Psalms 76

worksdeclare. Unto thee, O God, the righteous judge, who art the sole author of this great deliverance, do I and all my people givo most solemn thanks: nor can we over thank thee enough, but we must again and again renew our acknowledgments unto thee; whose almighty power is still ready at hand, we clearly see by the wonders thou hast done, to succour all those who gratefully commemorate thy benefits. To the chief Musician on Neginoth. A Psalm or Song of Asaph. It is visible to every eye, that the Psalmist here commemorates some notable victory over very powerful enemies: whereby God delivered (when it was in great danger) the whole country, particularly Jerusalem: which is called here Salem, (ver. 2.) by an usual form of speech among the Hebrews, who are wont, in names of places, to cut off the former part; instead of Abel-Shittim, saying only Shittim; and Nimrim, for Bcth-Nimrim; Lechi, for Ramath-Lechi; Sheba, for Beer-Sheba, and many suchlike, as Bochartus hath shewn in the second book of his Phaleg. cap. 25. and in the first part of his work concerning the animals named in Scripture, book ii. chap. 25. And there is as littlo reason to doubt that the particular deliverance here aimed at is that from Sennacherib’s army, which Asaph the seer, mentioned 2 Chron. xxix.30. (see Psal. lxxiii.) was not content to celebrate in the former Hymn, which he made for the use of the king; but added this also, for his own use, and all other pious persons: who he hoped would join in it, especially when it was sung in the temple, as he directed the master of the music, after the same manner as Psal. iv. Some of the Greeks seem to have perceived something of this: for though there be no such title in the ancient Hcxaplus of Origen, yet, in aftertimes, Thcodoret tells us, he found in some copies this inscription, which still continues, An Ode against the Assyriau: which Apollinarius follows. Of a Psalm-Song, see Psal. lxvii.

Psalms 76:1

AN Judah is God known; his name is great in Israel. God hatlv so illustriously demonstrated himself among us (in this unexpected and terrible execution) to be the sovereign ruler and judge of the world, that he must shut his eyes that doth not see it: his power, and all his other glorious perfections, which are conspicuous every where, are in no country so magnified as they arc in Israel.

Psalms 76:2

When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly J. And I will not content myself with these verbal praises alone; but as soon as I shall meet with a fit opportunity, and we can have our solemn assemblies again (which by this invasion have been interrupted, 2 Chron. xxxii. 1.) I will perfect the reformation which I have begun: and see that equal justice be done to all my people; as well as that they bo preserved in thy true religion. In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwellingplace in ZionJ] Our enemies themselves, who reviled him, (2 Chron. xxxii. 17/19.) and despised Jerusalem, (ver. 10.) are now sure convinced that there this mighty Lord maketh his abode: in the top of that mountain where he hath chosen to fix his dwelling-place.

Psalms 76:3

The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah. The whole country hath been in a miserable confusion; while their hearts melted with fear of an utter desolation: but as then I supported their spirits, and encouraged the great men and the officers to do their duty, (2 Chron. xxxii. 6 — 8.) so I will hereafter establish such magistrates and judges, as shall bring all into better order. There brake he the’ arrows of the botv, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.] Before the walls of which he hath slain, with an invisible dart, the fiery archers; (who have not shot so much as one arrow into it, 2 Kings xix. 32.) and made the shields, and swords, and the rest of their military preparations, altogether useless and unprofitable.

Psalms 76:4

I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly; and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn. I have told them my mind already, and do still solemnly proclaim and declare, that I will proceed with the utmost severity against the contemners of thy laws; and therefore I advise them not to be so madly rude and insolent: for the proudest of them all shall know, that it is safest for them to be more modest, than to glory, as they do, in their impiety; ot to boast of the power they have to be injurious to their neighbours. TJiou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.] Whereby thou, O Zion/art become more glorious than all the mountains, where the fiercest beasts of prey,’ or the most desperate robbers, have their resort, who never made such slaughters.

