (Eph. 6:10-13). Good men have to contend with Satan. He is the great leader of the antagonism against God and goodness. He strives for his own diabolical mastery, for the sovereignty of darkness and evil. In our day the great adversary of God and man seeks to compass his diabolic ends not so much by force as by fraud. The time was when the good had to dread the roaring lion, going about seeking whom he may devour. At present, he is far more dangerous when he is transformed into an angel of light. He works with a shrewd cunning, a subtle diplomacy, and by means of politic disguises. He can assume the self-possession of a man of the world, or the manners of a gentleman. He can speak the language of accomplished scholarship, or of deep and patient thought. Or, he can assume the garb of religion, and speak the language of piety. Indirectly and by means of artful disguises he seeks to accomplish his fiendish purpose, the utter depravation and ruin of souls. In all scenes and at all times he steadily works to accomplish his object. By many and varied means he is suggesting evil to the soul, and stimulating and impelling the soul under false pretences to follow that evil. A man is lured to drunkenness under the pretence of sociality and good companionship. Another is snared into the most miserable avarice under the guise of making provision for future emergencies, or of practising a proper economy. In this indirectness and subtlety of method lie the great strength of the devil; and by reason of these his attacks are fraught with great peril to men. Moreover, in his great warfare against the good, Satan has many allies. From the revelations of the Bible, it is clear to us that there are many angelic helpers of the good, and that there are many fallen angels who, under their great leader, oppose the good. There are ranks and orders of these fallen angelsprincipalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual hosts of wickedness.
These beings exert much influence in suggesting evil to the mind and heart, and in impelling the mind and heart to evil. He is but a shallow thinker that ridicules the idea of malign spiritual influences acting upon us; and has studied with but little effect either the experiences of his own heart or the phenomena of mind in general. Assuredly
There are more things in heaven and earth
Than are dreamt of in his philosophy.
Satan has allies also in human society. The good have to contend against the world as well as against the devil, or against the devil as he works by human agency. There are men of splendid but impure imagination who are corrupting souls by sensuous literature. There are others of education and mental power who are producing works which tend to unsettle mens faith not only in human creeds, but in Divine revelation, and even in the reality of truth, and righteousness, and love. Music, and many of the so-called refinements and arts of life are, to a great extent, made to minister to the senses rather than to the soul, to the appetites rather than to the aspirations of mans nature. And the souls of many seem steeped in worldliness. At the shrine of Mammon immense multitudes are ever bowing. Men are sacrificing all mental culture and progress for gold, sacrificing principle for gold, sometimes sacrificing their soul for gold. Parents are willing to immolate their children upon the altar of Mammon, and sacrifice their daughters for gold. It is not without reason that we pray for deliverance from the snares and seductions of the world; for they are full of peril, and they beset all classes and conditions of men. The good have also to contend against enemies within themselves. There are tendencies to evil in our own nature. The completeness of our moral power is broken. The flesh lusteth against the spirit. Passion is frequently arrayed against principle. Inclination and conscience are often at variance. To will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. There is that in us which responds to temptation, and gives to temptation its power; that in us which is attracted by evil in certain of its forms as steel is drawn by the magnet. Thus some of the severest struggles are fought in the arena of human souls. Here, then, are the enemies against which we have to battle, the world, the flesh, and the devil; evil within us, and evil around us; ignorance, superstition, oppression, bigotry, unbelief, vice, crime, pain, disease, misery, and death. O our God, we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee.
II. The Champion of the good is greater than all their enemies. The Psalmist represents God as completely vanquishing the foes of Israel. In one night one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the Assyrian army were slain. When God arose to judgment to save His people, the enemy was speedily and utterly discomfited.
1. He issues forth to battle from Zion, Zion is represented as the dwelling-place of God. In Judah is God known: His name is great in Israel: in Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling-place in Zion. The Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. Sennacherib had virtually challenged Jehovah to combat. He sent to the Jews, saying, No god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers; how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand? The contest was between the gods as well as the military forces of the two kingdoms. The presumptuous monarch begins to besiege the holy city. He will capture the very dwelling-place of the Lord God of Sabaoth. God accepts the challenge, and in the silence of the night. He calmly goes forth, and with the breath of His nostrils He slays His foes. The stout-hearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands. And the proud boaster hastily retreats, to meet with a speedy and ignominious death. Not in any local Zion does God now manifest His glory. Jesus Christ is the true Shekinah, the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person. God goes forth in Him to combat His foes. The great controversies of Christendom are concerning Him. The opposition to religion is to a great extent directed against Him. His spirit and principles, His authority to legislate for human society, His right to reign over men, His claim of God-hood, these are combated by men to-day. All the opposition to which His disciples are subjected He regards as directed against Himself. Their foes He holds to be His foes. He is the great antagonist of all evil. By His Spirit and His Church He wages war against sin, suffering, and death. In proportion as His people are animated by His Spirit and live in His life are they victorious in conflict. God in Christ shall conquer all our foes. The sublime wisdom of His teaching, the Divine beauty of His life, the heart-moving, Godlike power of His death shall subdue the world unto Him. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, &c.
2. He issues forth to complete victory. When God entered the lists the vast and valiant hosts of Sennacherib were swept into the silent sleep of death in a moment. There brake He the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle, &c.
Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were seen:
Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown,
That host on the morrow lay witherd and strown.
God not only got to Himself a complete victory, but His glory was increased amongst His people and amongst the heathen by reason of the wrath of His enemies. He made the wrath of man to praise Him. The proud boasting of Sennacherib and the attack of his mighty hosts called forth a conspicuous display of the power and majesty of God. His people saw it, and celebrated His praises. The heathen saw it, and brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah, king of Judah: so that He was magnified in the sight of all nations. Thus the Lord got Him honour upon Sennacherib. This is an illustration of the victory which He will achieve over all His foes. There are times when we stand dismayed before our enemies. The evils of our own hearts are more than a match for us. And, when we think of the foes that are in the world, and of the vast influence of the great leader of the evil forces, we feel how utterly inadequate we are to cope with such tremendous powers. But the Captain of our salvation is more than sufficient for us. He will turn the counsel of the enemies of His people to their own confusion. He will give us the victory over our foes. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under thy feet shortly. We are more than conquerors through Him that hath loved us. He will enable us to draw from our conflicts a strength and courage, a hatred of evil, and an enthusiasm for goodness which we could not otherwise have obtained. He will continue the conflict until He is victorious over every foe. He will even overrule the dark and malicious designs and workings of Satan and his allies for the promotion of His glory. After all the devil is but the vassal of the Lord our God. Unwittingly he is being used to promote the enthronement of the true and good. Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
3. He achieves complete victory with the utmost ease. Whatever the angel, messenger, which the Lord sent against the Assyrian host was, it is clear that the victory was achieved with the utmost ease. Who can stand in Thy sight when once Thou art angry?
For the angel of death spread his wings on the blast,
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;
And the eyes of the sleepers waxd deadly and chill.
And their hearts but once heavd, and for ever grew still.
God rebukes His foes, and they are vanquished. So in the end He will subdue His foes with the most consummate ease. The foes of the good exist and are active, not because He is unable to subdue them, but because for wise and benevolent purposes He sees fit to allow them to resist Him and oppose His cause. But when He arises to judgment they will melt like snow in His glance. Wherefore let the people of God take courage and exult in their Champion.
III. The Champion of the good should be duly honoured.
1. His people should pay their vows to Him, Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God all ye who are round about Him. The latter clause makes it clear that this refers to His people. The twelve tribes used to pitch round about the tabernacle. And Jehovah was said to dwell in the midst of them. The vows which they had made to Him in the time of their danger and fear, they are exhorted to pay to Him now that deliverance has been wrought for them. In the conflicts of life men frequently vow that if deliverance from trouble, or extrication from difficulty, or victory over enemies be granted to them, they will consecrate themselves or their possessions more fully to God. But these vows are frequently forgotten when the peril is past. Thy vows are registered in heaven by the faithful God. Pay them. With shameful ingratitude thou hast far too long left them unpaid, pay them at once.
2. Offerings of devotion should be made to Him. Bring presents unto Him that ought to be feared. After the defeat of Sennacherib many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and He was magnified in the sight of all nations. God is worthy to receive the homage of all peoples. The day is coming when men shall esteem it a high privilege and pleasure to bring their richest treasures as an offering to Him.
Let us bring presents to Him who fighteth for us in all our battles. Man of wealth, dedicate thy possessions to Him. Man of genius, lay thy genius on the altar of Divine consecration. Let us each give to Him of our best and richest treasures.
3. The glory of victory should be ascribed to Him alone. In the case of the Assyrian hosts He alone encountered and vanquished them. O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. And the praise and honour were all ascribed to Him. In all the victories of His people He is the real Conqueror. If we come out of temptation victorious, it is because of the help of His grace. If in any measure we have been successful in our conflict with ignorance and sin and misery, we have been so by the power of His might. Blessed be the Lord my rock, who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.
He makes the glorious victory mine,
And His shall be the praise.
CONCLUSION.
1. Let the Church of God remember its obligation. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might, &c. (Eph. 6:10-18).
2. Let the Church of God remember its Champion. Through God we shall do valiantly; for He shall tread down our enemies.
GOD THE SAVIOUR OF THE MEEK
(Psa. 76:9.)
Consider
I. The character of the people of God. The meek. A pious, patient one.Fuersts Lex.
1. Meekness is not mere easiness of disposition, or apathy. Absence of sensibility, whether physical, mental, or moral, is neither virtuous nor blessed.
2. Meekness is not cowardice or weakness. The truly meek man is as brave as he is calm, as courageous as he is patient.
3. Meekness has a God-ward and a man-ward aspect.
(1) Its attitude towards God is that of cheerful acquiescence in the appointments of His will and the arrangements of His providence. It does not criticise, or complain, or murmur because of His doings, but is humble and quiet before Him.
(2) Towards man, meekness manifests itself in patiently bearing with the defects and weaknesses of others, in willingness to endure insult and injury rather than do wrong, and in charitably adopting the most favourable construction on the action or course of conduct of any one, when two constructions are admissible. Meekness is not overcome of evil, but overcomes evil with good.
II. The peril of the people of God. They need some one to save them.
1. They have enemies.
2. These enemies are many and strong.
3. They art inadequate to cope with these enemies.
III. The Deliverer of the people of God. God is their vindicator and Saviour.
1. He punishes the proud oppressor.
2. He saves the oppressed meek. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord.
GOD GLORIFIED THROUGH MANS WRATH
(Psa. 76:10.)
Our text gives a special aspect of Divine Providence. Amid the confusion and suffering and sin of the present God reigns, so that the issue is His highest glory. The world has not been deserted by its Maker, although the mode of His continuous presence and working is inexplicable. But how wonderful that mans freedom and responsibility should be inviolate, while his resistance is overcome, the fierce and swelling tide of his passions controlled, and the character of God illustrated and glorified. Gods spiritual Providence is an organ for bringing forth the largest possible amount of happiness and good, and for filling the universe with pure and lasting glory. From the first the world has been afflicted with sufferings and tumults, and the crimes which war against private and public good. There are times of social and political earthquake, when the abyss opens at our feet. But for the Divine Providence these phenomena must have been more distressing and terrific. Through Gods continuous and universal presence and acting, the misery springing from the sin and crime of men is immeasurably lessened. With this conviction, we gratefully say, Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee, &c.
I. The wrath of man not unfrequently defeats its own aims and accomplishes the Divine purpose. The cruel envy of Joseph brothers, Pharaohs crafty policy of imposing heavier and more grievous burdens on the Israelites, Hamans ambition and his enmity against Mordecai, illustrate this. Opposite and conflicting interests, as it seems to us, are so balanced, violence is so checked, vaulting ambition so overleaps itself, that mans wrath brings into greater clearness and glory the Divine power and wisdom and goodness.
II. The wrath of man is sometimes the instrument of the Divine will. Generally our sins become our scourge. Our own wickedness corrects us, &c. But specially. The sole object of the Babylonian monarch was the gratification of his ambition by conquest and spoil, yet he was the rod of God (Isa. 10:5-7). This is frequently exemplified in the conduct of the first Napoleonin our Chinese wars, indefensible, yet introducing the Gospelin the Russian war, so unnecessary and so barren in anticipated results, yet abolishing serfdom, and preparing for the emancipation of religion from a bigotry as narrow and fierce as that of Romein the Indian Mutiny, which roused the Church to acknowledge Indias claim on her prayers and effortsin the terrible conflict that raged in America, issuing in the freedom of the slave, and, despite appearances, in a higher and purer public opinion and moralityin the recent Franco-German war, tending to widen civil and religious liberty, as it limits and weakens the priestly power, everywhere and always the enemy of popular rights and of a free Gospel. With no fear of God, in the simple pursuit of their own ends, men are the instruments of the Divine Providence.
III. Man in his wrath accomplishes the Divine will when setting himself to resist and frustrate it. The design of God is fulfilled by direct attempts to defeat it (Act. 4:27-28, with Act. 4:10-11.) Persecution defeats itself. Noble lives crowned by heroic deaths are the best arguments and defences of any church. The assaults of infidelity result in the more triumphant vindication of the faith. Hume prophesied that Christianity could not survive the nineteenth century. Voltaire impiously said that one wise man would undo what twelve fools had accomplished. Julian will exterminate the faith; but he and all exclaimO Galilean! Thou hast conquered. Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee.
God rules in wisdom, righteousness, and love. The end of His rule, the triumph of purity and truth. The way to the end is not traceable by us; but the fact, the end is sure.
Courage, then. We are not the sport of fortune. It is not a great drama of chance which is now acted. A hand unseen is turning all to a great end, and blessed as greatthe glory of God in the triumph of truth and holiness and love, and thus the complete and everlasting blessedness of man.
For God is not a despot, careless at what cost His purposes are realised, if only He triumph. He is a wise and beneficent Ruler; or rather a holy and wise and loving Father, employing His resources for the good of all His children, patient though they are rebellious and foolish, and only at last, if at last, banishing from the home they have forsaken and despised the obstinately perverse. Because God is so wise and holy and gracious, and withal so mighty, how hazardous to resist His will or despise His grace!W. Y., B. A.
VOWS MADE IN TROUBLE
(Psa. 76:11.)
Vow and pay unto the Lord your God, all ye who are round about Him. Round about Him. A description of His people, as the twelve tribes pitched round about the tabernacle, and the four and twenty elders were round about Gods throne.Ainsworth.
I. The great tendency of man to make religious vows in times of danger and trouble. The Jews did so when the Assyrians were before Jerusalem. Men are very prone to do so.
1. This is sometimes evil, because it indicates a disposition to bargain with God. To vow that we will serve God on condition that He will deliver or help as is wrong. He has an absolute claim upon our possessions and upon ourselves. See the meanness and selfishness of Jacob as manifested in his vow at Bethel (Gen. 28:20-22).
2. This is sometimes good. When trouble awakens thought, and thought leads to repentance, and the humble spirit vows to honour and serve God, such vows are excellent.
II. The great tendency of man to forget these vows when the trouble and danger are past. This is proverbial
When the devil was sick, the devil a monk would be;
When the devil was well, the devil a monk was he.
Thus we say, The river past, and God forgotten, to express with how mournful a frequency He whose assistance was invoked, it may have been earnestly, in the moment of peril, is remembered no more, so soon as by His help the danger has been surmounted.Archbishop Trench.
1. Vows begotten of fear are not likely to be kept when the cause of fear is removed.
2. Vows begotten of penitence or gratitude will be piously remembered and fulfilled.
III. The great sin of forgetting or failing to fulfil these vows.
1. There is ingratitude. Having received the benefit we ignore our obligation to the Benefactor.
2. There is unfaithfulness. Having promised we fail to perform that which we have promised. We lie unto the faithful God. Brother, thy vows are registered in heaven. Pay them. Pay them fully, heartily, at once.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Psalms 76
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE
A Song of Triumph over a Divinely-smitten Foe.
ANALYSIS
Stanza I., Psa. 76:1-3, By reason of a Recent Interposition in behalf of Jerusalem, God has Anew Made Himself Known there, as a Lion Dwelling in his Lair. Stanza II., Psa. 76:4-6, The Majesty of God and the Impotence of the Smitten Enemy contrasted. Stanza III., Psa. 76:7-9, God, Terrible when Arising to Judgment. Stanza IV., Psa. 76:10-12, The Wrath of Mankind turning to Give Thanks and Keep Festival. Counsels to Worshippers.
(Lm.) PsalmBy AsaphSong.
1
God hath made himself known in Judah,
in Israel great is his name:
2
And his covert hath come to be in Salem,
and his lair in Zion hath been placed:[42]
[42] So Br. revocalises, sh-m-h, and brings back to end of this line.
3
He hath shivered the flames of the bow,[43]
[43] A poetic description of arrows.
shield and sword and battle.[44]
[44] Comprehensively, for all other weapons of war.
4
Enveloped in light art thou majesticfrom the mountains of prey:
5
They let themselves be spoiled did the valiant of heartthey slumbered their sleep,
And none of the men of might could find[45] their hands:
[45] Far less use them, to arise and grasp their weapons.
6
At the rebuke O God of Jacobstunned were the horsemen.[46]
[46] So it shd. be (w. Sep., Syr., Vul.)Gn.
7
As for thee fear-inspiring thou art:
who then shall stand before thee because of the power[47] of thine anger?
[47] So G. Intro. 144, correcting orthography.
8
Out of the heavens proclaimedst thou sentence:
earth feared and was still
9
When God arose to vindication,[48]
[48] Intro., Chap. III., Righteousness.
to save all the humble of the land.[49]
[49] Or earth.
10
Surely the wrath of mankind will thank[50] thee,
[50] Cp. Psa. 6:5 n.
the residue of intense[51] wrath will keep festival to thee[52]
[51] The word wrath is in the plural, denoting either wrath of every kind, or wrath in its intensity.Per.
[52] So Sep., implying a difference, in Heb. exemplar, of a single letter.
11
Vow and pay to Jehovah your God,
all ye around him bear along a gift to the inspirer of fear,
12
He taketh away[53] the spirit of nobles,
[53] So O.G. (cut off=take away); and so Br. (w. Sep., Vul., Jerome).
is fear-inspiring to the kings of the earth.
(Lm.) To the Chief Musician.
(CMm.) Jor Jeduthun.[54]
[54] Cp. 38 n.
PARAPHRASE
Psalms 76
Gods reputation is very great in Judah and in Israel!
2 His home is in Jerusalem! He lives upon Mount Zion.
3 There He breaks the weapons of our enemies.
4 The everlasting mountains cannot compare with You in glory!
5 The mightiest of our enemies are conquered; they lie before us in the sleep of death; not one can lift a hand against us.
