Psalms 76 commentary

Happy people are those who have their land filled with the knowledge of God! happy persons that have their hearts filled with that knowledge! It is the glory and happiness of a people to have God among them by his ordinances. Wherein the enemies of the church deal proudly, it will appear that God is above them. See the power of God's rebukes. With pleasure may Christians apply this to the advantages bestowed by the Redeemer.

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 contending with God, it is our wisdom, as it is our duty, to submit to him. Let us seek his favour as our portion, and commit all our concerns to him.

PSALM 76

There is here celebrated the grace and truth of God in having, according to his promise that he would be the protector of the city of Jerusalem, defended it by his wonderful power against enemies, who were renowned for their warlike valor, and well equipped with everything requisite for war. “Et bien equippez de toutes choses requises a la guerre.” — Fr.

To the chief musician upon Neginoth. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

This psalm, it is probable, was composed after the death of David; and, accordingly, some think that what is here described is that deliverance of the Jews from the Ammonites which took place in the reign of king Jehoshaphat. But I am rather inclined to adopt a different opinion, and to refer the psalm to that deliverance which they obtained from the Assyrians, recorded in 2 Kings 19. The Assyrians, under the conduct of Sennacherib, not only invaded Judea, but also made a violent assault upon the city of Jerusalem, the capital of the kingdom. The result of this is well known. They were compelled to raise the siege by the miraculous interference of God, who in one night destroyed that army with dreadful slaughter by the hand of his angel, (2 Kings 19:35.) The inscription prefixed to the psalm in the Septuagint expressly mentions this as the occasion of its composition, Ωδὴ πρὸς τὸν Ασσύριον; “An ode against the Assyrian.” If in this the version of the LXX. is correct, and if Asaph, to whom the psalm is ascribed, was the person of that name who lived in the time of David, one of his compositions must have been adopted as suitably descriptive of this remarkable deliverance. He may, however, have been a different person of the same name, and was probably one of his descendants, as has been before observed, (page 159,) who lived in the time of Hezekiah. Bishop Patrick and Calmet are of this last opinion. Those who adopt the former suppose that the original reference of the psalm was to the victory obtained by David over the Philistines in the valley of Rephaim. Hence the prophet, not inappropriately, affirms that God broke the arrows, the swords, and the shields. The point, however, which is chiefly necessary to be known and attended to is, that the continual care of God in defending the Church, which he has chosen, is here celebrated to encourage the faithful without any doubt or hesitation to glory in his protection.

Psalm 76:1-6

1. God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel. 2. And his tabernacle was in Salem, and his dwelling-place in Zion. 3. There he broke the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. 4. Thou art more glorious and terrible than the mountains of prey. 5. The stout hearted were spoiled, they slept their sleep, “N’ont peu trouver leurs mains.” — Fr. “Have not been able to find their hands.” and all the men of might have not found their hands. 6. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob! the chariot and the horse were cast into a deep sleep.

1. God is known in Judah. In the outset, we are taught that it was not by human means that the enemies of Israel were compelled to retire without accomplishing any thing, but by the ever-to-be-remembered aid of Jehovah. Whence came that knowledge of God and the greatness of his name which are spoken of, but because He stretched forth his hand in an extraordinary manner, to make it openly manifest that both the chosen people and the city were under his defense and protection? It is therefore asserted, that the glory of God was conspicuously displayed when the enemies of Israel were discomfited by such a miraculous interposition.

PSALM 76

Psa 76:1-12. On Neginoth--(See on Psa 4:1, title). This Psalm commemorates what the preceding anticipates: God's deliverance of His people by a signal interposition of power against their enemies. The occasion was probably the events narrated in 2Ki 19:35; Is 37:1-28. (Compare Psa 46:1-11).

1-2. These well-known terms denote God's people and Church and His intimate and glorious relations to them.

