Psalms 76:8

Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. -The Lord is mightier than all the mighty conquerors of the earth; because he has caused the stout-hearted to sleep in death, and so has stilled the agitation of the earth. Verse 4. THOU ART MORE GLORIOUS AND EXCELLENT THAN THE MOUNTAINS OF PREY - i:e., than the great plundering world-kingdoms. Compare Psalms 46:2; Nahum 2:11, Nineveh, "the dwelling of the lions, etc.;" Nahum 3:1. So in Psalms 68:16, the world-kingdoms are compared to towering "hills" ...

8._From heaven thou hast made thy judgment to be heard. _By the name of _heaven, _the Psalmist forcibly intimates that the judgment of God was too manifest to admit of the possibility of its being ascribed either to fortune or to the policy of men. Sometimes God executes his judgments obscurely, so that they seem to proceed out of the earth. For example, when he raises up a godly and courageous prince, the holy and lawful administration which will flourish under the reign of such a prince will be the judgment of God, but it will not be vividly seen to proceed from heaven. As, therefore, the assistance spoken of was of an extraordinary kind, it is distinguished by special commendation. The same remarks apply to _the hearing of God’s judgment, _of which the Psalmist speaks. It is more for the divine judgments to sound aloud like a peal of thunder, and to stun the ears of all men with their...

7-12 God's people are the meek of the earth, the quiet in the land, that suffer wrong, but do none. The righteous God seems to keep silence long, yet, sooner or later, he will make judgment to be heard. We live in an angry, provoking world; we often feel much, and are apt to fear more, from the wrath of man. What will not turn to his praise, shall not be suffered to break out. He can set bounds to the wrath of man, as he does to the raging sea; hitherto it shall come, and no further. Let all submit to God. Our prayers and praises, and especially our hearts, are the presents we should bring to the Lord. His name is glorious, and he is the proper object of our fear. He shall cut off the spirit of princes; he shall slip it off 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 the most daring: since there is no contend...

Verse Psalms 76:8. _THOU DIDST CAUSE JUDGMENT TO BE HEARD_] When God declared by his prophet that the enemy should not prevail, but on the contrary be destroyed, _the earth _- the _land_, and by _metonymy_ the _inhabitants_ of the land, were struck with astonishment and terror, so as not to be able to move. The great boaster Sennacherib, who carried terror, dismay and desolation every where, was now struck with dumb amazement; and the angel of the Almighty, in a moment, stopped the breath of those hosts in which he confided....

THOU DIDST CAUSE JUDGMENT TO BE HEARD FROM HEAVENS - It seemed to come from heaven; it was manifestly from thee. The overthrow of these enemies of thy people was a manifest judgment from thee, and should be so regarded. THE EARTH FEARED - The world itself seemed to hear the voice of God, and to stand in awe. AND WAS STILL - It seemed to be profoundly attentive to what God said, and as if it reverently listened to his voice. It is not uncommon in the Scriptures to represent the earth - the hills, the mountains, the streams, the rivers, the plains - as conscious of the presence of God; as either rejoicing or trembling at his voice. Compare Psalms 65:12; Psalms 114:3;...

EXPOSITION THE present psalm consists of three stanzas—the first of three verses, terminated by the pause mark, "Selah;" the second of six verses, ended similarly, and the third (like the first) of three verses. It is a psalm of thanksgiving for some great and signal mercy, which has delivered Jerusalem, and at the same time benefited "all the afflicted of the earth" (Psalms 76:9). All the earth is therefore called upon to join with Israel in praising God, and making him an offering (Psalms 76:10). Critics of all schools (Hengstenberg, Canon Cook, Professor Alexander, Dr. Kay, Four Friends, etc.) agree in regarding the deliverance as that from Sennacherib. We must, therefore, understand the "Asaph" of the title as designating, not the individual, but the division of the Levi

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, when Christ the Judge shall descend from heaven, the voice of the archangel shall be heard, the last trumpet shall sound, the dead in their graves shall hear it, and rise and stand before the judgment seat, and hear the sentence pronounced: THE EARTH FEARED, AND WAS STILL: or "trembled, and was quiet" c; that is, again: some think there was an earthquake when the angel smote the Assyrian camp, but was qu...

Psalms 76 Divine Government Established and Maintained _ 1. The Prince of Peace reigns (Psalms 76:1)_ 2. The day of wrath and what it brought (Psalms 76:7) We behold the Lord now in Judah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, His Name great in Israel! In Salem He has His tabernacle and in Zion His dwelling place. There, as the Prince of Peace, He broke the arrows, the shield, and sword and battle. The stouthearted were spoiled. Judgments were heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still, then the meek of the earth were saved. The Lord is terrible to the kings of the earth, the final confederacy of nations. How wonderful the order of these Psalms!...

LXXVI. THE MAJESTY OF GOD IN ZION: HOMAGE OF THE NATIONS. Psalms 76:2. Salem: a poetical name for Jerusalem (Genesis 14:18 *). Psalms 76:3. lightnings of the bow (_mg.), i.e._ arrows. Psalms 76:4. Read, from the eternal mountains (LXX) or rather mountain, _i.e._ Zion. Psalms 76:7. Read, because of the strength of thine anger. Psalms 76:9. The Divine sentence is given from heaven: the earth trembles and is still, per

It was the irresistible judgement of God....