6 When You rebuked them, God of Jacob, steeds and riders fell.
7 No wonder You are greatly feared! Who can stand before an angry God?
8 You pronounce sentence on them from heaven; the earth trembles and stands silent before You;
9 You stand up to punish the evil-doers and to defend the meek of the earth.
10 Mans futile wrath will bring You glory! You will use it as an ornament!
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11 Fulfill all your vows that you have made to Jehovah your God. Let everyone bring Him presents. He should be reverenced and feared,
12 For He cuts down princes and does awesome things to the kings of the earth.
EXPOSITION
The reference of this psalm to the overthrow of Sennacherib is so obvious as to explain the unanimity with which expositors find in it that allusion. Doubtless there are some minor points in the psalm which invite discussion, and as to which a difference of final opinion may be expected. But these are of little moment as compared with the remarkable statement regarding the wrath of man which occupies the 10th verse, as to which a perplexing amount of diversity exists. This verse stands as follows in the A.V.:
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee,
The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
The assurance thus conveyed may be said to meet with general devout acceptance, as is evident from the frequent acquiescent use of the words in public worship. The only difficulty they present is that scholars are unable to find the word restrain in the original of the second line. Accordingly, in the R.V., the following innovation appears:
The residue of wrath shalt thou gird upon thee;
and with this rendering Dr., Per., Del., and others in the main agree. But it is distinctly unacceptable, apparently far-fetched, and gives rise to endless diversities when exposition is attempted. Whose wrath does God gird about him, whether by way of ornament, or for use? If his own, then why with only a residue? to say nothing of the awkwardness of taking the wrath to be human in one line and divine in the next. In short, there can be little doubt that the Sep. has here preserved the true reading, by the use of a word differing only by one letter from the M.T. (h-h-g-k) instead of (h-h-g-r) will keep festival to thee. A renewed study of the passagegiving to it a more literal turn and bringing it into closer touch with the contextbrings out the force and beauty of this ancient variation. Note then (1) that mankind, instead of man (for a-d-m) in the first line, widens the outlook, and prepares us to discover that it is the excusable wrath of the down-trodden nations directed against the down-treading world-power, represented by Assyria, which, when Divine interposition effects deliverance, turns to give God thanksthanks itself being more literal than praisewilling thanks rather than unwilling and merely enforced and constructive praise. (2) That keep festival in line 2, makes a good parallel with thank in line 1. (3) That the intense wrath of line 2 prepares for the strong verb keep festival which follows it; so that the stronger motive power produces the stronger result, implying that there are some among the lately downtrodden nations whose wrath was so intense that mere thanks will not serve for its outletit moves to nothing less than the keeping of a holy festival of praise. Note (4) how strongly this construction works out of the foregoing context and into the succeeding: Earth feared and was still when God arose to vindication (Psa. 76:8-9)so deep was its emotion, and so potent to turn its wrath of resentment into thanksgiving for deliverance. Will ye, then, keep festival? Then, mind ye pay your vows (Psa. 76:11). All ye around him (ibid)ye smaller neighboring nations, who, having shared in Israels peril, now share in her deliverance, bear along, in procession, a gift to the Inspirer of fear, even Israels God who has just smitten the Assyrians. It is distinctly pleasant thus to get a glimpse of mankind lying outside the dominant world-power, sharing in Israels deliverance, and fulfilling a more hopeful part than merely contributing unwitting and unwilling praise to the God of all the earth. Moreover, the student of unfulfilled prophecy will not fail to observe how, by exchanging earth for land in Psa. 76:9, he obtains a most significant adumbration of time yet to come when God will arise to the vindication of the humble through all the earth.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
The historical circumstances of this psalm is the destruction of Sennacheribs army in the reign of Hezekiah. Read Isaiah, chapters 36 and 37. Why is there such a unanimity of opinion as to what incident is here described?
2.
Refer again to the three psalms of 74, 75 and 76 and show how they fit together.
3.
The poet has so well described the destruction of Sennacheribs host
Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were seen:
Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown,
That host on the morrow lay witherd and strown.
What encouragement is this to us?
4.
Rotherham sees a real exegetical problem with Psa. 76:10how is it solved? Does Taylor agree with him in the paraphrase? Do you agree? Discuss.
5.
When and where and how will God defend the meek of the earth? (Psa. 76:9)
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(1) Judah . . . Israel.A comparison with Psa. 114:1-2, leads to the conclusion that these names are introduced here in this order, simply for the rhythm. (Comp. Salem and Sion in the next verse, and notice that the four names offer an instance of introversion, the more restricted terms, Judah, Sion, occupying the first and last clauses, the more general Israel, Salem, the middle ones.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1. In Judah is God known The glory of Israel, then and now, is the knowledge and confession of an actually present God and Saviour. His presence supposes the fulness of his works of grace.
Israel Now represented only by the kingdom of Judah, the ten tribes having already gone into captivity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
God the Protector of His Church.
v. 1. In Judah, v. 2. In Salem, v. 3. There brake He the arrows of the bow, v. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey, v. 5. The stouthearted are spoiled, v. 6. At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, v. 7. Thou, even Thou, v. 8. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven, v. 9. when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth, v. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee, v. 11. Vow and pay unto the Lord, your God, v. 12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
THE present psalm consists of three stanzasthe first of three verses, terminated by the pause mark, “Selah;” the second of six verses, ended similarly, and the third (like the first) of three verses. It is a psalm of thanksgiving for some great and signal mercy, which has delivered Jerusalem, and at the same time benefited “all the afflicted of the earth” (Psa 76:9). All the earth is therefore called upon to join with Israel in praising God, and making him an offering (Psa 76:10-12). Critics of all schools (Hengstenberg, Canon Cook, Professor Alexander, Dr. Kay, Four Friends, etc.) agree in regarding the deliverance as that from Sennacherib. We must, therefore, understand the “Asaph” of the title as designating, not the individual, but the division of the Levites named after him.
Psa 76:1
In Judah is God known (comp. Psa 9:16; Psa 48:3). By “known” is meant “freshly made known,” “revealed,” as it were, “anew” by the recent wonderful deliverance. His Name is great in Israel; i.e. greatly honourcd and regarded, on account of what has happened.
Psa 76:2
In Salem; i.e. Jerusalem. “Salem” was probably a shortened form of the full and complete name, like “Peer” for “Baalpeor,” “Maachah” for “Aram-Maa-chah,” “El Kuds” for “Beit-el-Kuds,” and the like. (So Professor Cheyne.) “Salem” is the peaceful place, the place where God’s presence breathed peace and tranquillity. It is only used here and in Gen 14:11. Is his tabernacle; literally, his tent (comp. Psa 15:1; Psa 27:5, Psa 27:6; Psa 61:4). The temple is meant, as even Professor Cheyne sees. It took the place of the original “tabernacle,” and was modelled upon it. And his dwelling place in Zion; or, “his lair“ (comp. Psa 104:22).
Psa 76:3
There brake he the arrows of the bow. The expression “there” seems certainly to show that the deliverance celebrated took place at, or very near to, Jerusalem. This would sufficiently suit the destruction of Sennacherib’s army, which certainly occurred in the neighbourhood, though not very close to the city (see 2Ki 19:32, 38). The word translated “arrows” () means properly “lightnings” (comp. Psa 78:48), and expresses the swift flight of the arrow, not actual “fiery darts.” The shield, and the sword, and the battle; rather, the war equipment (Kay, Cheyne).
Psa 76:4
Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. The psalmist, in this, the main portion of his psalm, directly addresses God. “Thou, O God,” he says, “art glorious,” or “terrible” (comp. Psa 76:7, where the same word is used), “and excellent, more than the mountains of prey,” or perhaps “from the mountains of spoil;” i.e. from Jerusalem, where the spoils of the Assyrians are laid up, and where thou sittest and rulest. (So Professor Cheyne and Canon Cook.)
Psa 76:5
The stout hearted are spoiled. A “vivid description of the catastrophe” now follows. The “stout hearted,” the aggressors, the great dominant race, that has spoiled all the nations of the earth, and fears no one (comp. Isa 10:12-14, “The stout heart of the King of Assyria”), is itself spoiled in turn. They have slept their sleep. They have slept, and, as they slept (2Ki 19:35), they found it indeed a sleep, even the sleep of death. And none of the men of might have found their hands. The mighty men, suddenly assaulted by the grim destroyer, Death, can make no resistance; they are paralyzed; they cannot even move a hand.
Psa 76:6
At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob. The catastrophe has been God’s doing; man has had no part in it. Both the chariot and the horse are cast into a dead sleep. Metonymy for the charioteers and the horsemen (comp. Isa 43:17). These were the two chief arms of the military service with the Assyrians.
Psa 76:7
Thou, even thou, art to be feared. God is to he feared as well as loved. Only “perfect love casteth out fear” (1Jn 4:18), and “perfect love” is not for mortals. And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? literally, from the time of thine anger (comp. Exo 5:23; Jos 14:10).
Psa 76:8
Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven. By the destruction of Sennacherib’s host, God spoke, as it were, with a voice of thunder, to the whole earth. He delivered a “judgment,” or a “sentence” (Revised Version), which could not be ignored. The earth feared, and was still. All the world, i.e. all the Oriental world, feared. The attention of the nations of Western Asia generally was attracted (2Ch 32:23), and their minds were affected with a wholesome fear of Jehovah. The result was that they remained at rest and gave Israel rest.
Psa 76:9
When God arose to judgment (see the preceding verses). God’s “rising” is an anthropomorphism, drawn from the tact that men “rise up” when they proceed to take vengeance (comp. Psa 3:7; Psa 7:6; Psa 44:26; Psa 68:1, etc.). To save all the meek of the earth. God’s vengeances on the wicked are, in great measure, for the relief of the righteous. Sennacherib’s discomfiture relieved “the meek of the earth,” i.e. not only Israel, but many other downtrodden and oppressed nations. The psalmist’s sympathies are with all the victims of Assyrian ambition.
Psa 76:10
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee. The sentiment is general, but no doubt there is a special reference to the recent deliverance. The “wrath of man,” i.e. man’s wicked fury and hostility of God and his people, shall give occasion for great deeds on God’s partdeeds which will bring him praise and honour. The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Either, “the unexpended fury of thine enemies, that which they have not vented, thou wilt hold in check, and prevent from doing mischief;” or else,” with thine own unexpended wrath wilt thou gird thyself against the wicked, as with a weapon.” (So Kay, Cheyne, and the Revised Version.)
Psa 76:11
Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God. The people of Israel are now addressed. Under the circumstances, they are sure to have made vows to God in the time of their great trouble, before the deliverance came. Now, when the deliverance has come, let them pay these vows. Let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared; literally, unto the Terrible One. By “all that are round about him” the psalmist seems to mean, not Israel only, but those other oppressed ones who had shared the benefit of the deliverance (comp. Psa 76:9). That presents were brought by some of these is recorded by the writer of Chronicles (2Ch 32:23).
Psa 76:12
He shall cut off the spirit of princes. “The spirit” seems here to mean “the life.” God cuts off princes in their prime as a gardener cuts off bunches of grapes (comp. Isa 18:5). He is terrible to the kings of the earth. Not “princes” onlybut “kings”also are cut off in their prime when God pleases. Sennacherib’s untimely death (2Ki 19:37) followed not many years after the destruction of his host, in which there must have been many “princes.”
HOMILETICS
Psa 76:10
The will of man and the will of God.
“The wrath of man shall praise thee.” Two great streams of spiritual force meet our view, alike in the Bible and in human life and history, crossing one another every instant, as waves of light and waves of sound, in closest vital relation, yet each holding its course unhinderedthe will of man and the will of God. When man was created, not in the image of lower creatures but “in the image of God,” he was endowed with this glorious yet perilous heritagewill and conscience. Willpower to weigh reasons, balance motives, pursue a fixed purpose, choose the good or the evil, the right or the wrong; and consciencepower to pass judgment on himself, approving or condemning his own conduct. Yet God‘s will must needs be sovereign, supreme; even as God’s conscience (if the phrase be lawful) must be supreme arbiter of right and wrong (Dan 4:35). Even the wrath of man shall praise him. That the obedience, love, piety, of men will praise God is natural and easy to understand; but that man’s rebellion, disobedience, even angry and violent resistance to God’s will, ends in bringing praise to God,this is indeed the deepest mystery, both of the Bible and of human life. “The wrath of man”human pride, enmity, ambition, revenge, lawless violencepraises God.
I. WHEN GOD MAKES IT THE INSTRUMENT OF HIS JUDGMENTS; either in chastening his people or in subduing his foes. If this word “foes of God” sounds to any harsh and contrary to Divine love, let it be understood that the Bible means by it the enemies of truth, of righteousness, and of love. The Book of Judges is full of examples (see Jdg 2:7, Jdg 2:12, Jdg 2:14, etc.). In later days, the just resentment of the ten tribes against Rehoboam was the means of executing God’s sentence against Solomon, and rending the kingdom (2Ch 10:15, 2Ch 10:16); the invasion by Shishak, the punishment on Rehoboam for forsaking God’s Law, “and all Israel with him” (2Ch 12:1, 2Ch 12:2); the leading captive of Israel by the Assyrians, and Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, the punishment of centuries of idolatry, and the fulfilment of the warnings of a long series of prophets (2Ch 36:15-17); the overthrow of Babylon by Cyrus was the fulfilment of God’s promise to restore his penitent people to their own land.
II. WHEN GOD BRINGS TO NOUGHT HUMAN PRIDE AND POWER, AND DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE. The destruction of Sennacherib’s host, the overthrow of Pharaoh’s power in the Red Sea, are leading and stupendous examples. “The remainder,” etc. (Isa 37:28, Isa 37:29). The rendering adopted by the Revisers is according to the common use of the word (as girding on a sword, a girdle, etc.); but “upon thee” should be printed in italics,there is nothing to answer to it in the Hebrew. And the much more intelligible and apt sense of the Authorized Version has the authority of one of the greatest of all the Jewish commentators.
III. WHEN THE VIOLENCE AND WICKEDNESS OF MEN, IN MOST UNBRIDLED EXCESSES, WORK OUT THE PURPOSES AND FULFIL THE PROMISES OF GOD. The supreme example is the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus (see Joh 11:49-52; Act 2:23; Act 3:17, Act 3:18).
IV. WHEN GOD SUBDUES THE HEART OF HIS ENEMIES, AND TURNS REBELS INTO LOYAL SUBJECTS AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS, persecutors into preachers, blasphemers into witnesses to his truth (see Act 9:13-16; 1Ti 1:12-17). Willingly or unwillingly, men’s lives are weaving the web of God’s providence, working the pattern of his purpose. The stormy current of human will cannot overflow its banks. In ways as yet unknown, unguessed by us, God will bring good out of evil. The song of eternity shall be, “He hath done all things well!”
HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY
Psa 76:1-12
The triumphs of God.
There can be little doubt that this psalm is one of several others whose main theme is God’s deliverance of his people from Sennacherib, King of Assyria. Then, in Judah, God was known, and his Name was great in Israel. But we may fitly use the psalm as telling of those great and blessed spiritual deliverances which the soul of God’s servants have often known and rejoiced inthese triumphs of God over a deadlier foe than ever any Assyrian king could be to Israel. Concerning these note
I. WHERE THEY TAKE PLACE. (Cf. Psa 76:1, Psa 76:2.) It is where God dwells. The soul that is the abiding place of God witnesses and shares in the triumphs of God as none other can do. Fitful and partial religion leaves the soul more often vanquished than victor, and can never sing such a psalm as this.
II. THEIR NATURE. It is threefold.
1. God destroys the weapons of the soul‘s great enemy. The arrows of evil thought; the shield of unbelief, love of sin, indifferenceall that which wards off those words of God which are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies (Psa 45:1-17.); the sword of the soul-slaying sin; the battle, the combined array of all the forces of evil.
2. Takes for himself the prey which the enemy had regarded as his own. (Psa 76:4.) All the spoil of Judah, which Assyria had reckoned to gather on the mountains where they were encamped, all that spoil, together with what they already had,all was taken from them (cf. Luk 11:22). So God takes from the evil one the possession of those human powers and faculties which he had usurped and claims, and keeps them as his own.
3. Keeps the enemy in the place of death. (Psa 76:6.) It would be of little avail if our great spiritual foe were but for a time overcome, if after a little while he could come back with all his power. But our Lord came that he might give complete deliverance; and by the soul that continually trusts in him that deliverance is realized.
III. HOW THEY ARE ACCOMPLISHED. (Psa 76:6, “At thy rebuke.”) The moment we believe, our help comes. Not before. All our strivings and endeavours leave us pretty much where we were; but when abandoning ourselves to God, that he may save us, then his power is made known, the enemy is rebuked and slain. The life of faith is, through God’s grace, the death of our foe.
IV. FOR WHOM ALL THIS IS DONE. (Psa 76:9, “The meek of the earth.”) Judah and Jerusalem were emptied of all self-trust, all pride and boasting, and had become meek, knowing that in quietness and in confidence was their strength. And so with the soul that is delivered by God.
V. THE IMPRESSION PRODUCED.
1. Holy fear. (Psa 76:7.) God’s mercy and deliverance will never destroy, but ever deepen, holy fear. And there is no argument for God so effectual amongst men as the witnessing his real spiritual deliverances of his people.
2. Disdain of the wrath of man. What can it do against us, if God be for us?
3. Exultant confession, adoration, and service, together with earnest endeavours to draw others unto God.S.C.
Psa 76:1
Great because known.
I. NOTHING IS OF MORE IMPORTANCE TO MEN THAN THE KNOWLEDGE AND RIGHT ESTEEM OF GOD.
1. We see this in regard to nations. Such knowledge raises them from the degradation of sensuality and barbarity to purity and humanity.
2. So also in regard to individuals. Such knowledge ministers guidance for life, solace for the spirit, inspiration for righteousness. Thus important is it.
II. SUCH KNOWLEDGE IS THE SPECIAL POSSESSION AND PRIVILEGE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. “In Judah is God known: his Name is great in Israel.” Judah and Israel represent the Church of God, the company of believing, redeemed, God-fearing people, scattered throughout the world. Amongst them God is known by his Word, his people, his ordinances, his Spirit.
III. WHERE HE IS THUS KNOWN HE IS GREAT AMONGST THEM. Increase of knowledge of one another, familiarity with them, by no means always increases our esteem of them; but the more we know of God, the greater he becomes to us. See this in the Lord Jesusthe more his disciples knew of him the greater he became to them. For in the past, the present, the future, he is our All.S.C.
Psa 76:7
The fear of God.
Consider
I. THE FORMS IT ASSUMES. There is:
1. The fear of terror. The dismay of the vanquished enemies of God seems specially to be pointed at here (cf. Rev 6:16),
2. The fear of dread. The might and majesty of God awe the soul, as they well may.
3. The fear of reverence. The holy character of God, when seen, cannot but inspire this.
4. The fear of love. Such fear trembles and shrinks from causing pain to the object of its love. This is the sweet filial fear which is blessed indeed. It is but another form of the “love which casteth out fear.” Some fear of God every soul must one day know: which shall it be for ourselves?
II. THE SOURCES WHENCE IT SPRINGS.
1. The beholding of God’s judgment on his foes.
2. The experiencing of God’s mercy to ourselves.
III. THE CHARACTER IT BEARS.
1. It will be the supreme motive of the soul. No matter which form it assumes, it will be the supreme motive whilst it reigns.
2. It will be exclusive. “Thou, even thou”as if shutting out all other fear.
IV. THE BLESSINGS IT BRINGS.
1. The Christian life cannot be begun without it.
2. Nor perpetuated; for life without it has no root.
3. Nor perfected.S.C.
Psa 76:10
The wrath of man.
By this is meant man’s rage against God and against God’s people. Of this it is affirmed that
I. IT PRAISES GOD. The Bible is full of illustrations of this. It is part of God’s universal purpose of overruling all evil for good. See this in the history of the Fallit became the occasion of redemption. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christit draws all men unto him. Persecution of the Church caused its world wide extension. The corruption of the Church led to the Reformation. See the hand of God in history continually compelling what is “meant in malice to be changed to blessing.”
II. BUT IS NOT, THEREFORE, TO BE HELD GUILTLESS. (Cf. Rom 3:8, and St. Paul’s reply.) If evil were to be held guiltless because overruled for good, then there could be no judgment of the world; all punishment of sin now would be wrong, and all wickedness would be justified.
III. BUT IS THE HEIGHT OF SINFUL FOLLY. What madness it is and has ever been found to be!
IV. THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE NOT TO BE TERRIFIED BY IT. (See Job 1:12; 1Co 10:13; Psa 2:1-12.) Let them praise God for the blessed alchemy of his grace, whereby he transmutes the wrath of man into his praise.S.C.
HOMILIES BY R. TUCK
Psa 76:1
Ways of knowing God.
