INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 76 TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN ON NEGINOTH, A PSALM [OR] SONG OF ASAPH. The Targum is, "by the hand of Asaph:'' concerning "neginoth", see the title of Psalms 4:1, this psalm is generally thought to be written on account of some great appearance of God for the Jews, or victory obt... [ Continue Reading ]
IN JUDAH IS GOD KNOWN,.... God is to be known, and is made known, by his works of creation, and by his providences, and particularly by his judgments in the whole world, even among the Gentiles; and he was made known by his word and ordinances, his statutes and his judgments, among the Jews, to whom... [ Continue Reading ]
IN SALEM ALSO IS HIS TABERNACLE,.... That is, in Jerusalem, as the Targum expresses it, where the tabernacle of Moses and the ark of the covenant were, and afterwards the temple of Solomon, which the Targum here calls the house of the sanctuary; and may be interpreted of the human nature of Christ,... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE BRAKE HE THE ARROWS OF THE BOW.... The Targum is, "there brake he the arrows and the bows of the people that make war;'' the word רשפי, translated "arrows", signifies "sparks or coals of fire"; see Job 5:7 and is used of arrows, because they fly swiftly, as sparks do, or because of their bri... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART MORE GLORIOUS AND EXCELLENT THAN THE MOUNTAINS OF PREY. Which is to be understood not of Zion, as some interpret it; though it is true that the mountain of Zion, or the church of Christ, his kingdom and interest, shall in the latter day be more glorious and excellent than all other mountain... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STOUT HEARTED ARE SPOILED,.... The Assyrian army, its officers and generals, that came up against Jerusalem, with great resolution and courage, and with daring impiety and blasphemy against the God of heaven, as Rabshakeh and others; these were spoiled, and their armour and riches became a prey... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THY REBUKE, O GOD OF JACOB,.... The God of Jacob personally, and of his posterity, the children of Israel, and of the church, often so called who rebukes his people in love, but his enemies with furious rebukes, with rebukes in flames of fire; with such he rebukes the Heathen, destroys the wicked... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 decre... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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; s... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Psalms 66:13 and which when vowed o... [ Continue Reading ]
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 car... [ Continue Reading ]