January 12, 2017

Tom Lowe

 

PSALM 76

Title: When God Steps In

(To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun)

 

Theme: The Lord, who dwells in Zion, is the mighty judge of the earth.

 

Psalm 76 (KJV)

 

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.

7 Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?

8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,

9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.

10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

11 Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

 

 

 

Introduction to Psalm 76

 

Three psalms bear this subscription, “To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun:” this one and also Psalms 38 and 61.  David had three choir leaders; one of them was Jeduthun, called “the kings seer” in 2 Chronicles 35:15.  The psalms addressed to him have a special prophetic emphasis. 

We do not know exactly when this psalm was written.  One idea is that it was written to celebrate the capture of the Jebusite fortress, afterward known as Zion, which for years was the abode of the sacred ark.  The notation commending this psalm to Jeduthun would seem to give credence to this view.

However, most commentators agree the psalm (standing as it does shoulder to shoulder with Psalm 75) really belongs to the time when God overthrew Sennacherib’s host before the gates of Jerusalem. The only other credible historical setting is the defeat of the Philistines at Baalperazim.  The psalm was possibly a Davidic psalm originally, though it does not bear his name.  It found its way into the choir collection, and later King Hezekiah used it to express the sentiments of his own day and age.  Indeed, Hezekiah’s use of the psalm so overshadowed David’s that it is associated far more with the Jerusalem of Hezekiah’s day than it is with the Jerusalem of David’s day.

The psalm was either composed by the prophet Asaph; or composed by David, or some other holy prophet of God, and assigned to Asaph.

 

Commentary

 

1 In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.

The beginning (vs. 1-3) emphasizes the presence of the Lord in awesome power in Zion.  It is as Israel’s God that the Lord’s “name” (Presence) is known and it is particularly in “Judah” that He has been revealed unto men.  For there in Jerusalem (76:2), Judah’s political and religious capital, stands the Tabernacle (76:2), where the majestic and awesome Being rests; and the Lord’s “dwelling,” where He abides (76:2).  There it was that God shattered the weapons of the pagan powers which opposed Him (76:3).

God’s people do not worship an unknown God, as the Athenians did (Acts 17:23), but one who has made Himself known, not only by His word and ordinances, but also by the glorious effects of His wisdom and power on their behalf, and against their potent and malicious enemies.

“Is great” here means famous and renowned and greatly to be praised and admired.

2 In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

Salem!”  That is the old, poetic name for Jerusalem, a name famous for its link with Milchizadeck, king of Salem, priest of the most high God—even before Israel was a people or Jerusalem its capital.  The name “Salem” simply means “peace.”

“In Salem,” was “His tabernacle”; in Zion, was “His dwelling place.” These are two interesting words—“tabernacle” (pavilion) and “dwelling place” (habitation).  Both carry the idea of a “lair” or “den.” Jerusalem was the lions’ den.  The Assyrians, led by King Sennacherib, had come, thinking to add Jerusalem to their list of conquests.  Sennacherib’s officers boasted of their king and his conquests, but their dead idols were no match for the true and living God (115:1-18).  They aroused the “lion of the tribe of Judah” from His den, and He roared against them in the night and then tore them to pieces.  We have a famous God, and we know where His fame was known.  God’s name was great in Judah and Jerusalem (47:1-2; 48:1, 10; 77:13)—Jehovah had chosen Judah to be the ruling tribe (Isaiah 49:10) and Jerusalem to be the site of His holy sanctuary (Ezra 7:19; Zechariah 3:2)—but it needed to be magnified among the neighboring nations, for that was Israel’s calling (76:11; Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 49:6).  “You who are far away, hear what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge My might” (Isaiah 33:13).

3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.

The Assyrian’s defeat was monumental in its greatness.  He had done what mighty armies could never do: in one night of terror, by one single stroke, he had utterly routed the Assyrian army.

A bacterial invasion of the body is the weapon God seems to have used against the Assyrians.  God does not need armies to defeat armies.  He has scores of weapons to choose from.  Earthquake, hailstones, pestilence, famine, fire, and flood—all are in His arsenals.  The overthrow of the Assyrians was mighty in his greatness. 

This verse also has an application to the “end of the age.”  This is the day the prophet spoke of when he said “. . . They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).  Isaiah is speaking about the peace that will come to this earth when Christ comes back.  Until the sin of the human heart is either dealt with in redemption or judgment, there can never be peace on earth.

The meaning of the following words will help us understand the verse:

  1. “The arrows” (Heb. “the sparks”) signifies sparkling arrows, bright and shinning, swift and piercing, like sparks of fire.
  2. The Lord uses “The bow, the shield, and the sword,” whichare both offensive and defensive weapons, so they could neither hurt God’s people, nor save themselves from defeat and annihilation.
  3. “The battle” refers to the force and fury of “the battle,” and all the power of the army, which was put in battle-array.

It is possible that “swords” and “bows” and “arrows” actually were broken and “shields” burned during “the battle”, and that there was a spiritual meaning to these symbolic acts—God’s destruction of all weapons of pagan aggression.