“In Judah is God known.” This is a fitting psalm to be sung after any great national victory, any Divine deliverance. It may be associated with the victory of Jehoshaphat, or with the discomfiture of Sennacherib (2Ch 20:28; Isa 37:36). If we associate it with Hezekiah’s times, it should be noticed that the triumph over Sennacherib was, in a very special sense, a Divine triumph, and so an extraordinary revelation of God, through which he ought to have been better known by his people. Man had nothing to do with that defeat of Assyria. God’s working in it man might study. One hundred and eighty-five thousand men are said to have been miraculously destroyed in one night, without the operation of any military agencies. Judah and Israel are mentioned together as thus coming to know God, because the two nations, which had been separated from the days of Rehoboam, were united again under Hezekiah. Here God is revealed, and so known and apprehended, by the judgments which he executes. But God’s judgments are always two-sidedthey relate to those who suffer under them; and they relate to those who are delivered through them.
I. THEY KNOW GOD WHO SUFFER UNDER HIS JUDGMENTS. Illustrate from the Assyrians. It is quite clear that the Assyrian general, Rabsbakeh, did not know Jehovah, or he never would have put him into comparison with the gods of the nations as he did (Isa 37:10-13). The Assyrians had to be taught that Jehovah was God alone; and that lesson they could only learn through such a manifestation of Jehovah’s power as would declare him to stand alone. See the effect of Divine manifestation on Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 3:28, Dan 3:29; Dan 4:37); Darius (Dan 6:26, Dan 6:27). But God is known through his judgments even by his own people. Illustrative cases may be taken from the wilderness experiences, the times of Joshua, David, etc. And it is still true for the godly individual; he has sometimes to learn to know God fully by coming under Divine judgments. “Judgments” may, for the present purpose, be distinguished from “afflictions” or “chastisements,” as meaning “irremediable calamities,” such as this plague on the Assyrians. The point is an important one. The “irremediable” is more or less in every man’s life; and the “irremediable” is a help to the fall knowledge of God.
II. THEY KNOW GOD WHO ARE DELIVERED THROUGH HIS JUDGMENTS. This leads us along more familiar and easy lines. Israel learned to know God through deliverances and redemptions. Those political and social difficulties of Hezekiah’s time, which had their true rootage in mistaken views of Jehovah’s relation to his people, were in part removed by the knowledge gained of God through this deliverance.R.T.
Psa 76:2
The localization of God.
“In Salem also is his covert, and his dwelling place in Zion” (comp. Jer 25:38, “He hath forsaken his covert as the lion”). The poetical figure is the likening of God to a lionthe Lion of the tribe of Judah”who leaves his covert in Salem, and his lair in Zion, to spoil the enemy. There is now evidence that the holy city was known as Salem long before the time of Joshua, but the special Divine association with it dates from the time when David brought back the ark, and found for it a resting place in the new tabernacle on Mount Zion. That ark was the symbol of abiding Divine presence. The poet can only liken the sudden and overwhelming destruction of the Assyrian army to the springing of a lion on his prey. Then it was easy to conceive of the holy place at Jerusalem as the den or covert where the lion abode, and out of which he sprang. In treating such poetical figures, we should remember that Easterns allowed themselves a freer poetical licence than we do; and we should treat their extravagant figures with great care and becoming reverence. First recall to mind that God is everywhere present. We must never prison the thought of God to any time or any place. “The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?” (Isa 66:1). But, keeping that as our primary thought of God, we may realize helpful associations of God with places and persons.
I. GOD MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE GOD OF A NATION. “Elohim” for all the world, God was “Jehovah” for Israelby virtue of special relations and revelations, the “God of Israel.” So there is a proper sense in which God may be spoken of as the “God of England;” and we rightly realize the unique relations in which he stands to us. Impress that effective education of the rising race includes the teaching of this special relation of God to our nation.
II. GOD MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE GOD OF A BUILDING. In the wilderness we read of “God’s tabernacle;” in the later history we read of God’s “dwelling place in Zion.” So now we properly speak of God’s house,” and understand certain buildings to be consecrated to him. There he is pleased to manifest himself.
III. GOD MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE GOD OF A PERSON. God was, in a sense, in Moses, with Moses. God’s Spirit dwelt “without measure” in Christ. Still God works through his ministers, making of them his earthly dwelling place.
IV. GOD MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE GOD OF A SYMBOL. As in the Shechinah-cloud, and as in the Holy Sacrament. God is everywhere. God is here.R.T.
Psa 76:4
The returning Conqueror; or, God glorified in his triumph over evil.
The actual triumph over the Assyrian army is poetically presented in the sudden exclamation of Psa 76:3, “There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle.” In Psa 76:4 God is regarded as returning to Zion with the spoils of the camp. The precise figure is difficult to trace. Some render, “Bright art thou and glorious from the mountains of spoil;” and understand the mountains to be referred to on which the hostile army had encamped. The Prayer book Version has, “Thou art of more honour and might than the hills of the robbers.” Others read, “Enlightened art thou, and glorious, coming down from the mountains of prey;” and this seems to give the most simple and suggestive explanation. Having the lion figure still in mind, the psalmist sees the lion returning from his prey, with the pride of his triumph on him; and this suggests the glory of God the Conqueror and Deliverer. Compare the songs the women sang when Saul and David returned from the conquest of the Philistines; or Moses’ song at the Red Sea; or Deborah’s song at the defeat of Sisera; or the cry of Isaiah, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?” Our joy in the returning Conqueror, our glory in his triumph for us, may be said to depend on three things.
I. THE GREATNESS OF THE DISTRESS FROM WHICH WE ARE DELIVERED. Illustrate from the hopeless condition of Hezekiah at this time. He had no force effective to combat Assyria; and internal conflict broke up and weakened the little force he had. It was a time of uttermost distress; the very independence, the very existence, of the nation was imperilled. Then contrast the state of things when the hostile army became dead men. Imagine the relief, and the joy of the relief. Such feeling is thus expressed elsewhere: “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing.” Lead on to show what that deliverance must be which God wrought, in Christ Jesus, for those whose hopeless distress is described in Rom 3:10-19.
II. OUR SENSE OF THE POWER SHOWN IN OUR DELIVERANCE. The agency used for the destruction of the Assyrian army cannot be certainly known. But we feel thisthat destruction was a unique and amazing display of Divine power. There had been nothing like it before. God had lifted up a mighty hand, and stretched forth a strong arm. Show that, in Christ’s dealings with the sin foe, the same impression is made on us. See the doxologies in the Book of Revelation.
III. OUR APPREHENSION OF THE FULNESS AND COMPLETENESS OF THE DELIVERANCE WROUGHT. Compare the results of God’s intervention with the consequences of a mere victory on an ordinary battlefield; God wrought a perfect triumph. So Christ “leads captivity captive,” and “saves to the uttermost.”R.T.
Psa 76:6
The power of the Lord’s rebuke.
“At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep.” Byron pictures the scene with great poetical force
“And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,
But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;
And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,
And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.
“And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail.”
“God did but speak the word, as the God of Jacob that commands deliverances for Jacob, and, at his rebuke, the chariot and horse were both cast into a dead sleep. See the power and efficacy of God’s rebukes.” “It is impossible to mistake the allusion to the deeper sleep of death, falling on the sleeping Assyrian army, before the valiant men could ‘find their hands,’ in the half-waking grasp of weapons in the hour of danger.”
I. GOD‘S REBUKES ARE SOMETIMES WORDS. Illustrate by Moses’ messages from God to Pharaoh. Or the case of the prophet who went to Bethel to rebuke Jeroboam. Or Nathan’s rebuke of David. Or Elijah’s rebuke of Ahab. What is it that specially calls for the Lord’s rebuke? Wilfulness. Persistent forcing of a man’s own way. And even more precisely, the daring of the man who forces his way when he knows it is contrary to the will of God, or when he means to put dishonour on God. This is the case before us now. Sennacherib was forcing his own way, with designed intention of insulting and humiliating the God of Israel. And still the Divine rebuke is called forth when we fall into the committal of “presumptuous sins.”
II. GOD‘S REBUKES ARE SOMETIMES DEEDS. But they are voiceful deeds. See here, the rebuke was a night blast that slew the tens of thousands, and drove Sennacherib back to his land, a defeated and humiliated man. God’s rebuke to hardened Pharaoh was the flower of his army drowned in the Red Sea. God’s rebuke to over confident David was three days’ plague in the land. God’s rebuke to Herod, who accepted the homage due alone to God, was a terrible disease, that carried him off in agony and disgrace. Read life aright, and we may find God’s rebuke in disappointments that we have known, and disasters we have suffered. Blessed are they who
(1) receive, who
(2) heed, and who
(3) respond to, their Lord’s rebuke!R.T.
Psa 76:7
The Divine anger.
“Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?” God can only be apprehended through human figures with which we are familiar. So we find in the Divine revelations of Holy Scripture anthropomorphic figures for God, taken from man’s limbs and bodily organs; and anthropopathic figures taken from man’s feelings, emotions, and passions. But in applying such figures to God, we must carefully eliminate the sin element which belongs to all such things when they concern man. As man is made in the image of God, from man we may learn of God. But as man has marred the image by his wilfulness and sin, we must take care how we apply the likeness which we now think we see. In applying such terms as “anger” to God, it is important to observe the distinction between the anger of an official and the anger of a private person. The anger of an officiala king, or a judgeshould have no feeling in it; it should be the proper response to some public wrong. The anger of an individual may have feeling in it, and be a sign of hatred. In this psalm God is thought of as an official. He is the great King, and so his “anger” is really indignation against the foe that imperils the country, and against the self-willed people who play into the hands of the national enemy. There is, then, a sense in which the king of a country ought to be angry; but in his anger there should be no feeling of hate, no feeling towards individuals, only feeling concerning the wrong which either individuals or combined bodies may do.
I. THE SENSE IN WHICH GOD MAY BE ANGRY. Three terms need to be carefully defined and illustrated. Indignation is the proper revolt of all noble natures against wrong doing, and especially wrong doing of a mean character, as when the strong takes advantage of the weak. Anger is the state of mind suitable for a king, governor, or judge, in the presence of any form of public injustice or crime. Wrath is the term that brings in the additional idea of giving expression, in vigorous action, to vigorous feeling. In some senses, each term may be applied to God.
II. THE FEAR WHICH GOD‘S ANGER MAY PROPERLY INSPIRE. Because it is associated with perfect wisdom, absolute righteousness, and irresistible power. We smile sometimes at the futile anger of men; for they can do nothing. We dare not smile at God’s anger; for he can do everything. None can stand before him.R.T.
Psa 76:9
With God judgment is salvation.
“When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.” The “meek” are those who, with Hezekiah, held fast their integrity to Jehovah, and yet seemed placed in circumstances of hopeless distress. God’s judgment on Sennacherib was their vindication, deliverance, and uplifting. Compare the destruction of Pharaoh’s host at the Red Sea. God’s judgment on the Egyptians was God’s salvation of his people. It may even be established as the recognized principle of Divine dealings, that judgment and mercy shall always go together. They are like the pillar of cloud, which lay dark against the Egyptians, but shone a bright light forth to guide the wonderful path of delivered Israel. It must not be assumed that in this is seen any favouritism on the part of God; for if it is true that God’s judgments on the nations were blessing for Israel, it is equally true that God’s judgments on Israel were blessings for the nations. What we dwell on here is that, whatever may be the feature of Divine dealing that we specially observe, we may confidently look for signs of that dealing being made a blessing and salvation to somebody. This introduces a very large subjectthe vicariousness of all forms of human calamity and trouble. “No man dieth unto himself.” No suffering ever bears exclusive relation to the sufferer. You never have read its mission when you have found out what it did for him. You have never apprehended God’s infinitely gracious purposes when you have only seen some one thing that he has accomplished. What mistaken views of God the man would take who persisted in seeing only what this awful night judgment was to the Assyrians! It must be seen all round to be truly understood and appreciated.
I. GOD WORKS IN WAYS OF JUDGMENT. Illustrate from Bible history, both of nations and of individuals.
II. GOD WORKS IN WAYS OF SALVATION. Illustrate in a similar way.
III. WHEN WORTHILY APPREHENDED, THESE TWO ARE REALLY ONE, AND GOD‘S JUDGMENT IS SALVATION. Lead up to illustrate from the sublime case of the Lord Jesus. “The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all,” and the judgment that fell on him was salvation for us.R.T.
Psa 76:10
Man’s wrath bringing praise to God.
The rendering of this verse is uncertain. The LXX. reads the verse, “The wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shall keep festival unto thee.” And the idea of the verse seems to be”the only result of Sennacherib’s enmity to God’s chosen people will be that the power of the God who overthrows him shall be more widely acknowledged; for vain will it be for the small remnant of the Assyrians to continue the invasion in which their mighty host had been so terribly foiled” (Jennings and Lowe). This idea may be worked out. Be it the seemingly overwhelming wrath of the mighty army, or be it the manifestly helpless and futile enmity of the enfeebled remnant,God’s ways with them will bring praise to his Name. It will often be noticed that the mischief wrought by a remnant is more to be feared than the mischief wrought by a host. Bunyan, in his ‘Holy War,’ makes a few Diabolians left in Mansoul do greater mischief than Diabolus’ army. So there is point in pressing on our attention that remnants are as much in God’s power as armies, and he will be glorified in the mastery of both.
I. THE LIFE FOES THAT WE KNOW AND ESTIMATE ARE WELL WITHIN THE CONTROL OF OUR GOD. And a man ought to understand what his besetting sins are, what his circumstances of temptation are. There are spiritual foes which “loom large” to our viewlarge as the vast host of Assyria did to Hezekiah. But “greater is he who is with us than all who can be against us.” Those foes lose their power to affright us when once we can see that God will get his glory in dealing with them, and in delivering us from them.
II. THE LIFE FOES THAT ARE TOO SUBTLE AND INSIGNIFICANT FOR US TO OBSERVE ARE EQUALLY IN THE CONTROL OF OUR GOD. They may be represented by the remnant, or remainder, of the Assyrians. And after the disaster, Sennacherib might have collected his soldiers, stayed in the land, and done much mischief. God controlled that remnant, and sent him ignominiously back to his own country. Subtle foes, small foes, like ichneumon flies, who deposit their eggs in the caterpillar and eat up its life, could ruin us more surely than open foes, were it not that our God will be sure also to get his praise of them.R.T.
Psa 76:11
Following up our vows.
“Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God.” Vows were formal promises or engagements made in acknowledgment of Divine mercies, or as conditions on which Divine help was sought. They are illustrated by Jacob’s vow after the vision at Bethel; by King Saul’s vow at Michmash; Absalom’s vow which was made the excuse for starting his revolt; St. Paul’s vow, which explained his presence in the temple courts, etc. The vows of the olden time are precisely represented by our solemn resolves, our good resolutions, which become promises and pledges of what we will do. The psalmist found out, what we have all found out through our own experiences, that it is easy to make vows and promises, and to take solemn pledges, but far easier to neglect them and let them go unfulfilled. Therefore in moments of awakened feeling, he exclaims, “I will pay my vows unto the Lord,” and he advises God’s people to “vow and pay”to follow up their vows, and never to rest until they are fulfilled. It may be well to note what is the mission of vows. They are helpful in strengthening the will. A purpose may be formed which will stand but little testing, and exert but feeble influence. We strengthen that purpose if, in relation to it, we take open pledge, we make solemn promise. Our own inward purpose may be easily forgotten; no one knows about it but ourselves, and so its power of influence on us is small. Turn our purpose into a public vow, and we are helped by remembering that others, and God, expect us to be faithful to our word. How has it been with the vows we have made in the past? Have we joined “vowing” and “paying”?
I. OUR VOWS AT CONFIRMATION, AND UNION WITH CHRIST‘S CHURCH.
II. OUR VOWS ON BIRTHDAYS, NEW YEAR DAYS, ETC.
III. OUR VOWS WHEN ENTERING ON NEW LIFE RELATIONSHIPSMARRIAGE, ETC.
IV. OUR VOWS ON RESCUE FROM PERILS, OR RECOVERY FROM SICKNESS.
Thinking over all these vows, who among us can fail to be impressed by the thought of how much is unpaid, and how much we owe to God? Never have we had a year of life in which our payment of vows matched our New Year promises. What a heap of unpaid vows the years have piled up! What a heap of imperfectly paid vows! Very seldom, indeed, have our vows been fully kept; and we search our lives almost in vain to find any single instances in which we have done better than we vowed. It is important that we should have solemn opportunities for calling our vows to remembrance, such as sacramental seasons provide. So we may be set on new efforts to “pay our vows.”R.T.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT
Psa 76:1-12
A psalm of triumph.
This is one of several psalms supposed to have been written in celebration of the sudden overthrow of Sennacherib’s army in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, and suggests the following truths
I. THAT THE CHURCH IS GOD‘S PECULIAR ABODE, WHERE THE MOST GLORIOUS REVELATIONS OF HIS POWER AND GRACE ARE SEEN. (Psa 76:3.) The gospel is most emphatically the “power of God unto salvation.”
II. THAT GOD‘S GREATEST GLORY IS NOT IN DESTROYING, BUT IN SAVING AND REDEEMING, MEN. (Psa 76:4 6.) Here his power for destruction is celebrated; but in the New Testament his work of salvationhis power to give life, not his power to take it away.
III. GOD IS TO BE FEARED MORE FOR HIS HOLINESS AND LOVE THAN FOR HIS PHYSICAL OMNIPOTENCE. (Psa 76:7-9.) These excite filial affectionate fear; that excites an unworthy slavish fear.
IV. GOD IS ABLE TO OVERRULE THE REBELLION OF MEN SO THAT IN THE END IT SHALL ILLUSTRATE HIS PRAISE. (Psa 76:10.) God’s love can conquer human wrath, and so make it praise him.
V. THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE GIFTS WE CAN OFFER TO GOD ARE THOSE OF REPENTANCE AND A RENEWED LIFE. (Psa 76:11.) “A broken and a contrite spirit; “To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God;” “Let all that are around him do homage to his majesty.”S.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Psalms 76.
A declaration of God’s majesty in the church. An exhortation to serve him reverently.
To the chief musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.
Title. lamnatseach al ieduthun.] If we give credit to the Septuagint version, this psalm was composed upon the same occasion as the former. Dr. Delaney thinks it was written upon another occasion; but he assigns no reason. I think it evident to a demonstration, says he, that the 76th psalm was written upon David’s victory over the Philistines in the valley of Rephaim, though not by David. See Life of David, b. ii. c. 7.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psalms 76
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph
2In Judah is God known:
His name is great in Israel,
3In Salem also is his tabernacle,
And his dwelling place in Zion.
4There brake he the arrows of the bow,
The shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
5Thou art more glorious and excellent
Than the mountains of prey.
6The stout hearted are spoiled,
They have slept their sleep:
And none of the men of might have found their hands.
7At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,
Both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
8Thou, even thou, art to be feared:
And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
9Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven;
The earth feared, and was still,
10When God arose to judgment,
To save all the meek of the earth. Selah.
11Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee:
The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
12Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God:
Let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
13He will cut off all the spirit of princes,
He is terrible to the kings of the earth.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Contents and Composition.On the superscription compare 12, No. 4. The close relationship of this Psalm to Psalms 75 is universally acknowledged. What is to be said as to its occasion and composition has been given already under that Psalm. Without assuming this relationship we might, especially with a peculiar interpretation of Psa 76:5 (see below), be led to bring it into connection with the defeat of the allied neighboring nations, in the reign of Jehoshaphat, foretold by the Asaphite Jehaziel. It is now, with greater certainty, held to relate to the execution of that Divine judgment upon the Assyrians in the time of Hezekiah, which in the foregoing Psalm was considered as in prophetic prospect. [So the commentators generally approve of the superscription of the Sept.: .J. F. M.]. It is first brought into view how God has again made His name glorious in His chosen dwelling-place in Jerusalem, by the annihilation of the forces of the enemy, which before His rebuke sunk down into the sleep of death (Psa 76:2-7). From this the inference is, drawn (Psa 76:8-10) that God, in the terribleness of His wrath, is irresistible when He arises to judgment for the deliverance of His suffering ones. To this, after presenting Gods truthfulness in support of this declaration, the Psalmist adds an exhortation to a course of conduct in agreement therewith (Psa 76:11-12). [Hengstenberg: The enthusiastic feeling, the courageous tone, which characterize the prophecies and also the Psalms of the Assyrian period (comp. besides Psalms 75, especially Psalms 46) meet us here also.J. F. M.]
