mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 76.xml

<div2 id="Ps.lxxvii" n="lxxvii" next="Ps.lxxviii" prev="Ps.lxxvi" progress="47.99%" title="Chapter LXXVI">
<h2 id="Ps.lxxvii-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.lxxvii-p0.2">PSALM LXXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.lxxvii-p1">This psalm seems to have been penned upon occasion
of some great victory obtained by the church over some threatening
enemy or other, and designed to grace the triumph. The LXX. calls
it, "A song upon the Assyrians," whence many good interpreters
conjecture that it was penned when Sennacherib's army, then
besieging Jerusalem, was entirely cut off by a destroying angel in
Hezekiah's time; and several passages in the psalm are very
applicable to that work of wonder: but there was a religious
triumph upon occasion of another victory, in Jehoshaphat's time,
which might as well be the subject of this psalm (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.20.28" parsed="|2Chr|20|28|0|0" passage="2Ch 20:28">2 Chron. xx. 28</scripRef>), and it might be
called "a song of Asaph" because always sung by the sons of Asaph.
Or it might be penned by Asaph who lived in David's time, upon
occasion of the many triumphs with which God delighted to honour
that reign. Upon occasion of this glorious victory, whatever it
was, I. The psalmist congratulates the happiness of the church in
having God so nigh, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.1-Ps.76.3" parsed="|Ps|76|1|76|3" passage="Ps 76:1-3">ver.
1-3</scripRef>. II. He celebrates the glory of God's power, which
this was an illustrious instance of, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.4-Ps.76.6" parsed="|Ps|76|4|76|6" passage="Ps 76:4-6">ver. 4-6</scripRef>. III. He infers hence what reason
all have to fear before him, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.7-Ps.76.9" parsed="|Ps|76|7|76|9" passage="Ps 76:7-9">ver.
7-9</scripRef>. And, IV. What reason his people have to trust in
him and to pay their vows to him, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.10-Ps.76.12" parsed="|Ps|76|10|76|12" passage="Ps 76:10-12">ver. 10-12</scripRef>. It is a psalm proper for a
thanksgiving day, upon the account of public successes, and not
improper at other times, because it is never out of season to
glorify God for the great things he has done for his church
formerly, especially for the victories of the Redeemer over the
powers of darkness, which all those Old-Testament victories were
types of, at least those that are celebrated in the psalms.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76" parsed="|Ps|76|0|0|0" passage="Ps 76" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.1-Ps.76.6" parsed="|Ps|76|1|76|6" passage="Ps 76:1-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.76.1-Ps.76.6">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.8">Triumph in God.</h4>
<div class="Center" id="Ps.lxxvii-p1.9">
<p id="Ps.lxxvii-p2">To the chief musician on Neginoth. A psalm <i>or</i> song of
Asaph.</p>
</div>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxvii-p3">1 In Judah <i>is</i> God known: his name
<i>is</i> 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 <i>art</i> more glorious <i>and</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p4">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p5">I. In the revelation God had made of
himself to them, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.1" parsed="|Ps|76|1|0|0" passage="Ps 76:1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. It is the honour and privilege of Judah and Israel
that among them <i>God is known,</i> and where he is known <i>his
name</i> will be <i>great.</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.147.19-Ps.147.20" parsed="|Ps|147|19|147|20" passage="Ps 147:19,20">Ps. cxlvii. 19,
20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p6">II. In the tokens of God's special presence
with them in his ordinances, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.2" parsed="|Ps|76|2|0|0" passage="Ps 76:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. In the whole land of Judah and Israel God was known
and his name was great; but <i>in Salem, in Zion,</i> were <i>his
tabernacle</i> and <i>his dwelling-place.</i> 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, <i>Here will I dwell, for I have desired it.</i> 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. <i>Yet a little while is that light with us.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p7">III. In the victories they had obtained
over their enemies (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.3" parsed="|Ps|76|3|0|0" passage="Ps 76:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>): <i>There broke he the arrows of the bow.</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p8">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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.20.5 Bible:2Chr.20.14" parsed="|2Chr|20|5|0|0;|2Chr|20|14|0|0" passage="2Ch 20:5,14">2 Chron. xx. 5,
14</scripRef>. Public successes are owing as much to what is done
in the church as to what is done in the camp. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p9">2. This victory redounded very much, (1.)
