Psalm 76

Psa 76:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: "A PSALM OF ASAPH. A SONG." Like Psa 75 (see notes), the defeat of Sennacherib's army.

MESSIANIC FULFILLMENT: "Salem" (v 2), the city of peace, will be the place where Jesus, the true "king of righteousness" (Heb 7:2; Rom 5:1,21), makes known the Name of God to all of Israel. He will do this in the total destruction of all Gentile armies that fight against God's holy city {(1) Psa 83; Joe 3; Oba; and Zec 14 -- as well as (2) Eze 38 and 39}. The meek (v 9 here) will be blessed in him, to inherit the earth (Mat 5:5).

V 1: Through Hezekiah's reforming zeal, and particularly in the great solemn passover which the king proclaimed, the northern and southern kingdoms were brought much closer together (2Ch 30). It was in Judah, at Jerusalem, where God was "made known", but only now after centuries of apostasy was He finally acknowledged as great in Israel (the northern kingdom) also. Cp Psa 48:1,3 -- where "her palaces", by the Heb plural of majesty -- means 'her GREAT temple'.

Psa 76:2

IN SALEM: Why this unusual form of the name for Jerusalem? Because in Gen 14:18 (and Heb 7:1,2) it is associated with the slaughter of invading kings and the bringing of Gentile tribute to Yahweh. God's choice of Jerusalem, or Zion, as His special dwelling place, has been previously stated in Psa 2:6; 46:4; 68:15-18; 2Sa 6:17; and numerous other passages.

HIS DWELLING PLACE: "His tabernacle" (AV) (Heb "suk") is somewhat unexpected, considering the massive solidity of the temple. Perhaps an allusion to Isa 1:8 ("cottage": sw), or to Isa 4:6, stressing the fragility of Jerusalem, humanly speaking, in the face of the great invading force. Alternatively, the word can be read (as in RV mg) to describe the covert or lair of a lion (Jer 25:38, sw), the Lion of Judah -- Jerusalem was "Ariel", the Lion of God (Isa 29:1).

(NT) "Tabernacle" may suggest the Feast of Tabernacles (sw: "succoth"), which will figure so prominently when the nations come in turn to worship the Lord of hosts at Jerusalem (Zec 14:16; cp Lev 23:34; Deu 16:13,16).

Psa 76:3

There was a total destruction of armaments. Cp the emphasis on weapons in Isa 14:25; 43:17; and Psa 46:8-10 -- all these have exactly the same ref.

See Lesson, Selah.

Psa 76:4

Ref the mountains which ringed Jerusalem and on which Assyrian armies were encamped. Mt Scopus was still known, 800 years later, as "The Camp of the Assyrian". (Instead of the Heb, as here, the LXX -- followed by the RSV -- has "everlasting mountains".)

Psa 76:5

Vv 5,6: Cp Babylon in Jer 51:39,57. Impressive pictures of hillsides strewn with corpses -- a problem to be dealt with only by "burnings of lime": "As thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire" (Isa 33:12).

Psa 76:7

When Sennacherib and his envoy Rabshakeh blasphemed the name of Yahweh, they sealed their fate.

WHO CAN STAND BEFORE YOU WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY?: (NT) Quoted in Rev 6:17; cp also vv 12-16. Surely this "sixth seal" deals with Christ, not Constantine!

Psa 76:9

Had it not been for the prayers of Hezekiah and his faithful remnant, there would have been no such dramatic divine intervention. That judgment took place at Passover time (Isa 26:20,21; 30:29-31; 31:5,8,9; 33:19,20). The holy feast would bring to Jerusalem those who still maintained the spirit of reformation expressed in Hezekiah's great Passover. And so the faithful of all Israel had come to Jerusalem, the only place in all the Land which had not been ravaged by the Assyrian hordes (Isa 1:8).

See Lesson, Selah.

Psa 76:10

YOUR WRATH AGAINST MEN BRINGS YOU PRAISE: "The wrath of God shall praise thee" (AV). This is a poetic compression of the idea that Assyrian wrath directed against God's Name and His holy city had brought a judgment which, as one of its results, caused both Jews and Gentiles (vv 11,12) to honor the God of Israel.

(NT) God has always directed man's wrath to His own ultimate glory -- a chief example of this being the crucifixion of His Son (see Act 2:23,24; cp Isa 53:10). In like manner, the hatred of Joseph's brethren for him worked out at last to the glory of God and their own salvation (Gen 50:20). And Pharaoh's opposition to God's deliverance of Israel finally resulted in God's Name and power being declared throughout the earth (Exo 9:16; Rom 9:17). And finally, in the LD, Gog's enmity for Israel and her God will have the same result (Eze 38:22,23; 39:7).

THE SURVIVORS OF YOUR WRATH ARE RESTRAINED: "The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain" (AV). A strange phrase. The idea is that: (a) the destruction of the Assyrians should be seen as only the remnant, that is, a mere fragment, of God's display of might -- this much He might do by lifting but His little finger!... or (b) the few survivors of God's wrath are now restrained or quiet -- having no more wrath of their own to vent... or (c) the survivors of God's wrath (the Israelites who were saved alive) will be "girded" or bound (RSV, NIV mg, following the Heb) unto Him.

Psa 76:11

LET ALL THE NEIGHBORING LANDS BRING GIFTS: See 2Ch 32:22,23; cp Isa 18:7; 49:23; 55:5; 62:2. Sig to pay tribute (see Psa 68:29; 72:10) -- not necessarily voluntary.

Psa 76:12

HE IS FEARED BY THE KINGS OF THE EARTH: The Assyrian army was reinforced by contingents from surrounding nations who sought the friendship of the feared overlord by giving cooperation in the campaign (cp Psa 47:3; 48:4; 79:6; Isa 5:26,30; 29:7; 30:28; Mic 4:11). Of course these kings and their legions suffered, deservedly, right along with the Assyrians.

SUBSCRIPTION: "FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. FOR JEDUTHUN."