Psa 76:2-4. Known., as parallel to the following stich, is not to be taken as a prterite but as a participle. Judah is the more restricted, Israel the wider conception. Salem is evidently Jerusalem, and so named in allusion to Gen 14:18. Comp. Jos 10:1. By choosing it as His dwelling God had made Zion the place of His self-revelation by which He became known in Israel, and especially in Judah. does not mean: thither (Hengst.), but like simply: there (Hupfeld). The breaking in pieces of the enemys weapons is to be compared with Psa 46:10; Hos 2:20. In the latter passage also war is put for weapons of war. The lightnings of the bow are the arrows.
Psa 76:5-7. Thou art shining forth, glorious One, from the mountains of spoil. [E. V., Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey].Comp. Dan 2:22; 1Ti 6:16. It is unnecessary to change into (Sept., Targ.). The latter is found in the text only in Psalm 76:8, 13. The mountains (plural also in Psa 87:1; Psa 133:2) of spoil here denote Mount Zion. From thence God, triumphing as the Glorious One in His majesty (Psa 8:2; Psa 18:13 f.), shines forth as a victorious Hero, over His disarmed enemies, sinking into the sleep of death (Jer 51:39; Jer 51:57; Nah 3:18), and unable even to raise a hand any longer for possible resistance (Jos 8:20; 2Sa 7:27), and thunders down, crushing and stupefying them (Isa 29:6; Isa 30:30) But the use of this figure is not based so much upon the comparison of God to a lion (Kimchi, Venema, and others), although His dwelling-place (Psa 76:3 b) is denoted by the usual word for a lions lair (Psa 104:22; Amo 3:4). The illustration is rather employed because spoiling is an accompaniment of victory, Isa 49:24 (Hupfeld). The Sept. has everlasting mountains (approved by Hitzig), which is based upon another reading. [Hitzigs opinion is that the original reading was , and that this ambiguous word has been misunderstood and explained by .J. F, M.]. They, however, as also Aquila and Symmachus, have taken the =from. If it is taken as the sign of the comparative (as the Targ. and others), then the mountains of prey are to be understood either as the predatory villages of the hostile mountain-tribes or as the high-handed and rapacious, powerful (kings or giants) and wealthy (Isaaki, Delitzsch). Yet there is nothing to recommend the feeble thought that God is more bright and glorious than these, nor the unexpected form of expression employed in the comparison.
Psa 76:11. The wrath of man praiseth Thee.This does not mean that those who once contended with God and set themselves in opposition to Him will afterwards praise Him, but that all the raging of men against the will of God, His people and kingdom, must serve, in its own despite, to show forth Gods glory, while then will be made manifest, on the one side, the feebleness and worthlessness of man, and on the other, the majesty and glory of God, especially by the punishment of the guilty and the defence of the righteous. In this almost all expositors agree. But the sense of the other member of the verse is doubtful. Many think that the wrath of man is referred to also here, and understand by the remainder of it, the greatest, utmost (Luther), or the last (Flaminius and others), remaining efforts. God arms Himself to overthrow these, or decks Himself with them as trophies of victory (Venema, Muntinghe, Hupfeld). Or it is viewed as though the wrath of the enemy even to its last effort were to serve God only as a weapon for their destruction (Hengst.). [See the various meanings of .J. F. M.]. Linguistically it is a more forced interpretation still to understand, the rest of the enraged men, that is, the rest of the wicked, whom God hems about and restrains (Isaaki, Kimchi, Calvin, and others). But if we take girding in the sense of arming (Isa 51:9; Isa 59:17; Wis 5:21), which is most appropriate to the context, then it is more natural to understand Gods wrath. And by the remainder we would understand the store of wrath not yet exhausted for the completion of the overthrow (Targ., Geier and others), or that store of inexhaustible fulness of wrath yet remaining with God and now discharging itself, when the rage of men is exhausted and God calmly and derisively (Psa 2:4) lets the Titans work their will (Delitzsch). An apt remark in the Midrash (in Delitzsch, 1:579): Man is controlled by wrath. God controls wrath. He restrains it when He will, and lets it work when He will. [Dr. Moll therefore renders: With the remainder of wrath Thou girdest Thyself. Perowne follows Hupfelds view given above. Alexander prefers that of Hengstenberg.J. F. M.]
Psa 76:12. All that are round about Him.This expression is not in the vocative, as designating the Israelites, Num 2:2 (Kster, Hengst.), but, as the accents and the mention of gifts (Psa 68:30) demand, the subject of the following words, and describes the neighboring heathen nations, which must pay tribute to God the Fear-inspirer ( as in Isa 8:12), while the Israelites bring to Jehovah, their, God, thank-offerings in fulfilment of their vows (Deu 23:22). [Hengstenberg: Psa 76:11 is in accordance with the narrative as given in 2Ch 32:23, that the heathen actually did honor God by presents, in consequence of the destruction of the Assyrian army.J. F. M.]. In Psalm 76:13 is certainly not to be understood as boldness, pride (De Wette, Hupfeld); nor scarcely as spirit, breath of life (Hengst.), but as in Jdg 8:3; Isa 25:4; Isa 33:11, as the breathing of wrath (Hitzig), or as snorting (Del.). Nor must we give to the verb the meaning of plundering, robbing (Geier and others), or that of cutting short=reducing (Targ.), but that of cutting off=taking away (Sept., Symm.), as the vine-dresser does to the wild vines, Joel 4:13; Isa 18:5; Rev 14:17 ff.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. God has not only set up His dwelling in Zion and made Himself known to His people; He makes Himself appear glorious there by His mighty deeds. By them also He defends His city and people and destroys the plans of their enemies as well as their resources, life and power. Thus He appears at once glorious and dreadful.
2 God needs only to arise to judgment and all the might of the rebellious world recoils upon itself. Therefore have believers every reason to thank God, and the heathen every reason to submit themselves to Him. For none can stand before Gods anger, and the wicked, even in their overthrow, must contribute to His glory.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
God is shown everywhere to be Lord and Master, on fields of battle as well as in spiritual warfare.All that we know of God results from His making Himself known.It is better for us to serve the Lord voluntarily than to be compelled to submit ourselves to Him.Where God dwells, there He lets something of Himself be heard and seen.God employs His power for deliverance and for judgment.God is as glorious in the shining of His favor as He is dreadful in the lightning of His wrath.A single word of God and all the worlds commotion comes to nothing.How different is Gods wrath and the worlds rage.
Starke: The greatest honor which a nation or place can have is to possess the knowledge of the true God, and to be able to glory in His gracious presence (Deu 4:7-8).God often employs feeble means when He subdues His foes, that all the world may know that He Himself watches over His own and defends them.God observes the law of retaliation very strictly. See in the ruin of most tyrants, whether the mode of their death has not been in accordance with their wicked lives. Exo 14:27; Act 12:23.Our best and first gift to God must be our heart (Pro 23:26). From this there will result of itself a desire to contribute something of our means to advance His kingdom.
Osiander: The more tyrants rage against the Church of Christ, the nobler victory does God bring therefrom, when He casts them to the ground, and preserves His Church, even though some of its members are taken to heaven by death and martyrdom.Selnecker: These are the three great blessings which God alone affords His Church: 1. That He may be rightly known and invoked in His Church. 2. That He dwells in the midst of His faithful ones as in His temple in presence and power. 3. That He preserves His Church against all the gates of HellFrisch: He who has no judge in the world need not think that he will leave it without one. When all human help ceases and passes away, then the heavenly begins.The tardiness of Gods judgments is compensated for by their severity. The wounds are therefore the more painful, the help more efficient, desirable, and opportune, the comfort the sweeter, and the praise to God the more delightful.Rieger: The whole Psalm insists upon the glorifying of God, that He alone is to be feared. With this in view, therefore, 1. The mercy is praised with which God has brought Himself so nigh to His people. 2. The judgments are praised which God has undertaken for the deliverance of His own. 3. Good instruction is given, how we are to regard all this, and to adore God with faith, hope, and confidence.Tholuck: Let there be displayed unmistakably out of heaven the bared arm of God, and the ungodly will be still.Diedrich: As God has in His mercy defended His own against all opposing hosts, they must, in return therefor, surrender themselves entirely to Him, henceforward to wait patiently for Him alone.Schaubach (25th Sunday after Trinity): In the midst of the universal destruction will the Lord preserve His little band, and His name shall appear above the desolation, and be for all the faithful a rock and mountain of refuge.Taube: The dreadful majesty of the God of Zion as the defence of the distressed in sudden judgments upon their enemies.We see how a mission-call rings out through all the Lords judgments at the present time, and that He who judges the nations out of Salem, shall by these judgments, lead them back to Salem.
[Scott: Puny mortals dare madly, through their whole lines, to defy the vengeance of that God one of whose angels in one night destroyed 185,000 men! But if temporal judgments excite such consternation, what will be the case when God shall arise to judgment at the last day?
Barnes: The princes of the earth are under Gods control.He can defeat their plans.He can check them when He pleases.He can and will make their planseven their wraththe means of promoting or carrying out His own purposes.He will allow them to proceed no further in their plans of evil than He can make them submit to the furtherance of His own.He can cut down the most mighty of them at His pleasure, and destroy them forever.J. F. M.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
This is a thanksgiving hymn. It was probably composed upon the occasion of some remarkable victory that the Lord manifested to the church over her enemies. Some have gone so far as to determine it to have been for the triumph, in the days of Hezekiah, over the Assyrians; 2Ch 20:28 . But this is but conjecture. The Psalmist celebrates the glory and majesty of Jehovah, eminently shown in his church; and, in the close of the Psalm, exhorts the church to a suitable reverence and godly fear.
To the chief musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The prophet, in the name of the church, is here triumphing in the consciousness of the divine presence. Well indeed might Israel say, He hath not dealt so by any nation; Psa 147:20 . Distinguishing mercies are the sweetest of all mercies. The sun that enlightens, and warms, and makes fruitful the earth; and the rain, and the dew, and the air; these are all blessings; but they are not distinguishing, for they visit all the world. But God’s statutes and ordinances are peculiar to his Israel. Reader, since Israel revolted, and the gospel is given to us poor Gentiles, think what distinguishing mercies Great Britain hath been favored with? Oh! for grace to see, and for hearts to acknowledge the vast privileges!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 76:1
We call the Jews a people. What does this mean? It generally means a number of persons bound together by three things: by having one blood, one language, one land. Other bonds may usually come in, such as one set of customs, one law, one government, one religion. But the three I have mentioned are the most constant.
I. First one blood. The Jews mixed wonderfully little with other people till quite late in history, and the family feeling was part of their religion. One of the names by which they are called is ‘The Children of Israel’. Generation after generation was thus taught to look back to the first beginnings of the people. It lifted them out of base and earthly things. It carried them halfway to God. For God Himself was likewise known to them in the same form. Declaring Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He brought Himself near to them through their recollections of their forefathers.
II. Secondly, a people is held together by speaking one language. This bond of language the Jews possessed. Almost from the first it became intermixed with their thoughts about God. First the memory of His Commandments as written on the Tables of stone or spoken by the lips of Moses, then the possession of holy books, the short beginnings of a Bible, led them to feel that their common speech was not merely the necessary means of conversing with each other on the things of everyday life, but also supplied the outward form in which God spoke to their fathers and to them.
III. Again, men are made one people by dwelling in one land. And such was Judea or Jewry, the land of Israel to the Jews, the children of Israel. The affection which they bore it was one of the most powerful ties which helped them to feel that they were indeed one at times when other causes were tearing them asunder. God saw fit that for their sins they should be earned away prisoners into a strange land, and there they seemed ready to be scattered away and leave no traces on the face of the earth, till in due time part of them obtained leave to return to their own country, and then once more the people rose out of the dust. Their entrance into it was marked by wonderful signs of God’s presence and favour, and He taught them to look on continuance upon its sacred soil as the highest earthly blessing, the best reward for those who obeyed His laws.
IV. We have now considered the three chief signs which mark a people in the proper sense of the word, and which the Bible shows to have marked the ancient people of God, the Jews. So far they were in a great measure like other peoples, old and new. The difference was that God made Himself known to no other people. That is what renders their history a treasure of the highest and best instruction to us; not a mere subject of curiosity for those who have time and opportunity to busy themselves about things that happened so very long ago, but a possession meant for the use of every one of us.
J. F. A. Hort, Sermons on the Books of the Bible, p. 18.
References. LXXVI. 3. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xiv. No. 791. LXXVI. 5. S. Baring-Gould, The Preacher’s Pocket, p. 119.
Psa 76:4
Charles Kingsley had a special love for this Psalm. When sailing up the Rhine, and looking on the ruined strongholds of the old freebooters, he writes: ‘How strange that my favourite Psalm about the hills of the robbers (hills of prey) should have come in course the very day I went up the Rhine!’
John Ker.
The Divine Coercion of Evil
Psa 76:10
Let us note for our consolation and encouragement the two precious truths expressed by the text the Divine restraint of evil, and the Divine compulsion of evil to issues of good and blessing. For, whatever the variations in the interpretation of the original by the great scholars, this is substantially the significance of the passage before us.
I. The Divine Restraint of Evil. ‘The remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.’ The mighty army of Sennacherib, splendidly equipped, full of fury and confidence, suddenly and mysteriously melted away under the power of Jehovah, leaving Jerusalem intact and joyful; and the permanent significance of this event is, that no weapon formed against the kingdom of God shall finally prosper, that every conspiracy in a critical hour shall be brought to nought.
1. In nature we see abounding examples of the fact that limits are fixed to the destructive forces, limits they may not transgress. There is a benign law, a delicately poised balance, a sovereign virtue, an antiseptic quality, in the very constitution of things, which keeps the destructive elements within bounds, and preserves the world a theatre of life, sweetness, health, and beauty. And as the snake is in the grass, the hawk in the sky, the poison-plant in the woods, so the octopus, alligator, and shark infest the waters; yet the protective law operates there also, sheltering whatsoever passeth through the depths of the seas.
Evil is full of boasting; it is insolent, mocking, rampant, apparently irresistible; it threatens to occupy the whole sphere annihilating all that is good, soiling whatever is beautiful, quenching in darkness whatever is joyous; yet somehow it breaks off unaccountably where and when we did not expect it to break off, not having wrought nearly the mischief that seemed inevitable. ‘Fear ye not Me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at My presence which have placed the sand for the bound, of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it; and, though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?’
2. If in nature these gracious limits are imposed on the genius of destruction, let us be assured that stern circumscriptions restrain moral evil and render impossible its triumph.
II. The Divine Compulsion of Evil. ‘Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee.’ Not merely restrained, but coerced to most desirable issues. Not only is Zion saved from evil, she is served by it. The peoples of the earth, the estranged heathen peoples, through their defeats and humiliations, are to attain to true insight and reverence. The most furious and the most enraged are to come to the thankful acknowledgment of God. Such is the significance of the closing strophe of this Psalm. The rage of kings and peoples is overruled to the glory of the Church of God and to the ultimate salvation of the revolters.
Let us, however, be clear as to what is exactly meant by evil working good. We must remember that evil is evil, not good in the making, not undeveloped good. Essential evil is the deliberate contradiction of the Divine will, the positive violation of the Divine law, programme, design, the clash of God’s will and the creature’s. And, secondly, that good is never brought out of evil that is impossible. When it is affirmed that evil works for good, we mean that God so antagonizes wicked men, vile institutions, and malign movements, that in the final result they develop the good they threaten to destroy. The selfishness, pride, and licence of the world are made to work its purification.
Let us not be overpowered by the vision of the power of evil. Whatever is done against us in our personal life by the injustice of men or the maliciousness of demons shall, whilst we remain faithful, work for our final gain. What is the moral of the book of Job but the subordination of alien wrath to the profit of the saint? From a great fight of unmerited affliction we see the patriarch emerge more rich and powerful than when the storm burst upon him, and with a deepened experience that must have given to his restored prosperity tenfold interest and satisfaction. The government of God extorted from the malice of hell splendid spoils in which Job was arrayed. So now with every loyal child of God. ‘All things work together for good to them that love God.’
W. L. Watkinson, The Fatal Barter, pp. 62-76.
References. LXXVI. 11. Parker, City Temple Pulpit, vol. i. p. 218. W. G. Bryan, Seven Sermons on the Sacrament, p. 54. LXXVI. 17. H. Woodcock, Sermon Outlines, p. 72. LXXVI. International Critical Commentary, vol. ii. p. 165. LXXVII. 5. W. R. Inge, Faith and Knowledge, p. 211.
Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson
PSALMS
XI
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS
According to my usual custom, when taking up the study of a book of the Bible I give at the beginning a list of books as helps to the study of that book. The following books I heartily commend on the Psalms:
1. Sampey’s Syllabus for Old Testament Study . This is especially good on the grouping and outlining of some selected psalms. There are also some valuable suggestions on other features of the book.
2. Kirkpatrick’g commentary, in “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,” is an excellent aid in the study of the Psalter.
3. Perowne’s Book of Psalms is a good, scholarly treatise on the Psalms. A special feature of this commentary is the author’s “New Translation” and his notes are very helpful.
4. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David. This is just what the title implies. It is a voluminous, devotional interpretation of the Psalms and helpful to those who have the time for such extensive study of the Psalter.
5. Hengstenburg on the Psalms. This is a fine, scholarly work by one of the greatest of the conservative German scholars.
6. Maclaren on the Psalms, in “The Expositor’s Bible,” is the work of the world’s safest, sanest, and best of all works that have ever been written on the Psalms.
7. Thirtle on the Titles of the Psalms. This is the best on the subject and well worth a careful study.
At this point some definitions are in order. The Hebrew word for psalm means praise. The word in English comes from psalmos , a song of lyrical character, or a song to be sung and accompanied with a lyre. The Psalter is a collection of sacred and inspired songs, composed at different times and by different authors.
The range of time in composition was more than 1,000 years, or from the time of Moses to the time of Ezra. The collection in its present form was arranged probably by Ezra in the fifth century, B.C.
The Jewish classification of Old Testament books was The Law, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. The Psalms was given the first place in the last group.
They had several names, or titles, of the Psalms. In Hebrew they are called “The Book of Prayers,” or “The Book of Praises.” The Hebrew word thus used means praises. The title of the first two books is found in Psa 72:20 : “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” The title of the whole collection of Psalms in the Septuagint is Biblos Psalman which means the “Book of Psalms.” The title in the Alexandrian Codex is Psalterion which is the name of a stringed instrument, and means “The Psalter.”
The derivation of our English words, “psalms,” “psalter,” and “psaltery,” respectively, is as follows:
1. “Psalms” comes from the Greek word, psalmoi, which is also from psallein , which means to play upon a stringed instrument. Therefore the Psalms are songs played upon stringed instruments, and the word here is used to apply to the whole collection.
2. “Psalter” is of the same origin and means the Book of Psalms and refers also to the whole collection.
3. “Psaltery” is from the word psalterion, which means “a harp,” an instrument, supposed to be in the shape of a triangle or like the delta of the Greek alphabet. See Psa 33:2 ; Psa 71:22 ; Psa 81:2 ; Psa 144:9 .
In our collection there are 150 psalms. In the Septuagint there is one extra. It is regarded as being outside the sacred collection and not inspired. The subject of this extra psalm is “David’s victory over Goliath.” The following is a copy of it: I was small among my brethren, And youngest in my father’s house, I used to feed my father’s sheep. My hands made a harp, My fingers fashioned a Psaltery. And who will declare unto my Lord? He is Lord, he it is who heareth. He it was who sent his angel And took me from my father’s sheep, And anointed me with the oil of his anointing. My brethren were goodly and tall, But the Lord took no pleasure in them. I went forth to meet the Philistine. And he cursed me by his idols But I drew the sword from beside him; I beheaded him and removed reproach from the children of Israel.