3. brake ... the arrows--literally, "thunderbolts" (Psa 78:48), from their rapid flight or ignition (compare Psa 18:14; Ep 6:16).

the battle--for arms (Ho 2:18).

4. Thou--God.

mountains of prey--great victorious nations, as Assyria (Is 41:15; Eze 38:11, 12; Zec 4:7).

5. slept their sleep--died (Psa 13:3).

none ... found ... hands--are powerless.

6. chariot and horse--for those fighting on them (compare Psa 68:17).

7. may ... sight--contend with Thee (De 9:4; Jos 7:12).

8-9. God's judgment on the wicked is His people's deliverance (Psa 9:12; 10:7).

10. Man's wrath praises God by its futility before His power.

restrain--or, "gird"; that is, Thyself, as with a sword, with which to destroy, or as an ornament to Thy praise.

11-12. Invite homage to such a God (2Ch 32:23), who can stop the breath of kings and princes when He wills (Da 5:23).

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.

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.

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.

On this passage Servius describes the phalarica as a dart or spear with a spherical leaden head to which fire was attached. Thrown by a strong hand, it killed those whom it hit, and set fire to buildings, etc. It was called phalarica from the towers called phalae from which it was generally projected. In allusion to these St. Paul speaks of the fiery darts of the devil, Eph 6:16, to the note on which the reader is requested to refer.

The shield and the sword - If this refers to the destruction of Sennacherib's army, it may be truly said that God rendered useless all their warlike instruments, his angel having destroyed 185,000 of them in one night.

Than the mountains of prey - This is an address to Mount Zion. Thou art more illustrious and excellent than all the mountains of prey, i.e., where wild beasts wander, and prey on those that are more helpless than themselves. Zion was the place where God dwelt; the other mountains were the abode of wild beasts.

The stout-hearted are spoiled - The boasting blasphemers, such as Rab-shakeh, and his master Sennacherib, the king of Assyria.

They have slept their sleep - They were asleep in their tent when the destroying angel, the suffocating wind, destroyed the whole; they over whom it passed never more awoke.

None of the men of might - Is not this a strong irony? Where are your mighty men? their boasted armor, etc.?

At thy rebuke - It was not by any human means that this immense army was overthrown; it was by the power of God alone. Not only infantry was destroyed, but the cavalry also.

The chariot and horse - That is, the chariot horses, as well as the men, were

Cast into a dead sleep - Were all suffocated in the same night. On the destruction of this mighty host, the reader is requested to refer to the notes on 2 Kings 19.

Thou, even thou, art to be feared - The Hebrew is simple, but very emphatic: אתה נורא אתה attah nora attah, "Thou art terrible; thou art." The repetition of the pronoun deepens the sense.

When once thou art angry? - Literally, From the time thou art angry. In the moment thy wrath is kindled, in that moment judgment is executed. How awful is this consideration! If one hundred and eighty-five thousand men were in one moment destroyed by the wrath of God, canst thou, thou poor, miserable, feeble sinner, resist his will, and turn aside his thunder!

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.

The meek of the earth - The humbled or oppressed people of the land. The poor Jews, now utterly helpless, and calling upon the Lord for succor.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee - The rage of Sennacherib shall only serve to manifest thy glory. The stronger he is, and the more he threatens, and the weaker thy people, the more shall thy majesty and mercy appear in his destruction and their support.