“Selah”—the meaning of the word is not known, though various interpretations have been suggested. It is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen." Selah can also be used to indicate that there is to be a musical interlude at that point in the Psalm. The Amplified Bible translates selah as "pause, and think of that." It can also be interpreted as a form of underlining in preparation for the next paragraph. Selah may indicate a break in the song whose purpose is similar to that of Amen (Hebrew: "so be it") in that it stresses the truth and importance of the preceding passage.

4 Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.

Verses 4-6 look far ahead to God’s ultimate triumph. The Lord, the God of terrifying majesty, has defeated for all time the pagan forces of evil.

This description of God is magnificent: “Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.” He is the essence of light and majesty.  The word “Thou” needs to be underlined.  For a dazzling moment the eyes of the psalmist gloated upon the spoils of war. Then, spiritual man that he was he turned away. He fell down upon his knees.  He lifted his hands heavenward and declares for all to hear: “And thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.”

“Than the mountains of prey” probably stands for the greatest kings and emperors of the earth, which in prophetical writings are often compared to “mountains” (Psalm 46:2, 3; Isaiah 41:15). And they are called “mountains of prey” because they generally were established by tyranny, and maintained by preying on their own subjects, or other inferior kingdoms. [There is another explanation which suggests, “the mountains of prey” refer to Jerusalem.  That city has been besieged twenty-seven times.  It has certainly been a mountain of prey!  The enemies have been there. The Lord is going to judge the arrogant and the proud who have walked on earth and those who have come against the city of Jerusalem.]

As soon as it was safe to do so, the Jews must have flung wide the gates of Jerusalem and poured out by the thousands into the Assyrian camp.  There they saw the “mountains” of spoil the soldiers had accumulated in their southward march.  It was now theirs for the taking.  It was glorious!  Heaps of gold and silver and precious stones.  Piles of rich fabrics, linen, and silk.  “Mountains” of spoil!  Instead of Assyria plundering Jerusalem, Jerusalem plundered Assyria.

5 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.

The “stouthearted,” ungodly powers lie vanquished and plundered by Him, the majestic and dread-inspiring Being. “The stouthearted are spoiled”; gone is that glory and that advantage which they either had already gotten or had expected to get from the successes of their present expedition, which they promised to themselves. They became prey to those upon whom they hoped to prey.

“Their sleep” is either a perpetual sleep (Jeremiah 51:39, 57), or the sleep of death (Psalm 13:3). It is called “their sleep” because it is peculiar to them and men like them and not that sleep which is common to most men, good and bad. He seems to call their death sleep, because they were slain in the night while they were asleep, and so they unconsciously went from one type of sleep to another. For many believe this psalm was composed on the occasion of the slaughter of the Assyrians by an angel of God.

“They have slept their sleep,” has also been translated as “They fell asleep in their sleep.” That is an interesting expression.  How can you do that?  It means that the “stouthearted” were no longer alert or aware. The apostle John writes that the whole world lies asleep in the arms of the wicked one (1 John 5:19).  And the devil doesn’t want the world to wake up.  He says to Tom Lowe, “Hush!  Don’t give out the word so loud.  You’ll wake them up.” But, friend, I’m trying to wake up the babies by telling them that judgment is coming and also that there is salvation in Christ.  “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22), and if we are to know the true and living God, we must read the Bible, a Jewish book, and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came through the Jewish nation and died for the sins of the world.  The true and living God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3).

All God did was to speak a word, and the warriors of the king of Assyria slept their last sleep.  The poet depicts the scene in the camp on the morning after the frightful catastrophe:

The eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,

And their hearts but once heaved, and forever were still.

 

“And none of the men of might have found their hands.” They had no more strength in or use of their hands against the destroying angel, than those who have no hands.

6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

The snorting, prancing horses, the rattling chariots—all silent and still.  His rebuke of the wicked is a severe and perhaps final display of His wrath.  For those who oppose God His judgment is terrifying, producing silence across the land. Death walked the length and breadth of the camp, and all life has been extinguished.  How brief and vivid the description!

“The chariot and horse” represent the men who rode upon and fought from chariots and horses. They had the advantage over men on foot and were usually courageous.

7 Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?

Verses 7-9 portray the Lord as the awesome Judge of the earth. God is the one to be reverenced, the one before whose angry Presence no man can stand, least of all the enemy. We are not to fear man, we are to fear God. “The fear of man bringeth a snare.” It can intimidate us into denying God. We must never allow mere man to awe us. We must fear God.  This means, of course, a reverential fear, the respect and veneration that belong to God alone.

The Lord had been longsuffering toward Sennacherib’s officers as they blasphemed His name and threatened His people, but then He revealed His wrath, and the siege, that never really started, was over.  The question asked in verse 7—“and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?”—is also asked in 138:3 and Revelation 6:17 and it is answered in Ezra 9:15—“O LORD God of Israel, you are righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before you in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before you because of this.” Standing is here opposed to flight from, or falling before, the enemy. Surely, “neither the wisdom of the wise, nor the power of the mighty, no, nor the world itself, can stand a single moment before him when once he is angry.” We rejoice that “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), but we must remember that “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).