To the immortal honour of Israel's God (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.4" parsed="|Ps|76|4|0|0" passage="Ps 76:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>Thou art,</i> and hast
manifested thyself to be, <i>more glorious and excellent than the
mountains of prey.</i> [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, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.5-Ps.76.6" parsed="|Ps|76|5|76|6" passage="Ps 76:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5,
6</scripRef>. They were <i>stouthearted,</i> men of great courage
and resolution, flushed with their former victories, enraged
against Israel, confident of success; they were <i>men of
might,</i> robust and fit for service; they had <i>chariots and
horses,</i> which were then greatly valued and trusted to in war,
<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.7" parsed="|Ps|20|7|0|0" passage="Ps 20:7">Ps. xx. 7</scripRef>. But all this
force was of no avail when it was levelled against Jerusalem. [1.]
<i>The stouthearted have despoiled and disarmed themselves</i> (so
some read it); when God pleases he can make his enemies to weaken
and destroy themselves. <i>They have slept,</i> not the sleep of
the righteous, who sleep in Jesus, but <i>their sleep,</i> the
sleep of sinners, that shall awake to everlasting shame and
contempt. [2.] The men of might can no more <i>find their hands</i>
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 <i>cast into a
dead sleep</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.lxxvii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.7-Ps.76.12" parsed="|Ps|76|7|76|12" passage="Ps 76:7-12" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.76.7-Ps.76.12">
<h4 id="Ps.lxxvii-p9.5">The Defence and Glory of
Israel.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lxxvii-p10">7 Thou, <i>even</i> thou, <i>art</i> 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.lxxvii-p10.1">Lord</span> 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: <i>he is</i> terrible to the kings
of the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p11">This glorious victory with which God had
graced and blessed his church is here made to speak three
things:—</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p12">I. Terror to God's enemies (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.7-Ps.76.9" parsed="|Ps|76|7|76|9" passage="Ps 76:7-9"><i>v.</i> 7-9</scripRef>): "<i>Thou, even thou,
art to be feared;</i> thy majesty is to be reverenced, thy
sovereignty to be submitted to, and thy justice to be dreaded by
those that have offended thee." Let all the world learn by this
event to stand in awe of the great God. 1. Let all be afraid of his
wrath against the daring impiety of sinners: <i>Who may stand in
thy sight from the minute that thou art angry?</i> If God be a
consuming fire, how can chaff and stubble stand before him, though
his <i>anger be kindled but a little?</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.12" parsed="|Ps|2|12|0|0" passage="Ps 2:12">Ps. ii. 12</scripRef>. 2. Let all be afraid of his
jealousy for oppressed innocency and the injured cause of his own
people: "<i>Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven,</i>
then <i>when thou didst arise to save all the meek of the earth</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.8-Ps.76.9" parsed="|Ps|76|8|76|9" passage="Ps 76:8,9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>); and then
<i>the earth feared and was still,</i> waiting what would be the
issue of those glorious appearances of thine." Note, (1.) God's
people are the <i>meek of the earth</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Zech.2.3" parsed="|Zech|2|3|0|0" passage="Zec 2:3">Zech. ii. 3</scripRef>), the <i>quiet in the land</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.35.20" parsed="|Ps|35|20|0|0" passage="Ps 35:20">Ps. xxxv. 20</scripRef>), that can
bear any wrong, but do none. (2.) Though the meek of the earth are
by their meekness exposed to injury, yet God will, sooner or later,
appear for their salvation, and plead their cause. (3.) When God
comes to save <i>all the meek of the earth,</i> he will <i>cause
judgment to be heard from heaven;</i> he will make the world know
that he is angry at the oppressors of his people, and takes what is
done against them as done against himself. The righteous God long
seems to keep silence, yet, sooner or later, he will make judgment
to be heard. (4.) When God is speaking judgment from heaven it is
time for the earth to compose itself into an awful and reverent
silence: <i>The earth feared and was still,</i> as silence is made
by proclamation when the court sits. <i>Be still and know that I am
God,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p12.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.46.10" parsed="|Ps|46|10|0|0" passage="Ps 46:10">Ps. xlvi. 10</scripRef>.
<i>Be silent, O all flesh! before the Lord, for he is raised</i> up
to judgment, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p12.7" osisRef="Bible:Zech.2.13" parsed="|Zech|2|13|0|0" passage="Zec 2:13">Zech. ii. 13</scripRef>.
