Psalm 76

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 76:7

Thou, even thou, art to be feared ,.... By his own people with reverence and godly fear, because of his greatness and goodness; and to be dreaded by his enemies; which seems to be the sense here, as appears by what follows: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry ? or "from the moment thou art angry" F2 מאז אפך "ex quo irasceris", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "a momento, vel tempore irae tuae", Michaelis. ; so the Targum, from the "time", and Jarchi, from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 76:8

Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven ,.... When an angel was sent down from heaven, and destroyed the Assyrian army, a judgment of God upon them; at which time some think there was a violent clap of thunder, which is the voice of God: and it may refer to the judgments which God has decreed to execute on the antichristian states, the seven vials of his wrath he will pour upon them; for all decrees, as Aben Ezra on the place observes, come from heaven; or to the last judgment,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 76:9

When God arose to judgment ,.... He may sometimes seem to be asleep, and to defer judgment, but he will arise and hasten it in his own time, and will take vengeance on all his and his people's enemies, as he did upon the army of the Assyrians, and will upon the antichristian powers, and upon all the wicked, and at the same time will save his own people, as follows: to save all the meek of the earth ; the quiet in the land, who are afflicted in this world, despised by the men of it, are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 76:10

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee ,.... Either the wrath which comes from God, and has man for its object; and that either as it regards the people of God; so the Targum, "when thou art angry with thy people, thou hast mercy on them, and they shall confess unto thy name;' or praise thee; see Isaiah 12:1 , they are deserving of the wrath of God, but are not appointed to it, and are delivered from it by Christ, who bore it for them as their representative; by which as the justice... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 76:11

Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God ,.... Not monastic vows, which the Papists would infer from these and such like words; nor ceremonial ones, but spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, such as men sometimes make in times of distress, or when delivered, Psalm 66:13 and which when vowed ought to be paid, Ecclesiastes 5:4 , not to creatures, angels, or saints, but to God, from whom the mercy desired must be expected, and from whence it comes, Psalm 50:14 , these words are an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 76:12

He shall cut off the spirit of princes ,.... The pride of their spirits, as the Targum, humble their proud spirits, and bring them down; or dispirit them, take away their courage from them, upon which they flee apace to rocks and mountains to cover them; or confound them, blast their schemes, and carry their counsel headlong, and even take away their breath, or life; which he can as easily do as a man can cut off a bunch of grapes from the vine, as the word F7 יבצר "qui vindemiat",... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 76

The true God known in Judah, Israel, Salem, and Zion, Psalm 76:1 , Psalm 76:2 . A description of his defeat of the enemies of his people, Psalm 76:3-6 . How God us to be worshipped, Psalm 76:7-9 . He should be considered as the chief Ruler: all the potentates of the earth are subject to him, Psalm 76:10-12 . The title, "To the chief Musician on Neginoth, a Psalm or Song of Asaph." Sae the titles to Psalm 4:1-8 ; : and 6: The Vulgate, Septuagint, and others have, "A Psalm for the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 76:1

In Judah is God known - The true God revealed himself to the Jews. The Israelites, after the separation of the tribes, had the same knowledge, but they greatly corrupted the Divine worship; though still God was great, even in Israel. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 76:2

In Salem also is his tabernacle - Salem was the ancient name of Zebus, afterward called Jerusalem. Here was the tabernacle set up; but afterwards, when the temple was built on Mount Zion, there was his habitation. The Psalm was evidently composed after the building of Solomon's temple. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 76:3

There brake he the arrows of the bow - רשפי rishphey , the fiery arrows. Arrows, round the heads of which inflammable matter was rolled, and then ignited, were used by the ancients, and shot into towns to set them on fire; and were discharged among the towers and wooden works of besiegers. The Romans called them phalaricae; and we find them mentioned by Virgil, Aen. lib. ix., ver. 705: - Sed magnum stridens contorta phalarica venit, Fulminis acta modo read more

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