8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,

From heaven, the Lord pronounces the divine sentence of judgment upon all the godless powers on earth.

“Thou didst cause judgment,” by an angel sent from heaven, to fall upon Your enemies; which is said “to be heard,” either because it was accompanied by terrible thunder and earthquakes, which was not unusual when an angel descended to earth (Matthew 28:2). The reports of it quickly spread throughout the land and then the world. The effect of this terrible judgment was that the rest of the world were afraid to invade or disturb the land and the people of Israel, and chose instead to stay within their borders.

9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.

“When God arose to judgment”; when God, who had been silent for awhile, began to rise and show He is against His enemies,and “to save all the meek of the earth”—to save all the godly persons (who are often called meek ones, which has been mentioned over and over again) in Israel, for whose sakes God wrought this great deliverance, which reached to all the people of the land, who are helpless before the terrible onslaught of the godless forces.

10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

This impressive psalm ends in a hymn of thanksgiving (vs. 10-12), already anticipated in verse 7.

Verse 10 can be translated a couple of different ways.  One option is to understand that God’s wrath against people brings him “praise.”  In that case, the “praise” comes from those whom he delivers as well as from any who realize they might have been included in His judgment, yet were spared.  A second option is to interpret the verse to read that the “wrath” of people brings “praise” to God. In that sense, when people stand defiantly against the sovereign Lord, God is always triumphant.  Consequently, His sure and certain victories bring him praise.

What a history book could be written around this verse!  “The wrath of man shall praise Thee”—what is meant in malice is changed to blessing.  And there is a limit beyond which the rage of the enemies of the righteous cannot pass (Job 1:12; 1 Corinthians 10:13). Compared to the wrath of God, the wrath of man is nothing. God has His own unique way of turning the tables on His foes.

“The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.” God says that He lets man go only so far.  However, during the Great Tribulation it seems that the Lord will remove all restraint and let men go to the limit.  Today man is being restrained.  The Restrainer is the Holy Spirit.  Who else can restrain evil in the world today?  God is going to make the wrath of man to praise Him.

“Selah”—see verse 3.

11 Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

 “Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God” a sacrifice of thanksgiving; either at this time, for this wonderful deliverance; or after this, in all your future needs and troubles.  Let this experience encourage you to make such vows to God with confidence of success. But when God has accepted your vows, and given you the desired deliverance, don’t forget to “pay” your vows.

I can say without a doubt that in the hour of danger, many vows and promises were made to God.  The psalmist reminds Israel, as he reminds us, that all such promises must be honored.  It is all too easy, when under pressure of some great affliction, disaster, or problem, to make promises to God: “Lord, if you will do this, I will do that.” The Lord is never to be bribed but, at the same time, such pledges are solemn and must be kept.

“Let all that be round about him,” refers to either, (1) all the tribes of Israel who have benefitted from this triumph. Or rather, (2) all the neighboring nations on every side, to whom the fame of this mighty work of God shall come. I advise them that in the future, if they want to prosper, to cease from all hostilities against God or His people, and to submit themselves to the God of Israel.

“Bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.” This, of course, is our infinite and almighty God, whom though they do not love Him, yet they see and feel that they have good reason to fear Him, and to seek His favor.  The Gentile nations are in submission to Him.  The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.” (Psalms 72:10-11).

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

“He shall cut off the spirit of princes”—“cut off” the spirit,” i.e., the life of princes (Revelation 6:15; 14:18, 19)—as a vine dresser would “cut off” shoots—suddenly, violently, and irresistibly. This is all they will get by opposing Him; therefore it would be wise for them to bring presents to Him.   How terrible must be the wrath of the Lamb, to those who have defied and resisted His love!  Instead of fearful defiance, God wants people to submit to Him, honor their vows, and offer gifts to the sovereign Lord.

The Assyrian debacle outside the gates of Jerusalem was to be a warning to all other rulers.  God is not to be mocked.  The news of that overthrow must have spread swiftly throughout the ancient world.  It was followed shortly afterward by the murder of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, by his own sons.

“He is terrible to the kings of the earth.”God can still humble to the dust kings and nations which defy Him.  And we think of Soviet Russia, so arrogant, so filled with hatred of God.  The date of her doom has long since been set by God.  The moment her mighty armies cross into Israel, as they surely will when the time is ripe, Russia will meet her doom.  God in summing up what will happen says, “Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 38:23).

Nor can the United States escape.  No country which forgets God can escape.  God may well use Russia to punish America before He takes Russia down to her doom.

God is still sovereign in international affairs, a fact that the leaders of all lands would do well to understand.

“There,” says the psalmist, “send that to the chief Musician.” We might conclude the study of this psalm with the words of that great old hymn of the Church.

Oh, worship the King, all glorious above,

Oh, gratefully sing His power and His love;

Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days

Pavillioned in splendor and girded with praise.