It will be noted that this psalm does not have the earmarks of an inspired production. There is not found in it the modesty so characteristic of David, but there is here an evident spirit of boasting and self-praise which is foreign to the Spirit of inspiration.
There is a difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint. Omitting the extra one in the Septuagint, there is no difference as to the total number. Both have 150 and the same subject matter, but they are not divided alike.
The following scheme shows the division according to our version and also the Septuagint: Psalms 1-8 in the Hebrew equal 1-8 in the Septuagint; 9-10 in the Hebrew combine into 9 in the Septuagint; 11-113 in the Hebrew equal 10-112 in the Septuagint; 114-115 in the Hebrew combine into 113 in the Septuagint; 116 in the Hebrew divides into 114-115 in the Septuagint; 117-146 in the Hebrew equal 116-145 in the Septuagint; 147 in the Hebrew divides into 146-147 in the Septuagint; 148-150 in the Hebrew equal 148-150 in the Septuagint.
The arrangement in the Vulgate is the same as the Septuagint. Also some of the older English versions have this arangement. Another difficulty in numbering perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another, viz: In the Hebrew often the title is verse I, and sometimes the title embraces verses 1-2.
The book divisions of the Psalter are five books, as follows:
Book I, Psalms 1-41 (41 chapters)
Book II, Psalms 42-72 (31 chapters)
Book III, Psalms 73-89 (17 chapters)
Book IV, Psalms 90-106 (17 chapters)
Book V, Psalms 107-150 (44 chapters)
They are marked by an introduction and a doxology. Psalm I forms an introduction to the whole book; Psa 150 is the doxology for the whole book. The introduction and doxology of each book are the first and last psalms of each division, respectively.
There were smaller collections before the final one, as follows:
Books I and II were by David; Book III, by Hezekiah, and Books IV and V, by Ezra.
Certain principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection:
1. David is honored with first place, Book I and II, including Psalms 1-72.
2. They are grouped according to the use of the name of God:
(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovah psalms;
(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohim-psalms;
(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovah psalms.
3. Book IV is introduced by the psalm of Moses, which is the first psalm written.
4. Some are arranged as companion psalms, for instance, sometimes two, sometimes three, and sometimes more. Examples: Psa 2 and 3; 22, 23, and 24; 113-118.
5. They were arranged for liturgical purposes, which furnished the psalms for special occasions, such as feasts, etc. We may be sure this arrangement was not accidental. An intelligent study of each case is convincing that it was determined upon rational grounds.
All the psalms have titles but thirty-three, as follows:
In Book I, Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 33 , (4 are without titles).
In Book II, Psa 43 ; Psa 71 , (2 are without titles).
In Book IV, Psa 91 ; Psa 93 ; Psa 94 ; Psa 95 ; Psa 96 ; Psa 97 ; Psa 104 ; Psa 105 ; Psa 106 , (9 are without titles).
In Book V, Psa 107 ; III; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 135; 136; 137; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150, (18 are without titles).
The Talmud calls these psalms that have no title, “Orphan Psalms.” The later Jews supply these titles by taking the nearest preceding author. The lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; and 10 may be accounted for as follows: Psa 1 is a general introduction to the whole collection and Psa 2 was, perhaps, a part of Psa 1 . Psalms 9-10 were formerly combined into one, therefore Psa 10 has the same title as Psa 9 .
QUESTIONS
1. What books are commended on the Psalms?
2. What is a psalm?
3. What is the Psalter?
4. What is the range of time in composition?
5. When and by whom was the collection in its present form arranged?
6. What the Jewish classification of Old Testament books, and what the position of the Psalter in this classification?
7. What is the Hebrew title of the Psalms?
8. Find the title of the first two books from the books themselves.
9. What is the title of the whole collection of psalms in the Septuagint?
10. What is the title in the Alexandrian Codex?
11. What is the derivation of our English word, “Psalms”, “Psalter”, and “Psaltery,” respectively?
12. How many psalms in our collection?
13. How many psalms in the Septuagint?
14. What about the extra one in the Septuagint?
15. What is the subject of this extra psalm?
16. How does it compare with the Canonical Psalms?
17. What is the difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint?
18. What is the arrangement in the Vulgate?
19. What other difficulty in numbering which perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another?
20. What are the book divisions of the Psalter and how are these divisions marked?
21. Were there smaller collections before the final one? If so, what were they?
22. What principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection?
23. In what conclusion may we rest concerning this arrangement?
24. How many of the psalms have no titles?
25. What does the Talmud call these psalms that have no titles?
26. How do later Jews supply these titles?
27. How do you account for the lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ?
XII
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS (CONTINUED)
The following is a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms:
1. The author: “A Psalm of David” (Psa 37 ).
2. The occasion: “When he fled from Absalom, his son” (Psa 3 ).
3. The nature, or character, of the poem:
(1) Maschil, meaning “instruction,” a didactic poem (Psa 42 ).
(2) Michtam, meaning “gold,” “A Golden Psalm”; this means excellence or mystery (Psa 16 ; 56-60).
4. The occasion of its use: “A Psalm of David for the dedication of the house” (Psa 30 ).
5. Its purpose: “A Psalm of David to bring remembrance” (Psa 38 ; Psa 70 ).
6. Direction for its use: “A Psalm of David for the chief musician” (Psa 4 ).
7. The kind of musical instrument:
(1) Neginoth, meaning to strike a chord, as on stringed instruments (Psa 4 ; Psa 61 ).
(2) Nehiloth, meaning to perforate, as a pipe or flute (Psa 5 ).
(3) Shoshannim, Lilies, which refers probably to cymbals (Psa 45 ; Psa 69 ).
8. A special choir:
(1) Sheminith, the “eighth,” or octave below, as a male choir (Psa 6 ; Psa 12 ).
(2) Alamoth, female choir (Psa 46 ).
(3) Muth-labben, music with virgin voice, to be sung by a choir of boys in the treble (Psa 9 ).
9. The keynote, or tune:
(1) Aijeleth-sharar, “Hind of the morning,” a song to the melody of which this is sung (Psa 22 ).
(2) Al-tashheth, “Destroy thou not,” the beginning of a song the tune of which is sung (Psa 57 ; Psa 58 ; Psa 59 ; Psa 75 ).
(3) Gittith, set to the tune of Gath, perhaps a tune which David brought from Gath (Psa 8 ; Psa 81 ; Psa 84 ).
(4) Jonath-elim-rehokim, “The dove of the distant terebinths,” the commencement of an ode to the air of which this song was to be sung (Psa 56 ).
(5) Leannoth, the name of a tune (Psa 88 ).
(6) Mahalath, an instrument (Psa 53 ); Leonnoth-Mahaloth, to chant to a tune called Mahaloth.
(7) Shiggaion, a song or a hymn.
(8) Shushan-Eduth, “Lily of testimony,” a tune (Psa 60 ). Note some examples: (1) “America,” “Shiloh,” “Auld Lang Syne.” These are the names of songs such as we are familiar with; (2) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood,” are examples of sacred hymns.
10. The liturgical use, those noted for the feasts, e.g., the Hallels and Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 146-150).
11. The destination, as “Song of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134)
12. The direction for the music, such as Selah, which means “Singers, pause”; Higgaion-Selah, to strike a symphony with selah, which means an instrumental interlude (Psa 9:16 ).
The longest and fullest title to any of the psalms is the title to Psa 60 . The items of information from this title are as follows: (1) the author; (2) the chief musician; (3) the historical occasion; (4) the use, or design; (5) the style of poetry; (6) the instrument or style of music.
The parts of these superscriptions which most concern us now are those indicating author, occasion, and date. As to the historic value or trustworthiness of these titles most modern scholars deny that they are a part of the Hebrew text, but the oldest Hebrew text of which we know anything had all of them. This is the text from which the Septuagint was translated. It is much more probable that the author affixed them than later writers. There is no internal evidence in any of the psalms that disproves the correctness of them, but much to confirm. The critics disagree among themselves altogether as to these titles. Hence their testimony cannot consistently be received. Nor can it ever be received until they have at least agreed upon a common ground of opposition.
David is the author of more than half the entire collection, the arrangement of which is as follows:
1. Seventy-three are ascribed to him in the superscriptions.
2. Some of these are but continuations of the preceding ones of a pair, trio, or larger group.
3. Some of the Korahite Psalms are manifestly Davidic.
4. Some not ascribed to him in the titles are attributed to him expressly by New Testament writers.
5. It is not possible to account for some parts of the Psalter without David. The history of his early life as found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1and 2 Chronicles, not only shows his remarkable genius for patriotic and sacred songs and music, but also shows his cultivation of that gift in the schools of the prophets. Some of these psalms of the history appear in the Psalter itself. It is plain to all who read these that they are founded on experience, and the experience of no other Hebrew fits the case. These experiences are found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.
As to the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition, I have this to say:
1. This theory has no historical support whatever, and therefore is not to be accepted at all.
2. It has no support in tradition, which weakens the contention of the critics greatly.
3. It has no support from finding any one with the necessary experience for their basis.
4. They can give no reasonable account as to how the titles ever got there.
5. It is psychologically impossible for anyone to have written these 150 psalms in the Maccabean times.
6. Their position is expressly contrary to the testimony of Christ and the apostles. Some of the psalms which they ascribe to the Maccabean Age are attributed to David by Christ himself, who said that David wrote them in the Spirit.
The obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result if it be Just, is a positive denial of the inspiration of both Testaments.
Other authors are named in the titles, as follows: (1) Asaph, to whom twelve psalms have been assigned: (2) Mosee, Psa 90 ; (3) Solomon, Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ; (4) Heman, Psa 80 ; (5) Ethem, Psa 89 ; (6) A number of the psalms are ascribed to the sons of Korah.
Not all the psalms ascribed to Asaph were composed by one person. History indicates that Asaph’s family presided over the song service for several generations. Some of them were composed by his descendants by the game name. The five general outlines of the whole collection are as follows:
I. By books
1. Psalms 1-41 (41)
2. Psalms 42-72 (31)
3. Psalms 73-89 (17)
4. Psalms 90-106 (17)
5. Psalms 107-150 (44)
II. According to date and authorship
1. The psalm of Moses (Psa 90 )
2. Psalms of David:
(1) The shepherd boy (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 ).
(2) David when persecuted by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ).
(3) David the King (Psa 101 ; Psa 18 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 110 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 21 ; Psa 60 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 41 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 3:4 ; Psa 64 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 ).
3. The Asaph Psalms (Psa 50 ; Psa 73 ; Psa 83 ).
4. The Korahite Psalms (Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 84 ).
5. The psalms of Solomon (Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ).
6. The psalms of the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah (Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 )
7. The psalms of the Exile (Psa 74 ; Psa 79 ; Psa 137 ; Psa 102 )
8. The psalms of the Restoration (Psa 85 ; Psa 126 ; Psa 118 ; 146-150)
III. By groups
1. The Jehovistic and Elohistic Psalms:
(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovistic;
(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohistic Psalms;
(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovistic.
2. The Penitential Psalms (Psa 6 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 130 ; Psa 143 )
3. The Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134)
4. The Alphabetical Psalms (Psa 9 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 25 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 37 ; 111:112; Psa 119 ; Psa 145 )
5. The Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 11-113; 115-117; 146-150; to which may be added Psa 135 ) Psalms 113-118 are called “the Egyptian Hallel”
IV. Doctrines of the Psalms
1. The throne of grace and how to approach it by sacrifice, prayer, and praise.
2. The covenant, the basis of worship.
3. The paradoxical assertions of both innocence & guilt.
4. The pardon of sin and justification.
5. The Messiah.
6. The future life, pro and con.
7. The imprecations.
8. Other doctrines.
V. The New Testament use of the Psalms
1. Direct references and quotations in the New Testament.
2. The allusions to the psalms in the New Testament. Certain experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart, such as: (1) his peaceful early life; (2) his persecution by Saul; (3) his being crowned king of the people; (4) the bringing up of the ark; (5) his first great sin; (6) Absalom’s rebellion; (7) his second great sin; (8) the great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 ; (9) the feelings of his old age.
We may classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time, thus:
1. His peaceful early life (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 )
2. His persecution by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 7 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 120 ; Psa 140 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ; Psa 17 ; Psa 18 )
3. Making David King (Psa 27 ; Psa 133 ; Psa 101 )
4. Bringing up the ark (Psa 68 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 132 ; Psa 15 ; Psa 78 ; Psa 96 )
5. His first great sin (Psa 51 ; Psa 32 )
6. Absalom’s rebellion (Psa 41 ; Psa 6 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 109 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 39 ; Psa 3 ; Psa 4 ; Psa 63 ; Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 5 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 )
7. His second great sin (Psa 69 ; Psa 71 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 103 )
8. The great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 (Psa 2 )
9. Feelings of old age (Psa 37 )
The great doctrines of the psalms may be noted as follows: (1) the being and attributes of God; (3) sin, both original and individual; (3) both covenants; (4) the doctrine of justification; (5) concerning the Messiah.
There is a striking analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms. The Pentateuch contains five books of law; the Psalms contain five books of heart responses to the law.
It is interesting to note the historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms. These were controversies about singing uninspired songs, in the Middle Ages. The church would not allow anything to be used but psalms.
The history in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah is very valuable toward a proper interpretation of the psalms. These books furnish the historical setting for a great many of the psalms which is very indispensable to their proper interpretation.
Professor James Robertson, in the Poetry and Religion of the Psalms constructs a broad and strong argument in favor of the Davidic Psalms, as follows:
1. The age of David furnished promising soil for the growth of poetry.
2. David’s qualifications for composing the psalms make it highly probable that David is the author of the psalms ascribed to him.
3. The arguments against the possibility of ascribing to David any of the hymns in the Hebrew Psalter rests upon assumptions that are thoroughly antibiblical.
The New Testament makes large use of the psalms and we learn much as to their importance in teaching. There are seventy direct quotations in the New Testament from this book, from which we learn that the Scriptures were used extensively in accord with 2Ti 3:16-17 . There are also eleven references to the psalms in the New Testament from which we learn that the New Testament writers were thoroughly imbued with the spirit and teaching of the psalms. Then there are eight allusions ‘to this book in the New Testament from which we gather that the Psalms was one of the divisions of the Old Testament and that they were used in the early church.
QUESTIONS
1. Give a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms.
2. What is the longest title to any of the psalms and what the items of this title?
3. What parts of these superscriptions most concern us now?
4. What is the historic value, or trustworthiness of these titles?
5. State the argument showing David’s relation to the psalms.
6. What have you to say of the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition?
7. What the obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result, if it be just?
8. What other authors are named in the titles?
9. Were all the psalms ascribed to Asaph composed by one person?
10. Give the five general outlines of the whole collection, as follows: I. The outline by books II. The outline according to date and authorship III. The outline by groups IV. The outline of doctrines V. The outline by New Testament quotations or allusions.
11. What experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart?
12. Classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time.
13. What the great doctrines of the psalms?
14. What analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms?
15. What historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms?
16. Of what value is the history in Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah toward a proper interpretation of the psalms?
17. Give Professor James Robertson’s argument in favor of the Davidic authorship of the psalms.
18. What can you say of the New Testament use of the psalms and what do we learn as to their importance in teaching?
19. What can you say of the New Testament references to the psalms, and from the New Testament references what the impression on the New Testament writers?
20. What can you say of the allusions to the psalms in the New Testament?
XVII
THE MESSIAH IN THE PSALMS
A fine text for this chapter is as follows: “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Psalms concerning me,” Luk 24:44 . I know of no better way to close my brief treatise on the Psalms than to discuss the subject of the Messiah as revealed in this book.
Attention has been called to the threefold division of the Old Testament cited by our Lord, namely, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luk 24:44 ), in all of which were the prophecies relating to himself that “must be fulfilled.” It has been shown just what Old Testament books belong to each of these several divisions. The division called the Psalms included many books, styled Holy Writings, and because the Psalms proper was the first book of the division it gave the name to the whole division.
The object of this discussion is to sketch the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah, or rather, to show how nearly a complete picture of our Lord is foredrawn in this one book. Let us understand however with Paul, that all prophecy is but in part (1Co 13:9 ), and that when we fill in on one canvas all the prophecies concerning the Messiah of all the Old Testament divisions, we are far from having a perfect portrait of our Lord. The present purpose is limited to three things:
1. What the book of the Psalms teaches concerning the Messiah.
2. That the New Testament shall authoritatively specify and expound this teaching.
3. That the many messianic predictions scattered over the book and the specifications thereof over the New Testament may be grouped into an orderly analysis, so that by the adjustment of the scattered parts we may have before us a picture of our Lord as foreseen by the psalmists.
In allowing the New Testament to authoritatively specify and expound the predictive features of the book, I am not unmindful of what the so-called “higher critics” urge against the New Testament quotations from the Old Testament and the use made of them. In this discussion, however, these objections are not considered, for sufficient reasons. There is not space for it. Even at the risk of being misjudged I must just now summarily pass all these objections, dismissing them with a single statement upon which the reader may place his own estimate of value. That statement is that in the days of my own infidelity, before this old method of criticism had its new name, I was quite familiar with the most and certainly the strongest of the objections now classified as higher criticism, and have since patiently re-examined them in their widely conflicting restatements under their modern name, and find my faith in the New Testament method of dealing with the Old Testament in no way shattered, but in every way confirmed. God is his own interpreter. The Old Testament as we now have it was in the hands of our Lord. I understand his apostle to declare, substantially, that “every one of these sacred scriptures is God-inspired and is profitable for teaching us what is right to believe and to do, for convincing us what is wrong in faith or practice, for rectifying the wrong when done, that we may be ready at every point, furnished completely, to do every good work, at the right time, in the right manner, and from the proper motive” (2Ti 3:16-17 ).
This New Testament declares that David was a prophet (Act 2:30 ), that he spake by the Holy Spirit (Act 1:16 ), that when the book speaks the Holy Spirit speaks (Heb 3:7 ), and that all its predictive utterances, as sacred Scripture, “must be fulfilled” (Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:16 ). It is not claimed that David wrote all the psalms, but that all are inspired, and that as he was the chief author, the book goes by his name.
It would be a fine thing to make out two lists, as follows:
1. All of the 150 psalms in order from which the New Testament quotes with messianic application.
2. The New Testament quotations, book by book, i.e., Matthew so many, and then the other books in their order.
We would find in neither of these any order as to time, that is, Psa 1 which forecasts an incident in the coming Messiah’s life does not forecast the first incident of his life. And even the New Testament citations are not in exact order as to time and incident of his life. To get the messianic picture before us, therefore, we must put the scattered parts together in their due relation and order, and so construct our own analysis. That is the prime object of this discussion. It is not claimed that the analysis now presented is perfect. It is too much the result of hasty, offhand work by an exceedingly busy man. It will serve, however, as a temporary working model, which any one may subsequently improve. We come at once to the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah.
1. The necessity for a Saviour. This foreseen necessity is a background of the psalmists’ portrait of the Messiah. The necessity consists in (1) man’s sinfulness; (2) his sin; (3) his inability of wisdom and power to recover himself; (4) the insufficiency of legal, typical sacrifices in securing atonement.
The predicate of Paul’s great argument on justification by faith is the universal depravity and guilt of man. He is everywhere corrupt in nature; everywhere an actual transgressor; everywhere under condemnation. But the scriptural proofs of this depravity and sin the apostle draws mainly from the book of the Psalms. In one paragraph of the letter to the Romans (Rom 3:4-18 ), he cites and groups six passages from six divisions of the Psalms (Psa 5:9 ; Psa 10:7 ; Psa 14:1-3 ; Psa 36:1 ; Psa 51:4-6 ; Psa 140:3 ). These passages abundantly prove man’s sinfulness, or natural depravity, and his universal practice of sin.