Psalms 76:5

Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. Do not vaunt of this, I once more advise you, nor bear yourselves high, as if you would outbrave heaven itself: be not refractory and stubborn, nor arrogantly say, that you will have your way, and that none shall curb you. Tlie stout-hearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.’] For they, whose courage made them fear no danger, but confidently promised themselves the spoils of Jerusalem, are given unto us for a spoil: they lay down to sleep, but never awaked; (2 Kings xix. 35.) not a man among the most mighty of them was able to strike a stroke, or do any thing to defend himself against that hand which cut them off. Ver. G. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep,] But the most experienced horseman, as well as they that rode in chariots," sunk down dead, at the sudden check, the severe rebuke,: which they received from thee, O God of Jacob, whom they reproached, (2 Kings xix. 22, 23.)

Psalms 76:6

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. For which way soever you turn yourselves, whether to the east, or to the west, or to the mountainous deserts that lie on the north and south of us; in vain do ye think to escape the righteous judgment of God.

Psalms 76:7

But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another J. Who, being the sovereign Lord and governor of the world, easily lays those low that proudly exalt themselves against his authority; and lifts up those that humbly submit themselves unto him. % Tliou, even thou, art to be feared; and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?] Thou, and none but thou, art to be dreaded; and w T hat king is he, that is able, for so short a time as a moment, to resist thy power? which in an instant can destroy all those who incur thy heavy displeasure.

Psalms 76:8

For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture, and hepoureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.] For he never wants power to inflict the most dreadful punishments; which (like an intoxicating wine, full of stupifying ingredients, that loosens the very joints, and takes away all a man’s strength to resist) never fail to have their effect: and the godly may taste of them, nay suffer solely for a time; but the heaviest and most grievous punishments (like the dregs at the bottom of such wino) shall fall to the share of all the wicked of the land; who shall be forced to endure the utmost expressions of the Divine vengeance upon their sins. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was stilh] We have an example Of it before our eyes; for when we made our solemn appeal to thee, (2 Kings xix. 3, 4. 15, 1G.) thou wast pleased to pronounce a sentence of condemnation from heaven upon our enemies, which struck such terror into those that survived, that they who before were full of rage, and made a tumultuous noise, (ver. 27, 28.) were as still as lambs, and durst not stir a foot, but only to return from whence they came, (ver. 28. 36.)

Psalms 76:9

But I will declare for wer; I will siiig praises to the God of Jacob. And this I, who am his minister to execute his judgments, will not cease to declare, as long as 1 live, that none may pretend ignorance for their excuse: and 1 will sing praises unto God (who delivered Jacob from all evil), not only for his late miraculous preservation of us, by his vengeance on Sennacherib (whom he hath made an example of his wrath to all proud contemners of hiin), but for making me the instrument of so happy a reformation. Wlien God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.] They were afraid to continue their attempts against us, when God, who had long suffered their insolence, sent an angel to chastise it, and to do execution upon them; and thereby delivered the helpless people of this land, who had patiently borne their horrible oppression.

Psalms 76:10

All the Aoras of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted. For this is my resolution, not merely, as I said, to praise him, but to pull down the haughty spirit, and cut short all the power of the wicked, that they shall not be able to do such mis chief as they desire: and to raise the righteous into such authority, that they shall not fear what their most insolent enemies can do unto them. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.] Which may well be a warning to all fell tyrants, not to be so fierce and outrageous; which will only present thee with a fairer opportunity to glorify thyself, and raise thy praise to a greater height; as thou hast now done, by suppressing the Assyrians’ fury; who, if they have any relics of wrath, which may boil up again in their hearts, thou shalt chain it up, and not suffer it to break forth to our further disturbance.

Psalms 76:11

Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that are round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. Arid let this excite you all, who arc thus marvellously delivered, to make more liberal.promises of grateful sacrifices; as well as to perform those which you have already vowed, to the great Lord, your most gracious God: who so far excels all others, that the nations round about ns, who hear the fame of this, shall reproach you (if you be forgetful of his benefits) by the presents which they shall make to him, (2 Chron. xxxii. 23.) who ought to be feared by all his friends, and is most terrible to his enemies.

Psalms 76:12

He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth. For he can easily; with a sudden stroke, not only take down the proud stomach, but take away the life of the fiercest captains and commanders; (2 Chron. xxxii. 21.) yea, make the greatest monarchs (who keep the world in awe) quake and tremble at his dreadful executions.