Psalms 76

The Prophet giveth God thanks for his gracious presence, manifested to his people, by a wonderfull deliverance of them from insolent and potent enemies, whose insolency power and fierceness God had brought to nothing by his wrath and jealousy; exhorting thereupon to praying, and praises to God.

1. A Psalm, or Hymn of Asaph [See Psalm 48.on verse 1.] for the chief song-master: See Psa.4.on v.1.] on Neginoth.

2. God is known in Juda: his Name is great in Israel.

3. And in Salem [i.e. Jerusalem, as Gen.14.18. Compare Psalms 48:2,3,4,9. And see Hebr.7.1.] is his Tent: [i.e. his Tabernacle, or Temple; hereby it appeareth plainly, that Salem and Jerusalem is one and the same] and his habitation in Zion.

4. There hath he broken: [Compare Psalms 46:10.] the fiery arrows of the bow: [Heb. The fierce coals, or sparks of the bow, i.e. the fiery, or sparkling glistering arrows, or the glistering bow (of steel) as some take it] the shield, and the sword, and the war, Sela! [see Psalm 3.on verse 3.]

5. Thou art more illustratrious (and) more glorious, then the mountains of prey; [Hereby do some understand the mighty Kings and Kingdoms (compared sometimes in scripture to mountains) with whom it is usual, to prey both one upon another, and upon the people of God, even like the wild beasts, following and worrying their prey. Oth. Thou art illustrious and glorious from, or (by reason of) the mountains of prey: i.e. thou hast got thy self great honour, and shewed thy power upon the mountains; from whence the enemies, like so many wild beasts, made account to prey upon and devour us; there hast thou consumed them, and made them a prey to us, as is declared in the sequel.]

6. The stout-hearted are spoiled: [Heb. The strong of heart] they have stumbered their sleep: [i.e. the long and lasting sleep of death, their deadly sleep. Compare Jer.51.39,57. Psalms 13:4. this is applied by some to those destroyed by the Angel in the days of Hiskia. 2 King.19.35.] and none of the valiant men have found their hands. [Heb. All men of valour have not found their hands; i.e. they were as if they had no hands; they were not able to make the least resistance, or defence.]

7. For thy rebuke, [Psalm 9.on v.6.] O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are sunk asleep. [i.e. both the great and the common souldier, which were wont to ride on chariots and horses, were dismayed all together: see Jud.4.3,13,15. 2 Sam.10.on verse 18. 1 King.22.31,34.]

8. Thou, thou art fearful: and who shall stand before thy face, from the time wrath? [Hebr. From then, or thence of thy wrath? i.e. from that very time; or when thou art wroth: or beginnest to exercise and let forth thine anger.]

9. Thou madest a judgement heard out of heaven; [Compare 2 King.19.32,33,34,35. Jud.5.20. 2 Sam.2.7,8. Etc.] the earth [or the land; and so in the next verse] feared and was still: [i.e. when thou madest thy judgement to be heard, etc. Then the earth feared, etc. Or, thou makest a judgement to be heard, etc. And so in the sequel.]

10. When God arose to judgement, for to deliver all the meek of the earth. [See Psalm 10.on v.17.] Sela! [see Psal.3.on v.3.]

11. For the fierceness of man shall make thee praise-worthy: [i.e. shall serve to get thee praise and honour. The sence is, the more eager and furious the enemies are against tee and thy people, the more honour and glory shalt thou get in protecting thy people and quelling the enemy.] thou shalt bind up the remnant of fiercenesses; [or fird, etc. This may be understood, that God shall likewise subdue the remaining fierce enemies, even as one girds or binds and ties a body, from stirring at pleasure: or else: He shall gird the remainder of his people, those that are left over and delivered from the fierceness of the enemy) with strength and courage to withstand their enemies. Both meanings are good: though it may likewise be understood of God himself, that he shall gird his fierceness about him, for the utter destruction of his enemies.]

12. Make vows, [As the godly use to do it times of trouble, and being delivered out of the same. See Gen.28.20. &c. Psalms 66:13,14,15. Jer.1.16. Compare also above Psal.61.on v.6.] and pay them to the LORD your God, all ye that are round about him. [i.e. all Gods people, that adhere unto and depend on him, even as the Tribes encamped round about the Tabernacle, Num.2.2, &c. And the Priests and Levites were placed round about God to serve him, and again the Elders round about God to serve him, and again the Elders round about the Throne of God, Revel.4.4.] Let them bring gifts [Compare 2 Chron.32.21,23.] to him that is to be feared. [Heb. Properly, to him of fear, that is of whom every one ought to stand in fear, to wit, the God of Israel; Compare Gen.31.53.]

13. That cutteth off the spirit of Princes, [Or, foregoers, leaders, (cutteth off) or plucketh off, gathereth] us grapes [the meaning is (according to the Emphasis of the Hebrew phrase) that God doth as suddenly and easily take away the life, understanding and courage of the great ones, as grapes are pluck and gathered in the Vintage. See the same comparison, Jud.20.45. with the Annotations: and Rev.14.v.18,19, 20. And compare in particular, 2 Chron.32.21.] that is dreadfull to the kings of the earth.