Those that suppose this psalm to have been penned upon the occasion
of the routing of Sennacherib's army take it for granted that the
descent of the destroying angel, who did the execution, was
accompanied with thunder, by which <i>God caused judgment to be
heard from heaven,</i> and that the earth feared (that is, there
was an earthquake), but it was soon over. But this is altogether
uncertain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p13">II. Comfort to God's people, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.10" parsed="|Ps|76|10|0|0" passage="Ps 76:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. We live in a very angry
provoking world; we often feel much, and are apt to fear more, from
the wrath of man, which seems boundless. But this is a great
comfort to us, 1. That as far as God permits the wrath of man to
break forth at any time he will make it turn to his praise, will
bring honour to himself and serve his own purposes by it: <i>Surely
the wrath of man shall praise thee,</i> not only by the checks
given to it, when it shall be forced to confess its own impotency,
but even by the liberty given to it for a time. The hardships which
God's people suffer by the wrath of their enemies are made to
redound to the glory of God and his grace; and the more <i>the
heathen rage</i> and plot <i>against the Lord and his anointed</i>
the more will God be praised for setting <i>his King upon his holy
hill of Zion</i> in spite of them, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.1 Bible:Ps.2.6" parsed="|Ps|2|1|0|0;|Ps|2|6|0|0" passage="Ps 2:1,6">Ps.
ii. 1, 6</scripRef>. When the heavenly hosts make this the matter
of their thanksgiving-song that God has <i>taken to himself his
great power and has reigned, though the nations were angry</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.17-Rev.11.18" parsed="|Rev|11|17|11|18" passage="Re 11:17,18">Rev. xi. 17, 18</scripRef>), then
the wrath of man adds lustre to the praises of God. 2. That what
will not turn to his praise shall not be suffered to break out:
<i>The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.</i> Men must never
permit sin, because they cannot check it when they will; but God
can. He can set bounds to the wrath of man, as he does to the
raging sea. <i>Hitherto it shall come and no further; here shall
its proud waves be stayed.</i> God restrained the remainder of
Sennacherib's rage, for he put <i>a hook in his nose and a bridle
in his jaws</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.37.29" parsed="|Isa|37|29|0|0" passage="Isa 37:29">Isa. xxxvii.
29</scripRef>); and, though he permitted him to talk big, he
restrained him from doing what he designed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lxxvii-p14">III. Duty to all, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.11-Ps.76.12" parsed="|Ps|76|11|76|12" passage="Ps 76:11,12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>. Let all submit
themselves to this great God and become his loyal subjects.
Observe, 1. The duty required of us all, all that are about him,
that have any dependence upon him or any occasion to approach to
him; and who is there that has not? We are therefore every one of
us commanded to do our homage to the King of kings: <i>Vow and
pay;</i> that is, take an oath of allegiance to him and make
conscience of keeping it. Vow to be his, and pay what you vow. Bind
your souls with a bond to him (for that is the nature of a vow),
and then live up to the obligations you have laid upon yourselves;
for <i>better it is not to vow than to vow and not to pay.</i> And,
having taken him for our King, let us bring presents to him, as
subjects to their sovereign, <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.10.27" parsed="|1Sam|10|27|0|0" passage="1Sa 10:27">1 Sam.
x. 27</scripRef>. <i>Send you the lamb to the ruler of the
land,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.16.1" parsed="|Isa|16|1|0|0" passage="Isa 16:1">Isa. xvi. 1</scripRef>. Not
that God needs any present we can bring, or can be benefited by it;
but thus we must give him honour and own that we have our all from
him. Our prayers and praises, and especially our hearts, are the
presents we should bring to the Lord our God. 2. The reasons to
enforce this duty: <i>Render to all their due, fear to whom fear is
due;</i> and is it not due to God? Yes; (1.) He ought to be feared:
<i>He is the fear</i> (so the word is); his name is glorious and
fearful,; and he is the proper object of our fear; with him is
terrible majesty. The God of Abraham is called <i>the fear of
Isaac</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.42" parsed="|Gen|31|42|0|0" passage="Ge 31:42">Gen. xxxi. 42</scripRef>),
and we are commanded to <i>make him our fear,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p14.5" osisRef="Bible:Isa.8.13" parsed="|Isa|8|13|0|0" passage="Isa 8:13">Isa. viii. 13</scripRef>. When we bring presents
to him we must have an eye to him as greatly to be feared; for he
is terrible in his holy places. (2.) He will be feared, even by
those who think it their own sole prerogative to be feared
(<scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p14.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.12" parsed="|Ps|76|12|0|0" passage="Ps 76:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): He shall
<i>cut off the spirit of princes;</i> he shall slip it off as
easily as we slip off a flower from the stalk or a bunch of grapes
from the vine; so the word signifies. He can dispirit those that
are most daring and make them heartless; for he is, or will be,
<i>terrible to the kings of the earth;</i> and sooner or later, if
they be not so wise as to submit themselves to him, he will force
them to call in vain to <i>rocks and mountains to fall on them and
hide them from his wrath,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lxxvii-p14.7" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.16" parsed="|Rev|6|16|0|0" passage="Re 6:16">Rev. vi.
16</scripRef>. Since there is no contending with God, it is as much
our wisdom as it is our duty to submit to him.</p>
</div></div2>