The predicate also of the same apostle’s great argument for revelation and salvation by a Redeemer is man’s inability of wisdom and power to re-establish communion with God. In one of his letters to the Corinthians he thus commences his argument: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? -For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preach-ing to save them that believe.” He closes this discussion with the broad proposition: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” and proves it by a citation from Psa 94:11 : “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”
In like manner our Lord himself pours scorn on human wisdom and strength by twice citing Psa 8 : “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Mat 11:25-26 ). “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Mat 21:15-16 ).
But the necessity for a Saviour as foreseen by the psalmist did not stop at man’s depravity, sin, and helplessness. The Jews were trusting in the sacrifices of their law offered on the smoking altar. The inherent weakness of these offerings, their lack of intrinsic merit, their ultimate abolition, their complete fulfilment and supercession by a glorious antitype were foreseen and foreshown in this wonderful prophetic book: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt offerings are continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goat out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all of the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Psa 50:8-13 .
Yet again it speaks in that more striking passage cited in the letter to the Hebrews: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers, once purged should have no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (Heb 10:1-9 ).
This keen foresight of the temporary character and intrinsic worthlessness of animal sacrifices anticipated similar utterances by the later prophets (Isa 1:10-17 ; Jer 6:20 ; Jer 7:21-23 ; Hos 6:6 ; Amo 5:21 ; Mic 6:6-8 ). Indeed, I may as well state in passing that when the apostle declares, “It is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins,” he lays down a broad principle, just as applicable to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. With reverence I state the principle: Not even God himself by mere appointment can vest in any ordinance, itself lacking intrinsic merit, the power to take away sin. There can be, therefore, in the nature of the case, no sacramental salvation. This would destroy the justice of God in order to exalt his mercy. Clearly the psalmist foresaw that “truth and mercy must meet together” before “righteousness and peace could kiss each other” (Psa 85:10 ). Thus we find as the dark background of the psalmists’ luminous portrait of the Messiah, the necessity for a Saviour.
2. The nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah. In no other prophetic book are the nature, fullness, and blessedness of salvation so clearly seen and so vividly portrayed. Besides others not now enumerated, certainly the psalmists clearly forecast four great elements of salvation:
(1) An atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit offered once for all (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:4-10 ).
(2) Regeneration itself consisting of cleansing, renewal, and justification. We hear his impassioned statement of the necessity of regeneration: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts,” followed by his earnest prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” and his equally fervent petition: “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa 51 ). And we hear him again as Paul describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin Psa 32:1 ; Rom 4:6-8 .
(3) Introduction into the heavenly rest (Psa 95:7-11 ; Heb 3:7-19 ; Heb 4:1-11 ). Here is the antitypical Joshua leading spiritual Israel across the Jordan of death into the heavenly Canaan, the eternal rest that remaineth for the people of God. Here we find creation’s original sabbath eclipsed by redemption’s greater sabbath when the Redeemer “entered his rest, ceasing from his own works as God did from his.”
(4) The recovery of all the universal dominion lost by the first Adam and the securement of all possible dominion which the first Adam never attained (Psa 8:5-6 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 ; 1Co 15:24-28 ).
What vast extent then and what blessedness in the salvation foreseen by the psalmists, and to be wrought by the Messiah. Atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit; regeneration by the Holy Spirit; heavenly rest as an eternal inheritance; and universal dominion shared with Christ!
3. The wondrous person of the Messiah in his dual nature, divine and human.
(1) His divinity,
(a) as God: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Psa 45:6 and Heb 1:8 ) ;
(b) as creator of the heavens and earth, immutable and eternal: Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end Psa 102:25-27 quoted with slight changes in Heb 1:10-12 .
(c) As owner of the earth: The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein, Psa 24:1 quoted in 1Co 10:26 .
(d) As the Son of God: “Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee” Psa 2:7 ; Heb 1:5 .
(e) As David’s Lord: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:41-46 .
(f) As the object of angelic worship: “And let all the angels of God worship him” Psa 97:7 ; Heb 1:6 .
(g) As the Bread of life: And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven Psa 78:24 ; interpreted in Joh 6:31-58 . These are but samples which ascribe deity to the Messiah of the psalmists.
(2) His humanity, (a) As the Son of man, or Son of Adam: Psa 8:4-6 , cited in 1Co 15:24-28 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Compare Luke’s genealogy, Luk 3:23-38 . This is the ideal man, or Second Adam, who regains Paradise Lost, who recovers race dominion, in whose image all his spiritual lineage is begotten. 1Co 15:45-49 . (b) As the Son of David: Psa 18:50 ; Psa 89:4 ; Psa 89:29 ; Psa 89:36 ; Psa 132:11 , cited in Luk 1:32 ; Act 13:22-23 ; Rom 1:3 ; 2Ti 2:8 . Perhaps a better statement of the psalmists’ vision of the wonderful person of the Messiah would be: He saw the uncreated Son, the second person of the trinity, in counsel and compact with the Father, arranging in eternity for the salvation of men: Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 . Then he saw this Holy One stoop to be the Son of man: Psa 8:4-6 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Then he was the son of David, and then he saw him rise again to be the Son of God: Psa 2:7 ; Rom 1:3-4 .
4. His offices.
(1) As the one atoning sacrifice (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 ).
(2) As the great Prophet, or Preacher (Psa 40:9-10 ; Psa 22:22 ; Heb 2:12 ). Even the method of his teaching by parable was foreseen (Psa 78:2 ; Mat 13:35 ). Equally also the grace, wisdom, and power of his teaching. When the psalmist declares that “Grace is poured into thy lips” (Psa 45:2 ), we need not be startled when we read that all the doctors in the Temple who heard him when only a boy “were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luk 2:47 ); nor that his home people at Nazareth “all bear him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luk 4:22 ); nor that those of his own country were astonished, and said, “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” (Mat 13:54 ); nor that the Jews in the Temple marveled, saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Joh 7:15 ) ; nor that the stern officers of the law found their justification in failure to arrest him in the declaration, “Never man spake like this man” (Joh 7:46 ).
(3) As the king (Psa 2:6 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 45:1-17 ; Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:42-46 ; Act 2:33-36 ; 1Co 15:25 ; Eph 1:20 ; Heb 1:13 ).
(4) As the priest (Psa 110:4 ; Heb 5:5-10 ; Heb 7:1-21 ; Heb 10:12-14 ).
(5) As the final judge. The very sentence of expulsion pronounced upon the finally impenitent by the great judge (Mat 25:41 ) is borrowed from the psalmist’s prophetic words (Psa 6:8 ).
5. Incidents of life. The psalmists not only foresaw the necessity for a Saviour; the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation; the wonderful human-divine person of the Saviour; the offices to be filled by him in the work of salvation, but also many thrilling details of his work in life, death, resurrection, and exaltation. It is not assumed to cite all these details, but some of the most important are enumerated in order, thus:
(1) The visit, adoration, and gifts of the Magi recorded in Mat 2 are but partial fulfilment of Psa 72:9-10 .
(2) The scripture employed by Satan in the temptation of our Lord (Luk 4:10-11 ) was cited from Psa 91:11-12 and its pertinency not denied.
(3) In accounting for his intense earnestness and the apparently extreme measures adopted by our Lord in his first purification of the Temple (Joh 2:17 ), he cites the messianic zeal predicted in Psa 69:9 .
(4) Alienation from his own family was one of the saddest trials of our Lord’s earthly life. They are slow to understand his mission and to enter into sympathy with him. His self-abnegation and exhaustive toil were regarded by them as evidences of mental aberration, and it seems at one time they were ready to resort to forcible restraint of his freedom) virtually what in our time would be called arrest under a writ of lunacy. While at the last his half-brothers became distinguished preachers of his gospel, for a long while they do not believe on him. And the evidence forces us to the conclusion that his own mother shared with her other sons, in kind though not in degree, the misunderstanding of the supremacy of his mission over family relations. The New Testament record speaks for itself:
Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them Luk 2:48-51 (R.V.).
And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Joh 2:3-5 (R.V.).
And there come his mother and his brethren; and standing without; they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him; and they say unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother Mar 3:31-35 (R.V.).
Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did not believe on him. Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; because my time is not fulfilled. Joh 7:2-9 (R.V.).
These citations from the Revised Version tell their own story. But all that sad story is foreshown in the prophetic psalms. For example: I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother’s children. Psa 69:8 .
(5) The triumphal entry into Jerusalem was welcomed by a joyous people shouting a benediction from Psa 118:26 : “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mat 21:9 ); and the Lord’s lamentation over Jerusalem predicts continued desolation and banishment from his sight until the Jews are ready to repeat that benediction (Mat 23:39 ).
(6) The children’s hosanna in the Temple after its second purgation is declared by our Lord to be a fulfilment of that perfect praise forecast in Psa 8:2 .
(7) The final rejection of our Lord by his own people was also clear in the psalmist’s vision (Psa 118:22 ; Mat 21:42-44 ).
(8) Gethsemane’s baptism of suffering, with its strong crying and tears and prayers was as clear to the psalmist’s prophetic vision as to the evangelist and apostle after it became history (Psa 69:1-4 ; Psa 69:13-20 ; and Mat 26:36-44 ; Heb 5:7 ).
(9) In life-size also before the psalmist was the betrayer of Christ and his doom (Psa 41:9 ; Psa 69:25 ; Psa 109:6-8 ; Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:20 ).
(10) The rage of the people, Jew and Gentile, and the conspiracy of Pilate and Herod are clearly outlined (Psa 2:1-3 ; Act 4:25-27 ).
(11) All the farce of his trial the false accusation, his own marvelous silence; and the inhuman maltreatment to which he was subjected, is foreshown in the prophecy as dramatically as in the history (Mat 26:57-68 ; Mat 27:26-31 ; Psa 27:12 ; Psa 35:15-16 ; Psa 38:3 ; Psa 69:19 ).
The circumstances of his death, many and clear, are distinctly foreseen. He died in the prime of life (Psa 89:45 ; Psa 102:23-24 ). He died by crucifixion (Psa 22:14-17 ; Luk 23 ; 33; Joh 19:23-37 ; Joh 20:27 ). But yet not a bone of his body was broken (Psa 34:20 ; Joh 19:36 ).
The persecution, hatred without a cause, the mockery and insults, are all vividly and dramatically foretold (Psa 22:6-13 ; Psa 35:7 ; Psa 35:12 ; Psa 35:15 ; Psa 35:21 ; Psa 109:25 ).
The parting of his garments and the gambling for his vesture (Psa 22:18 ; Mat 27:35 ).
His intense thirst and the gall and vinegar offered for his drink (Psa 69:21 ; Mat 27:34 ).
In the psalms, too, we hear his prayers for his enemies so remarkably fulfilled in fact (Psa 109:4 ; Luk 23:34 ).
His spiritual death was also before the eye of the psalmist, and the very words which expressed it the psalmist heard. Separation from the Father is spiritual death. The sinner’s substitute must die the sinner’s death, death physical, i.e., separation of soul from body; death spiritual, i.e., separation of the soul from God. The latter is the real death and must precede the former. This death the substitute died when he cried out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.” (Psa 22:1 ; Mat 27:46 ).
Emerging from the darkness of that death, which was the hour of the prince of darkness, the psalmist heard him commend his spirit to the Father (Psa_31:35; Luk 23:46 ) showing that while he died the spiritual death, his soul was not permanently abandoned unto hell (Psa 16:8-10 ; Act 2:25 ) so that while he “tasted death” for every man it was not permanent death (Heb 2:9 ).
With equal clearness the psalmist foresaw his resurrection, his triumph over death and hell, his glorious ascension into heaven, and his exaltation at the right hand of God as King of kings and Lord of lords, as a high Driest forever, as invested with universal sovereignty (Psa 16:8-11 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 68:18 ; Psa 2:6 ; Psa 111:1-4 ; Psa 8:4-6 ; Act 2:25-36 ; Eph 1:19-23 ; Eph 4:8-10 ).
We see, therefore, brethren, when the scattered parts are put together and adjusted, how nearly complete a portrait of our Lord is put upon the prophetic canvas by this inspired limner, the sweet singer of Israel.
QUESTIONS
1. What is a good text for this chapter?
2. What is the threefold division of the Old Testament as cited by our Lord?
3. What is the last division called and why?
4. What is the object of the discussion in this chapter?
5. To what three things is the purpose limited?
6. What especially qualifies the author to meet the objections of the higher critics to allowing the New Testament usage of the Old Testament to determine its meaning and application?
7. What is the author’s conviction relative to the Scriptures?
8. What is the New Testament testimony on the question of inspiration?
9. What is the author’s suggested plan of approach to the study of the Messiah in the Psalms?
10. What the background of the Psalmist’s portrait of the Messiah and of what does it consist?
11. Give the substance of Paul’s discussion of man’s sinfulness.
12. What is the teaching of Jesus on this point?
13. What is the teaching relative to sacrifices?
14. What the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah and what the four great elements of it as forecast by the psalmist?
15. What is the teaching of the psalms relative to the wondrous person of the Messiah? Discuss.
16. What are the offices of the Messiah according to psalms? Discuss each.
17. Cite the more important events of the Messiah’s life according to the vision of the psalmist.
18. What the circumstances of the Messiah’s death and resurrection as foreseen by the psalmist?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
XV
PSALM AFTER DAVID PRIOR TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE
The superscriptions ascribed to Asaph twelve palms (Psa 50 ; 73-83) Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David. Their sons also directed the various bands of musicians (1Ch 25 ). It seems that the family of Asaph for many generations continued to preside over the service of song (Cf. Ezr 3:10 ).
The theme of Psa 50 is “Obedience is better than sacrifice,” or the language of Samuel to Saul when he had committed the awful sin in respect to the Amalekites. This teaching is paralleled in many Old Testament scriptures, for instance, Psa 51:16-17 . For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
The problem of Psa 73 is the problem of why the wicked prosper (Psa 73:1-14 ), and its solution is found in the attitude of God toward the wicked (Psa 73:15-28 ). [For a fine exposition of the other psalms of this section see Kirkpatrick or Maclaren on the Psalms.]
The psalms attributed to the sons of Korah are Psa 42 ; Psa 44 ; Psa 45 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 ; Psa 49 ; Psa 84 ; Psa 85 ; Psa 87 . The evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem is internal. There are three stanzas, each closing with a refrain. The similarity of structure and thought indicates that they were formerly one psalm. A parallel to these two psalms we find in the escape of Christian from the Castle of Giant Despair in Pilgrim’s Progress .
Only two psalms were ascribed to Solomon, viz: Psa 72 and 127. However, the author believes that there is good reason to attribute Psa 72 to David. If he wrote it, then only one was written by Solomon.
The theme of Psa 72 is the reign of the righteous king, and the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold, is as follows: (1) righteous (Psa 72:1-4 ) ; (2) perpetual (Psa 72:5-7 ); (3) universal (Psa 72:8-11 ); (4) benign (Psa 72:12-14 ); (5) prosperous (Psa 72:15-17 ).
Psa 127 was written when Solomon built the Temple. It is the central psalm of the psalms of the Ascents, which refer to the Temple. It seems fitting that this psalm should occupy the central position in the group, because of the occasion which inspired it and its relation to the other psalms of the group. A brief interpretation of it is as follows: The house here means household. It is a brief lyric, setting forth the lessons of faith and trust. This together with Psa 128 is justly called “A Song of Home.” Once in speaking to Baylor Female College I used this psalm, illustrating the function of a school as a parent sending forth her children into the world as mighty arrows. Again I used this psalm in one of my addresses in our own Seminary in which I made the household to refer to the Seminary sending forth the preachers as her children.
The psalms assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah are Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 . The historical setting is found in the history of the reign of Hezekiel. Their application to Judah at this time is found in the historical connection, in which we have God’s great deliverances from the foreign powers, especially the deliverance from Sennacherib. We find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem in the Lamentations of Jeremiah and in Psa 74 ; Psa 79 .
The radical critics ascribe Psa 74 ; Psa 79 to the Maccabean period, and their argument is based upon the use of the word “synagogues,” in Psa 74:8 . The answer to their contention is found in the marginal rendering which gives “places of assembly” instead of “synagogues.” The word “synagogue” is a Greek word translated from the Hebrew, which has several meanings, and in this place means the “place of assembly” where God met his people.
The silence of the exile period is shown in Psa 137 , in which they respond that they cannot sing a song of Zion in a strange land. Their brightening of hope is seen in Psa 102 . In this we have the brightening of their hope on the eve of their return. In Psa 85:10 we have a great text:
Mercy and truth are met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
The truth here is God’s law demanding justice; mercy is God’s grace meeting justice. This was gloriously fulfilled in Christ on the cross. He met the demands of the law and offers mercy and grace to all who accept them on the terms of repentance and faith.
Three characteristics of Psa 119 are, first, it is an alphabetical psalm; second, it is the longest chapter in the Bible, and third, it is an expansion of the latter part of Psa 19 . Psalms 146-150 were used for worship in the second temple. The expressions of innocence in the psalms do not refer to original sin, but to a course of conduct in contrast with wicked lives. The psalmists do not claim absolute, but relative sinlessness.
The imprecations in the psalms are real prayers, and are directed against real men who were enemies of David and the Jewish nation, but they are not expressions of personal resentment. They are vigorous expressions of righteous indignation against incorrigible enemies of God and his people and are to be interpreted in the light of progressive revelation. The New Testament contains many exultant expressions of the overthrow of the wicked. (Cf. 1Co 16:22 ; 2Ti 4:14 ; Gal 5:12 ; Rev 16:5-6 ; Rev 18:20 .) These imprecations do not teach that we, even in the worst circumstances, should bear personal malice, nor take vengeance on the enemies of righteousness, but that we should live so close to God that we may acquiesce in the destruction of the wicked and leave the matter of vengeance in the hands of a just God, to whom vengeance belongs (Rom 12:19-21 ).
The clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con, are found in these passages, as follows: Psa 16:10-11 ; Psa 17:15 ; Psa 23:6 ; Psa 49:15 ; Psa 73:23-26 . The passages that are construed to the contrary are found in Psa 6:5 ; Psa 30:9 ; Psa 39:13 ; Psa 88:10-12 ; Psa 115:17 . The student will compare these passages and note carefully their teachings. The first group speaks of the triumph over Sheol (the resurrection) ; about awaking in the likeness of God; about dwelling in the house of the Lord forever; about redemption from the power of Sheol; and God’s guiding counsel and final reception into glory, all of which is very clear and unmistakable teaching as to the future life.
The second group speaks of DO remembrance in death; about no profit to the one when he goes down to the pit; of going hence and being no more; about the dead not being able to praise God and about the grave as being the land of forgetfulness ; and about the dead not praising Jehovah, all of which are spoken from the standpoint of the grave and temporal death.
There is positively no contradiction nor discrepancy in the teaching of these scriptures. One group takes the spirit of man as the viewpoint and teaches the continuity of life, the immortality of the soul; the other group takes the physical being of man as the viewpoint and teaches the dissolution of the body and its absolute unconsciousness in the grave.
QUESTIONS
1. How many and what psalms were ascribed to Asaph?
2. Who presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David?
3. What is the theme of Psa 50 , and where do we find the same teaching in the Old Testament?
4. What is the problem of Psa 73 , and what its solution?
5. What psalms are attributed to the sons of Korah?
6. What is the evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem and what the characteristic of these two taken together?
7. What parallel to these two psalms do we find in modern literature?
8. What psalms were ascribed to Solomon?
9. What is the theme of Psa 72 ?
10. What is the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold?
11. When was Psa 127 written and what the application as a part of the Pilgrim group?
12. Give a brief interpretation of it and the uses made of it by the author on two different occasions.
13. What psalms are assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah, and what their historical setting?
14. What is their application to Judah at this time?
15. Where may we find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem?
16. To what period do radical critics ascribe Psalms 74-79; what is their argument, and what is your answer?
17. Which psalm shows the silence of the exile period and why?
18. Which one shows their brightening of hope?
19. Explain Psa 85:10 .
20. Give three characteristics of Psa 119 .
21. What use was made of Psalms 146-150?
22. Explain the expression of innocence in the psalms in harmony with their teaching of sin.
23. Explain the imprecations in the psalms and show their harmony with New Testament teachings.
24. Cite the clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con.
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
XV
PSALM AFTER DAVID PRIOR TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE
The superscriptions ascribed to Asaph twelve palms (Psa 50 ; 73-83) Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David. Their sons also directed the various bands of musicians (1Ch 25 ). It seems that the family of Asaph for many generations continued to preside over the service of song (Cf. Ezr 3:10 ).
The theme of Psa 50 is “Obedience is better than sacrifice,” or the language of Samuel to Saul when he had committed the awful sin in respect to the Amalekites. This teaching is paralleled in many Old Testament scriptures, for instance, Psa 51:16-17 . For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
The problem of Psa 73 is the problem of why the wicked prosper (Psa 73:1-14 ), and its solution is found in the attitude of God toward the wicked (Psa 73:15-28 ). [For a fine exposition of the other psalms of this section see Kirkpatrick or Maclaren on the Psalms.]
The psalms attributed to the sons of Korah are Psa 42 ; Psa 44 ; Psa 45 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 ; Psa 49 ; Psa 84 ; Psa 85 ; Psa 87 . The evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem is internal. There are three stanzas, each closing with a refrain. The similarity of structure and thought indicates that they were formerly one psalm. A parallel to these two psalms we find in the escape of Christian from the Castle of Giant Despair in Pilgrim’s Progress .
Only two psalms were ascribed to Solomon, viz: Psa 72 and 127. However, the author believes that there is good reason to attribute Psa 72 to David. If he wrote it, then only one was written by Solomon.
The theme of Psa 72 is the reign of the righteous king, and the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold, is as follows: (1) righteous (Psa 72:1-4 ) ; (2) perpetual (Psa 72:5-7 ); (3) universal (Psa 72:8-11 ); (4) benign (Psa 72:12-14 ); (5) prosperous (Psa 72:15-17 ).
Psa 127 was written when Solomon built the Temple. It is the central psalm of the psalms of the Ascents, which refer to the Temple. It seems fitting that this psalm should occupy the central position in the group, because of the occasion which inspired it and its relation to the other psalms of the group. A brief interpretation of it is as follows: The house here means household. It is a brief lyric, setting forth the lessons of faith and trust. This together with Psa 128 is justly called “A Song of Home.” Once in speaking to Baylor Female College I used this psalm, illustrating the function of a school as a parent sending forth her children into the world as mighty arrows. Again I used this psalm in one of my addresses in our own Seminary in which I made the household to refer to the Seminary sending forth the preachers as her children.
The psalms assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah are Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 . The historical setting is found in the history of the reign of Hezekiel. Their application to Judah at this time is found in the historical connection, in which we have God’s great deliverances from the foreign powers, especially the deliverance from Sennacherib. We find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem in the Lamentations of Jeremiah and in Psa 74 ; Psa 79 .
The radical critics ascribe Psa 74 ; Psa 79 to the Maccabean period, and their argument is based upon the use of the word “synagogues,” in Psa 74:8 . The answer to their contention is found in the marginal rendering which gives “places of assembly” instead of “synagogues.” The word “synagogue” is a Greek word translated from the Hebrew, which has several meanings, and in this place means the “place of assembly” where God met his people.
The silence of the exile period is shown in Psa 137 , in which they respond that they cannot sing a song of Zion in a strange land. Their brightening of hope is seen in Psa 102 . In this we have the brightening of their hope on the eve of their return. In Psa 85:10 we have a great text:
Mercy and truth are met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
The truth here is God’s law demanding justice; mercy is God’s grace meeting justice. This was gloriously fulfilled in Christ on the cross. He met the demands of the law and offers mercy and grace to all who accept them on the terms of repentance and faith.
Three characteristics of Psa 119 are, first, it is an alphabetical psalm; second, it is the longest chapter in the Bible, and third, it is an expansion of the latter part of Psa 19 . Psalms 146-150 were used for worship in the second temple. The expressions of innocence in the psalms do not refer to original sin, but to a course of conduct in contrast with wicked lives. The psalmists do not claim absolute, but relative sinlessness.
The imprecations in the psalms are real prayers, and are directed against real men who were enemies of David and the Jewish nation, but they are not expressions of personal resentment. They are vigorous expressions of righteous indignation against incorrigible enemies of God and his people and are to be interpreted in the light of progressive revelation. The New Testament contains many exultant expressions of the overthrow of the wicked. (Cf. 1Co 16:22 ; 2Ti 4:14 ; Gal 5:12 ; Rev 16:5-6 ; Rev 18:20 .) These imprecations do not teach that we, even in the worst circumstances, should bear personal malice, nor take vengeance on the enemies of righteousness, but that we should live so close to God that we may acquiesce in the destruction of the wicked and leave the matter of vengeance in the hands of a just God, to whom vengeance belongs (Rom 12:19-21 ).
The clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con, are found in these passages, as follows: Psa 16:10-11 ; Psa 17:15 ; Psa 23:6 ; Psa 49:15 ; Psa 73:23-26 . The passages that are construed to the contrary are found in Psa 6:5 ; Psa 30:9 ; Psa 39:13 ; Psa 88:10-12 ; Psa 115:17 . The student will compare these passages and note carefully their teachings. The first group speaks of the triumph over Sheol (the resurrection) ; about awaking in the likeness of God; about dwelling in the house of the Lord forever; about redemption from the power of Sheol; and God’s guiding counsel and final reception into glory, all of which is very clear and unmistakable teaching as to the future life.
The second group speaks of DO remembrance in death; about no profit to the one when he goes down to the pit; of going hence and being no more; about the dead not being able to praise God and about the grave as being the land of forgetfulness ; and about the dead not praising Jehovah, all of which are spoken from the standpoint of the grave and temporal death.
There is positively no contradiction nor discrepancy in the teaching of these scriptures. One group takes the spirit of man as the viewpoint and teaches the continuity of life, the immortality of the soul; the other group takes the physical being of man as the viewpoint and teaches the dissolution of the body and its absolute unconsciousness in the grave.
QUESTIONS
1. How many and what psalms were ascribed to Asaph?
2. Who presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David?
3. What is the theme of Psa 50 , and where do we find the same teaching in the Old Testament?
4. What is the problem of Psa 73 , and what its solution?
5. What psalms are attributed to the sons of Korah?
6. What is the evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem and what the characteristic of these two taken together?
7. What parallel to these two psalms do we find in modern literature?
8. What psalms were ascribed to Solomon?
9. What is the theme of Psa 72 ?
10. What is the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold?
11. When was Psa 127 written and what the application as a part of the Pilgrim group?
12. Give a brief interpretation of it and the uses made of it by the author on two different occasions.
13. What psalms are assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah, and what their historical setting?
14. What is their application to Judah at this time?
15. Where may we find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem?
16. To what period do radical critics ascribe Psalms 74-79; what is their argument, and what is your answer?
17. Which psalm shows the silence of the exile period and why?
18. Which one shows their brightening of hope?
19. Explain Psa 85:10 .
20. Give three characteristics of Psa 119 .
21. What use was made of Psalms 146-150?
22. Explain the expression of innocence in the psalms in harmony with their teaching of sin.
23. Explain the imprecations in the psalms and show their harmony with New Testament teachings.
24. Cite the clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con.
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Psa 76:1 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm [or] Song of Asaph. In Judah [is] God known: his name [is] great in Israel.
A Psalm or Song of Asaph ] Or, for Asaph; either made prophetically, by Asaph himself, or by some other psalmist, who committed it to Asaph’s successors, to be played and sung. The Hebrews say it is made de bello Gogi, of the war with Gog and Magog, that is, the Eastern and Western antichrists. The Greeks say De Assyriis ( A . In Hexaplo), of Sennacherib and his host; and surely the matter of the psalm is such as very well agreeth with that overthrow. Confer Psa 46:1-11 Psa 48:1-14
Ver. 1. In Judah is God known ] Nobilis est, saith Tremellius; Notior est, saith another interpreter; i.e. Better known he is now than ever; not by his word only, which is preached in Judah, but by his wondrous works; this especially of destroying the Assyrians at Lachish, in the tribe of Judah.
His name is great in Israel
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
It is “To the chief musician on Neginoth, a psalm of Asaph, a song.” Psa 75 having disclosed Messiah the executor of divine judgments in the earth, by which the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness, the next sets forth that it is in Judah and Israel God is to be known, in Zion and in Salem. It is the age to come, and characteristically different from Christianity, which calls out souls that believe by grace from the world to Christ in heaven, soon to reign with Him in glory. To be a mere patriot is for the Christian beneath his heavenly calling; for the Israelites, at least such as are of a pure heart, by-and-by it will be consistent and have the sanction of God. Now it is forgetfulness of Christ’s sufferings and of the glories after these. Heaven is our true father-land.
Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 76:1-3
1God is known in Judah;
His name is great in Israel.
2His tabernacle is in Salem;
His dwelling place also is in Zion.
3There He broke the flaming arrows,
The shield and the sword and the weapons of war. Selah.
Psa 76:1-3 This strophe reflects the holy war imagery (Psa 76:3). The historical setting seems to be the period of the Divided Monarchy (i.e., 922 B.C.-586 B.C.) because it mentions both Judah and Israel (922-722 B.C.). Exactly which military campaign or invasion by a pagan neighbor or ANE power is uncertain.
Psa 76:1 known The Hebrew connotation has two aspects.
1. information about something or someone (cf. Gen 4:1; Jer 1:5)
2. personal relationship
See Special Topic: Know .
His name Notice that His name is parallel to Elohim.
For name see Special Topic at Psa 1:6. For Elohim see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY .
Psa 76:2 Salem. . .Zion See Special Topic:
SPECIAL TOPIC: Moriah, Salem, Jebus, Jerusalem, Zion
Psa 76:3 There are several military items listed to illustrate YHWH’s military victory.
1. arrows (BDB 905)
2. shield (BDB 171)
3. sword (BDB 352)
4. weapons of war (BDB 536)
The destruction of the enemies’ weapons (cf. Psa 46:9; Isa 9:5; Eze 39:9-10) became a way of showing that
1. the enemy is completely defeated
2. Israel trusted in YHWH and did not need the weapons
Selah See notes at Psa 3:2 and Introduction, VII.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Title. A Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. App-65.
Song. Hebrew. shir. App-65.
of Asaph = by Asaph. The fifth of the twelve Asaph Psalms. App-63. Psa 76:1, Psa 76:5, Psa 76:8, and Psa 76:11 are in the third person. Psa 76:4, Psa 76:7, Psa 76:10 and are in the second person. The Structure is determined by the two Selahs; and points to the historic event, the taking of Jebus by David (2Sa 5:4-9) 960B.C.
Judah. Great emphasis on the locality. Note the three terms, Judah, Salem, Zion, and “there” (Psa 76:3).
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
known = made known, or making Himself known.
Israel. Named because the taking of Jebus was in connection with David’s taking of the throne of Israel.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 76:1-12
Psa 76:1-12 :
In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel ( Psa 76:1 ).
Judah, of course, was the southern kingdom. Israel was the northern kingdom.
In Salem also is his tabernacle [that would be Jerusalem], and his dwelling place in mount Zion. And there brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. The stout-hearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep. Thou, even thou, are to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once you are angry? Thou did cause judgment to be heard from heaven; and the earth feared, and was still, When God arose to judgment, to save the meek of the earth. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of the princes: he is awesome to the kings of the eaRuth ( Psa 76:2-12 ). “
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Psa 76:1-3
THE WRATH OF MAN PRAISING GOD;
GOD’S CHAMPIONSHIP OF HIS PEOPLE;
A PROPHETIC GLIMPSE OF THE JUDGMENT DAY;
THE CELEBRATION OF A GREAT MILITARY VICTORY
Any of the above titles is appropriate for this remarkable psalm. Many scholars view the occasion of it as that of God’s destruction of Sennacherib’s army in the times of Hezekiah, an interpretation with which this writer fully agrees, although some are hesitant to accept this, supposing that some other great victory could have inspired the psalm.
It is hardly possible for there to be a psalm which so exactly coincides with a historical situation, the overthrow of the Assyrian army before Jerusalem, as affirmed by the superscription in LXX. No known event corresponds so closely to allusions in this psalm as does the destruction of Sennacherib’s army. The occasion that springs to mind here is the elimination of Sennacherib’s army by the angel of the Lord (Isa 37:36). There were many other occasions in Jewish history to which the psalm would likewise be applicable (but he listed none of them). Critics of all schools agree that the occasion here is the deliverance from the threat of Sennacherib’s army, and we must therefore understand the `Asaph’ of the title as designating not the original Asaph, but the division of the Levites named after him.
The paragraphing of the psalm is simple enough, there being four stanzas of three verses each. The psalm also divides into two parts, the first two stanzas speaking of the deliverance, and the last two stressing the results.
Psa 76:1-3
“In Judah is God known:
His name is great in Israel,
In Salem also is his tabernacle,
And his dwelling place in Zion.
There he brake the arrows of the bow;
The shield, and the sword, and the battle.
(Selah)”
“In Judah … in Israel” (Psa 76:1). Rhodes thought these terms to be “synonymous,”[6] but the setting of the psalm is in the days of the divided kingdom, and the words may apply to the two divisions, thus including all of God’s people.
“Tabernacle … dwelling-place” (Psa 76:2). These renditions are unfortunate, because, the words thus translated actually mean “covert” or “lair.”[7] “The poet probably intended both of these terms in a literal sense, conceiving of God as the Lion of Judah.
“In Salem also” (Psa 76:2). “Salem is the ancient name of Jerusalem, for the Salem of Melchizedek is one and the same with the Jerusalem of Adonizedek (Jos 10:1).
“There he brake the arrows of the bow” (Psa 76:3). The big word here is “there,” a reference to Jerusalem, which was exactly where the judgment of God fell upon the mighty army of Sennacherib and destroyed it in a single night. Note, that all of the significant military weapons of the enemy were destroyed: the arrows, the shield, the sword, and the `battle,’ that latter word meaning `everything’ that was required in the fighting of a battle. The horses, chariots and their riders would be mentioned a moment later. Delitzsch’s comment on this was that, “God has broken in pieces the weapons of the worldly power directed against Judah.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 76:1. Judah was the largest of the 12 tribes, and the capital of the Israelite nation was in that tribe. For that reason David declared that God was known or recognized in Judah. The national worship was centered at that headquarters and that was where people had to go to see the divine exhibitions of power a n d knowledge.
Psa 76:2. Salem was a short form of Jerusalem (Gen 14:18), and Zion was that particular spot in the city where the king had his headquarters.
Psa 76:3. Victory over a foe was the outstanding desire of David, and he used a great many different expressions to indicate it. A bow would be useless without an arrow, hence it was said that God would brake the arrows and other articles of warfare. See the comments at Psa 3:2 for the meaning of Selah.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
The singer celebrates a great victory, recognizing it as the work of God. The song has three movements. In the first, God is seen as the defense of the people (verses Psa 76:1-3). In the second, His victory over their enemies is declared (verses Psa 76:4-9). In the third, the truth is summarized, and appeal is made to His people and the surrounding nations to change their attitude toward Him (verses Psa 76:10-12).
The national life gathers around Him. He is known by the nation; His dwelling place is in their city. The attack made upon them has been broken by the One who dwells in the midst of them. The issue of His judgment is manifest in the blotting out of the enemy. They have ceased to be, having been put to the sleep of death. God’s judgments are purposeful, He arose to save the meek, and they are resistless; the enemies are no more. So perfect is His government that by judgment He compels evil to serve His purpose, making the wrath of men to praise Him. To such ‘a God there should be allegiance sworn and rendered by His people, and the surrounding peoples should submit with gifts.
While the weapons of our warfare are spiritual, God is the same in might; and while He is in the midst our defense is sure. No weapon formed against the trusting people can prosper.
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
The Wrath of Man Shall Praise Thee
Psa 76:1-12
In Psa 76:2, tabernacle may be rendered covert, and dwelling-place, lair. God is compared to the lion, that dreaded monarch of beasts, who finds his home in a den, into which no inferior animal may intrude. Even the hunters bows and arrows are broken in pursuit of him. As the mountains yielded prey to the young lion, so the hills around Jerusalem, where Sennacherib had pitched his camp, would be full of Assyrian spoil for the armies of the Lion of Judah. The stout-hearted captains of Assyria would there sleep their last sleep, Psa 76:5.
Some of the meek of the earth may read these lines, Psa 76:9. They do not avenge themselves. Weak and helpless, they turn their eyes to God, who cannot fail them. When He speaks His sentence of acquittal, no voice will be raised to dispute it. For when He arises in judgment He will save all the meek of the earth. There is a thus far and no farther to the wrath of man. God will not allow it to go beyond certain limits, and it is remarkable how He is able to make mans wrath to subserve His purposes. Bring God the gift, of your love. Fear not, ye humble souls, but let your enemies be in fear!
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Psa 76:10
Through the long, sad history of the world, the glory of God has very much arisen from the display of His power in contest with human iniquity. He has an overruling wisdom and power, which can constrain the mighty evil that is in the world to render Him honour against its will, to act with an unconscious and undesigned subservience. The “wrath of man” very generally involves a corrupt principle: pride, arrogance, resentment, revenge. Can such a thing as this be made to praise the all-righteous Being? How transcendent then His power! Notice several of the ways in which He has manifested this power.
I. Sometimes He has suddenly quelled and crushed the wrath itself.
II. Sometimes the wrath and the persons actuated by it have been suddenly crushed by an avenging stroke of Divine justice.
III. The wrath of man has been made subservient to the “praise” of God by provoking signal manifestations of His power in very many ways, for example those in vindication of His insulted majesty. Not that His supreme majesty can be injured, or can need any avenging. But if He is to govern the earth, it is requisite that that be done which shall preserve an awful reverence in His subjects, that He shall not be defied with impunity by wrath pointed at Him. Therefore such transactions have taken place as those at Egypt and the Red Sea.
IV. Again, the “wrath of man” as against the cause and people of God has been overruled to His “praise.” Persecution has driven the adherents of the good cause into a wide dispersion; and wherever they have gone, they have carried their sacred faith and become its apostles: they have carried much of their Christian virtues also. And then, again, by His avenging judgments on those who have endeavoured to destroy His people and cause, God has gained Himself glory.
V. It were a somewhat varied illustration of the text to observe that God has in some instances suffered the wrath of man to work on in a successful process, and without any apparent interference or opposition, till it was just coming to its natural result, and then by a sudden interposition has caused a result infinitely different.
VI. God makes use of this great evil, the “wrath of man,” to make war on and destroy other great evils in the earth; He lets it go forth, with His commission, as a giant demolisher. One wicked nation has been made His avenger on the greater wickedness of another.
J. Foster, Lectures, 1st series, p. 282.
Psa 76:11
I. A vow is a resolution, and something more. A vow affects not only the judgment, but the heart. A vow should not be based upon expediency, but upon rectitude, upon foundations which cannot change.
II. Vows are to be made to God, or in the name of God; they are deeply religious acts. What subjects are fit for the solemnity of vows? (1) The religious consecration of periods of time, (2) the godly training of children, (3) the religious devotion of sums of money, and (4) a fuller dedication of energy to Divine service.
III. We are not only to vow: we are also to pay our vows. (1) To vow and not to pay destroys the finest qualities and powers of manhood. (2) In not paying a vow, man loses faith in himself; he is a liar to his own soul.
Parker, City Temple, vol. i., p. 218.
Reference: Psa 76:11.-Homiletic Magazine, vol. viii., p. 16.
Psa 76:11
(with Rom 1:14-15)
The missionary plea one of justice.
I. The Divine plea. Justice demands our labours and contributions to the missionary cause on behalf of God. Pay thy debts to Him. To think of compensating the Lord for what He has bestowed would be as absurd as it would be profane. But this we can do, for evincing that we are actuated by a sense of justice: we can endeavour to please Him. (1) He is pleased when He is praised, when men glorify His name. (2) After the praise of His name, that which pleases God most is the happiness of His children, a gratification consequently which a just man who is sensible of his obligations will labour to secure for Him. God’s family is commensurate with the race of man. By attention to their interests you may so far discharge the onerous debts which you owe their Father. The only efficient antidote to their disease is the Gospel, which, by the terms of our argument, we are bound, in justice to their Father, to send them.
Consider the plea for missions on the ground of justice to Christ. (1) The honour of His Father pleases Christ. He has made it the first object of that formula of prayer which He has constructed for our direction, as if He would exclude from praying for daily bread or the pardon of sin that man who takes no interest in the hallowing of the Father’s name and the hastening of His kingdom, when His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. (2) Christ is pleased by being praised. (3) Christ also is pleased by the sight of the happiness of His brethren. (4) Christ is pleased with the moral beauty and respectability of His brethren.
How shall a quickened, comforted, ennobled sinner evince that he is animated by a sense of justice towards the Holy Ghost but by delivering himself up to Him to be employed and used as an agent in the cleansing out of this polluted earth, that it may be made a temple in which He may complacently dwell?
II. The human plea. Justice demands our co-operation in the missionary cause: (1) In the name of the Church. To the Church catholic has the Divine commission been issued that the Gospel be preached to every creature. (2) In the name of the missionaries. (3) In the name of the heathen themselves. (a) All of them have a claim on us by the bond of the brotherhood of our common humanity. (b) Many heathen, as well as others, have claims of justice on us for being at the expense of both much labour and wealth in communicating the Gospel to them by the rule of making them some compensation for wrongs. (c) We are under obligations of justice to be zealous in the missionary cause by Paul’s rule of reckoning his debts in Rom 1:14, Rom 1:15. In this text he represents himself as being a debtor to all who had been converted by his ministry. He says he had had fruit among them. They had contributed to the glory of his heavenly crown, and they gratified his heart and honoured him by taking his King to be their King.
W. Anderson, Discourses, p. 118.
Reference: Psa 76:11.-A. Watson, Sermons for Sundays, Festivals, and Fasts, vol. ii., p. 104.
Fuente: The Sermon Bible
Psalm 76
Divine Government Established and Maintained
1. The Prince of Peace reigns (Psa 76:1-6)
2. The day of wrath and what it brought (Psa 76:7-12)
We behold the Lord now in Judah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, His Name great in Israel! In Salem He has His tabernacle and in Zion His dwelling place. There, as the Prince of Peace, He broke the arrows, the shield, and sword and battle. The stouthearted were spoiled. Judgments were heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still, then the meek of the earth were saved. The Lord is terrible to the kings of the earth, the final confederacy of nations. How wonderful the order of these Psalms!
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Neginoth
Neginoth, stringed instruments.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
A Psalm: This Psalm is entitled in the Septuagint, which is followed by the Vulgate and Appollinarius, , “An ode against the Assyrian;” and it is considered by many of the best commentators to have been composed by Asaph after the defeat of Sennacherib.
of Asaph: or, for Asaph
In Judah: Psa 48:1-3, Psa 147:19, Psa 147:20, Deu 4:7, Deu 4:8, Deu 4:34-36, Act 17:23, Rom 2:17-29, Rom 3:1, Rom 3:2
his: Psa 98:2, Psa 98:3, Psa 148:13, Psa 148:14, 1Ch 29:10-12, 2Ch 2:5, 2Ch 2:6, Dan 3:29, Dan 4:1, Dan 4:2
Reciprocal: Gen 49:8 – shall praise 2Ki 1:3 – it 1Ch 6:39 – Asaph 1Ch 25:2 – Asaph 2Ch 32:19 – the God Est 1:4 – the riches Psa 4:1 – Neginoth Psa 48:3 – General Psa 75:1 – for that Psa 99:2 – great Psa 132:13 – the Lord Son 4:8 – from the lions’ Isa 37:14 – and Hezekiah went Eze 35:10 – whereas Hab 3:19 – stringed instruments Mat 9:33 – It Eph 2:17 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The prostration of the creature.
To the chief musician, on stringed instruments: a psalm of Asaph, a song.
Thus, then, for blessing, man has to be put down into the place of need. With God’s judgments upon the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. We see, therefore, the need of what this psalm presents to us, which naturally follows, also, the one before it. As a psalm of divine government, manifestly exercised, it has the regular 12 verses, and with the regular division also, into four sections of 3 verses each for there is plainly nothing to disturb this. Again, it is a psalm of Asaph, and a song, which the stringed instruments accompany, for the earth is now tuned and ready for its Maker’s praise.
1. The first section shows us the inauguration of the reign of peace. God is known in Judah, the worshiper-tribe, and His Name is great in Israel. The once-divided kingdom is now impliedly united and at rest, in obedience to Him whom so to serve brings into harmony with all His universe.
And thus there is relationship between Him and His people never to be disturbed. His tabernacle is at Salem, Jerusalem gone back to the meaning of its older name as Melchizedek’s city -“Peace.” Another Melchizedek now rules in her, “Priest of the Most High God” in full reality, and in Zion is His “fixed” abode (meonatho), “His rest.” And because He is to be at rest, He has broken up all the instruments of war together: the “flashings” -the arrows flashing from -“the bow,” the shield and the sword, and all that makes up war.
2. Never will war have been more pronounced, more deadly, than in that last spasm in which it expires. As we think of the diligent perfecting of the machinery of it now, which leaves the old “flashings” of the bow to be but the types of its far-reaching artillery, how good it is to think of its collapse which is impending when the Prince of peace makes war upon war! Serene, beautiful, like the breaking forth of morning at the end of a night of storm; the glory of the Lord shines forth there where all had been but the prey of the spoiler hitherto. The “mountains of prey” are not any indefinite allusion to the fastnesses of robbers generally, but Jerusalem itself, the city of so many sieges, the constant “prey” of the enemy. The contrast expressed (for which the “more than” of the common version is inadequate) is between the city in its recent awful desolation, and the Light that now enfolds and glorifies her, wrapping all her dwellings in its bright, yet chastened lustre (Isa 4:5). The new day is come, that shall have no decline, the “morning without clouds” of prophetic vision (2Sa 23:4).
On the other hand, night is fallen upon the children of night. Like nocturnal birds of prey, the morning has sealed their eyes, and sunk them in helpless sleep from which there is no waking. It was the necessary doom of such as they were.
But there is another reason: and here we have the assurance, once again, of the grace which can consist with holiness. It is the God of Jacob who has thrown His arms around the feeble objects of their attack. And here, notice, it is chariot and horse upon which sleep has fallen. The enemies find their doom because of what they are: here it is simply the means of attack that fail, because God has sheltered His people.
3. In the next section, therefore, it is God Himself who is before the soul: but God revealed in judgment, which is openly manifested from heaven, in omnipotent, discriminative, holy wrath. His power is such that He must needs be feared: who can stand before Him; when He is angry? His judgment is discriminative, as the word used here (din) implies: wise, therefore, and searching, and recognized by the still awe of earth. It is holy, also, for it is in behalf of the meek of the earth, for whose salvation God at last, after long patience, rises up.
4. The fourth section shows the earth entirely in His hands. So complete is His government of it, that the wrath of man, which has just been at its wildest, nevertheless praises Him. Whatever could not be made to do this He could not permit to be. Men are bidden therefore to vow and pay their vows to Him who is the Eternal and their God and to bring presents in sign of their subjection to Him who is truly to be feared. For that to Him it belongs is plain by His judgment of its kings, just now executed. “He cutteth off the spirit of princes: He is terrible to the kings of the earth.”
Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary
Psa 76:1-2. In Judah is God known Gods people do not worship an unknown God, as the Athenians did, Act 17:23, but one who hath made himself known, not only by his word and ordinances, but also by the glorious effects of his wisdom and power, exerted on their behalf, and against their potent and malicious enemies. His name is great in Israel That is, famous and renowned, and greatly to be praised and admired. In Salem is his tabernacle In Jerusalem, which was anciently called Salem, Gen 14:18; Heb 7:1. And his dwelling-place in Zion Largely so called, as it included Moriah, an adjoining hill, or another part of the same hill.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
This is a martial ode, sung, according to the LXX, after the defeat of the Assyrian army. The Latin bible follows the LXX. The words of the psalm concerning the sleeping of the enemy, and the fall of many kings and princes, best agree with that event. The judgment was from heaven, In that case, the psalm was probably composed by Isaiah, or some other prophet.
Psa 76:1. In Judah is God known. By the fall of a hundred and eighty five thousand vain, boasting soldiers, who seemed asleep in the morning, and could not use their hands for war, God was known to be in his holy temple throughout all the Assyrian empire, and throughout all the western nations.
Psa 76:11. Vow, and pay to the Lord, the vows made in sickness and in war. But they should not be rash and unguarded vows: many such were made while Jerusalem was invested with the Assyrians.Bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. la-mora, The Fear, the terrible one. This is a name, like that of love, which is given absolutely to God. The text requires these oblations to be brought to the Fear, or the terrible One.
REFLECTIONS.
As all great actions in the ancient world were celebrated by the bards, and as the wonders of the Lord in his church were sung by prophets, it is not surprising that we should here find a psalm which celebrates the destruction of the Assyrian army, and the liberation of Jerusalem. The description is so clear, that the subject had no need of a title.
The prophet exults in the God of Zion. He brake in pieces all the artillery of war, the bow, the arrow, the shield, the sword. The stout-hearted, yesterday blaspheming the God of Hezekiah, are fallen asleep; their hands are benumbed, the horses are like their riders, the princely chariots are put aside in repose.
Thou alone, oh God, art to be feared: we fear our enemies no more. Thou hast heard prayer in Salem, thy habitation; thou hast risen up in judgment to save the meek of the land. Surely the wrath of man, the impotent rage and blasphemies of man, shall praise thee, as the God of gods dwelling in Zion. Thou wilt gird thyself with majesty and strength, and meet the lurking remains of wrath in every future foe. Yea, if Israel shall hearken, and pay her vows to the Lord, thou wilt still exscind the proud, and cut them off like the purple clusters of the vine, never to be again replaced.
Let the christian church be encouraged.The Messiah of the Hebrews is thy Redeemer in the time of trouble. He is with you always to the end of the world. He is the God, known in Judah, and great in Israel.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
LXXVI. The Majesty of God in Zion: Homage of the Nations.
Psa 76:2. Salem: a poetical name for Jerusalem (Gen 14:18*).
Psa 76:3. lightnings of the bow (mg.), i.e. arrows.
Psa 76:4. Read, from the eternal mountains (LXX) or rather mountain, i.e. Zion.
Psa 76:7. Read, because of the strength of thine anger.
Psa 76:9. The Divine sentence is given from heaven: the earth trembles and is still, persecuting the meek of the land no more.
Psa 76:10. For wrath in each case read nations, and for shalt thou gird upon thee, read shall keep feast, i.e. at Zion. By the residue of nations the poet means those who are left after the judgment. All mankind are to acknowledge the God of Israel.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
PSALM 76
The judgment of the nations anticipated, and the results celebrated.
The previous psalm announced that in God’s set time He will intervene in judgment on behalf of His people. This psalm anticipates this judgment and celebrates the result.
(vv. 1-3) The first three verses give the result of God’s judgment upon His enemies. The verses that follow present the actual judgment. The first result is to make God known; and being known His Name becomes great. The knowledge of God must lead to the exaltation of God. This knowledge and exaltation of God will come through God’s dealing on behalf of His earthly people Judah and Israel. The long divided tribes will at last be brought together.
Moreover the knowledge of God will prepare the way for God to dwell in the midst of a scene of peace, brought about by sovereign grace. Salem, meaning peace, is the ancient name for Jerusalem. Zion is the symbol of God’s sovereign choice in grace (Psa 78:65-68).
The peace in which God will dwell will be the outcome of the righteousness of God that deals in judgment with His enemies. Thus these verses present the reign of peace, established in righteousness, in which God will be known and exalted.
(vv. 4-6) The verses that follow present God’s actings in judgment by which the reign of peace is established. Jerusalem, that hitherto had been a prey to the nations, is alluded to under the expression The mountains of prey. Upon these mountains, that so often had witnessed the defeat of Israel, their enemies will become a prey when God shines forth in His glory. Isaiah looks forward to the same great event when he utters Jehovah’s prophecy, I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot (Isa 14:25). Then follows a description of this overwhelming judgment. God’s enemies sleep the sleep of death. They are utterly powerless and bewildered, for None of the men of might have found their hands. The God that entered into a covenant with Jacob to protect him from all his enemies now acts on behalf of His ancient people. At His rebuke all the might of man is destroyed.
(vv. 7-9) This destruction of the enemy not only delivers His people but makes God known. And God made known through this overwhelming judgment will lead to God being feared, for it becomes manifest that when God acts in judgment none can stand in His sight.
For long years God had been silent, but at length, by God’s intervention in the affairs of men, it will be recognized that heaven is dealing in judgment with the evils of earth. God’s voice will be heard from heaven. In result the earth will fear and be still: all opposition to God will cease.
Moreover, this intervention in judgment will be manifestly on behalf of His people – to save all the meek of the earth. It will thus make manifest God’s righteous judgment against evil, and His saving grace on behalf of His people.
(vv. 10-12) The leading thought in verses 7 to 9 is God known: the great thought in the closing verses is God exalted. Thus in the latter part of the psalm we have the two thoughts expressed in the first verse, God known, and His name is great.
All the fury of man will turn to the praise of God. All the concentrated power and might of man with his chariots and horses, arrayed against God in the mountains of Jerusalem, only serve to show by their overwhelming defeat that God is greater than all the power of man. All other opposition to God that will yet remain upon the earth will be restrained. All the nations of the earth are called to recognize Jehovah as their God, and to yield their allegiance to God by bringing gifts. If the great ones of the earth refuse they will be cut off, and find indeed that God is terrible to those who oppose His will.
Fuente: Smith’s Writings on 24 Books of the Bible
76:1 [To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm [or] Song of Asaph.] In Judah [is] God {a} known: his name [is] great in Israel.
(a) He declares that God’s power is evidently seen in preserving his people and destroying his enemies.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Psalms 76
In this psalm of declarative praise, Asaph praised God for His power. He had destroyed the wicked and delivered the godly. Therefore the leaders of His people should follow Him faithfully. The psalm is in the form of a victory hymn, though it may not refer to one particular victory in Israel’s history.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
1. The manifestation of God’s judgment 76:1-3
God made His great name known in Israel by defeating an enemy of His people. Salem is Jerusalem (Gen 14:18; Heb 7:1-2). Evidently Asaph composed this song after an enemy attacked Jerusalem unsuccessfully. Perhaps the miraculous defeat of the Assyrians in 701 B.C. is the background (2 Kings 18-19; Isaiah 36-37).
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 76:1-12
IN contents and tone this psalm is connected with Psa 46:1-11; Psa 48:1-14. No known event corresponds so closely with its allusions as the destruction of Sennacheribs army, to which the LXX in its superscription refers it. The singer is absorbed in the one tremendous judgment which had delivered the dwelling place of Jehovah. His song has but one theme-Gods forth flashing of judgment on Zions foes. One note of thankfulness sounds at the close, but till then all is awe. The psalm is divided into four strophes, of three verses each. The former two describe the act; the latter two deal with its results, in an awed world and thankful praise.
The emphatic words in the first strophe are those which designate the scene of the Divine act. The glow of humble pride, of wonder and thankfulness, is perceptible in the fourfold reiteration-“in Judah, in Israel, in Salem, in Zion”; all which names are gathered up in the eloquent “There” of Psa 76:3. The true point of view from which to regard Gods acts is that they are His Self-revelation. The reason why Israel is the object of the acts which manifest His name is that there He has chosen to dwell. And, since He dwells there, the special act of judgment which the psalm celebrates was there performed. “The lightnings of the bow” picturesquely designate arrows, from their swift flight and deadly impact. {Compare Psa 46:9}
The second strophe (Psa 76:4-6) comes closer to the fact celebrated, and describes, with magnificent sweep, brevity, and vividness, the death sleep of the enemy. But, before it shows the silent corpses, it lifts one exclamation of reverence to the God who has thus manifested His power. The word rendered “Effulgent” is doubtful, and by a slight transposition of letters becomes, as in Psa 76:7 which begins the next strophe, “dread.” In Psa 76:4 b the rendering “more excellent than,” etc., yields a comparison which can scarcely be called worthy. It is little to say of God that He is more glorious than the enemies “mountains of prey,” though Delitzsch tries to recommend this rendering by supposing that God is represented as towering above “the Lebanon of the hostile army of peoples.” The Hebrew idiom expresses comparison by the preposition from appended to the adjective in its simple form, and it is best here to take the construction as indicating point of departure rather than comparison. God comes forth as “glorious,” from the lofty heights where He sits supreme. But “mountains of prey” is a singular phrase, which can only be explained by the supposition that God is conceived of as a Conqueror, who has laid up his spoils in His inaccessible storehouse on high. But the LXX translates “everlasting mountains,” which fits the context well, and implies a text, which might easily be misinterpreted as meaning “prey,” which misinterpretation may afterwards have crept into the body of the text. If this alteration is not adopted, the meaning will be as just stated.
Psa 76:5 gives some support to the existing text, by its representation of the stout-hearted foe as “spoiled.” They are robbed of their might, their weapons, and their life. How graphically the psalmist sets before the eyes of his readers the process of destruction from its beginning! He shows us the warriors falling asleep in the drowsiness of death. How feeble their “might” new! One vain struggle, as in the throes of death, and the hands which shot the “lightnings of the bow” against Zion are stiff for evermore. One word from the sovereign lips of the God of Jacob, and all the noise of the camp is hushed, and we look out upon a field of the dead, lying in awful stillness, dreamlessly sleeping their long slumber.
The third strophe passes from description of the destruction of the enemy to paint its widespread results in the manifestation to a hushed world of Gods judgment. In it anger and love are wondrously blended; and while no creature can bear the terrible blaze of His face, nor endure the weight of His onset “in the time of His anger,” the most awful manifestations thereof have a side of tenderness and an inner purpose of blessing. The core of judgment is mercy. It is worthy of God to smite the oppressor and to save the “afflicted,” who not only suffer, but trust. When He makes His judgments reverberate from on high, earth should keep an awed stillness, as nature does when thunder peals. When some gigantic and hoary iniquity crashes to its fall, there is a moment of awed silence after the hideous tumult.
The last Strophe is mainly a summons to praise God for His manifestation of delivering judgment. Psa 76:10 is obscure. The first clause is intelligible enough. Since God magnifies His name by His treatment of opposing men, who set themselves against Him, their very foaming fury subserves His praise. That is a familiar thought with all the Scripture writers who meditate on Gods dealings. But the second clause is hard. Whose “wraths” are spoken of in it? Gods or mans? The change from the singular (“wrath of man”) to plural (“wraths”) in b makes it all but certain that Gods fulness of “wrath” is meant here. It is set over against the finite and puny “wrath” of men, as an ocean might be contrasted with a shallow pond. If so, Gods girding Himself with the residue of His own wrath will mean that, after every such forth-putting of it as the psalm has been hymning, there still remains an unexhausted store ready to flame out if need arise. It is a stern and terrible thought of God, but it is solemnly true. His lovingkindness out measures mans, and so does His judicial judgment. All Divine attributes partake of Infinitude, and the stores of His punitive anger are not less deep than those of His gentle goodness.
Therefore men are summoned to vow and pay their vows; and while Israel is called to worship, the nations around, who have seen that field of the dead, are called to do homage and bring tribute to Him who, as it so solemnly shows, can cut off the breath of the highest, or can cut down their pride, as a grape gatherer does the ripe cluster (for such is the allusion in the word “cuts down”). The last clause of the psalm, which stands somewhat disconnected from the preceding, gathers up the lessons of the tremendous event which inspired it, when it sets Him forth as to be feared by the kings of the earth.