The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain - The Hebrew gives rather a different sense: "Thou shalt gird thyself with the remainder of wrath." Even after thou hast sent this signal destruction upon Sennacherib and his army, thou wilt continue to pursue the remnant of the persecutors of thy people; their wrath shall be the cause of the excitement of thy justice to destroy them. As a man girds himself with his girdle, that he may the better perform his work, so thou wilt gird thyself with wrath, that thou mayest destroy thy enemies. A good maxim has been taken from this verse: "God often so counterworks the evil designs of men against his cause and followers, that it turns out to their advantage and his glory; nor does he permit them to go to the extent of what they have purposed, and of what they are able to perform. He suffers them to do some mischief, but not all they would or can do." But how different is the reading of the Vulgate! Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur tibi: et reliquiae cogitationis diem festum agent tibi: "The thought of man shall praise thee; and the remains of thought shall celebrate a feast day to thee." The Septuagint and the Ethiopic have understood the text in the same way. Some translate thus: "Certainly, the ferocity of the man (Sennacherib) shall praise thee: and thou shalt gird thyself with the spoils of the furious." The spoils of this great army shall be a booty for thy people. Probably this is the true notion of the place. The old Psalter renders it thus: For thoght of man sal schrife (confess) to the, and levyngs (remains) of thoght a feste day till the sal wirk. The paraphrase is curious, of which this is the substance: "When man forsakes perfitly his synne, and sithen (afterwards) rightwisness werks; it is a feste day; whenne the conscience is clered, and makes feste with the swetnes of goddes lufe, restand fra besynes of any creatur in erth: Than is God at hame with his spouse dwelland."

Vow, and pay unto the Lord - Bind yourselves to him, and forget not your obligations.

Let all that be round about him - All the neighboring nations, who shall see God's judgments against his enemies, should

Bring presents unto him - Give him that homage which is due unto him.

That ought to be feared - למורא lammora, "to the terrible One;" lest they be consumed as the Assyrians have been.

He shall cut off the spirit of princes - Even in the midst of their conquests, he can fill them with terror and dismay, or cut them off in their career of victory.

He is terrible to the icings of the earth - "He is the only Ruler of princes;" to him they must account. And a terrible account most of them will have to give to the great God; especially those who, instigated by the desire of dominion, have, in the lust of conquest which it generates, laid countries waste by fire and sword, making widows and orphans without number, and extending the empire of desolation and death.

Thus all are under his dominion, and are accountable to him. Even those whom man cannot bring to justice, God will; and to judge them is one grand use of a final judgment day.

Salem - In Jerusalem, which was anciently called Salem. Zion - Largely so called, as it includes Moriah, an adjoining hill.

There - At Jerusalem. Sword - Both offensive and defensive weapons. Battle - All the power of the army, which was put in battle - array.

Thou - O God. Than - The greatest kings and empires of the earth, which in prophetic writings are often compared to mountains. And they are called mountains of prey, because they generally were established by tyranny, and maintained by preying upon their own subjects, or other kingdoms.

Sleep - Even a perpetual sleep.

Chariot - The men who rode upon, and fought from chariots and horses.

Thou - Didst execute judgment upon thine enemies, by an angel from heaven: which is said to be heard, either because it was accompanied with thunders and earthquakes, or because the fame of it was quickly spread abroad. Feared - The rest of the world were afraid to disturb Israel.

Surely - The furious attempts of thine enemies, shall cause thy people and others to praise thee for thy admirable wisdom, power, and faithfulness.

Vow - A sacrifice of thanksgiving for this wonderful deliverance. Let all - All the neighboring nations submit to the God of Israel.

Cut off - As men do their grapes in time of vintage; so the Hebrew verb implies. The spirit - Their breath and life, as he did in the Assyrian army.

1 IN Judah is God known , his name is great in Israel.

God's People do not worship an unknown God, as the Athenians did, Act. 17. 23. but one who hath made himself known, not onely by his Word and Ordinances, but also by the glorious Effects of his Wisdom and Power on their behalf, and against their potent and malicious Enemies.

(i. e.) Famous and Renowned, and greatly to be praised and admired.

Marginal references: Psal. 48. 1. [illegible: 1 word]

2 In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion .

In Ierusalem, which was antiently called Salem, Gen. 14. 18. Heb. 7. 1.

Largely so called, as it includes Moriah an adjoyning Hill, or another Branch of the same Hill.

3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword , and the battel , Selah.

(i. e.) In Iudah; Or at, or near Ierusalem▪

Heb. the Sparks, the sparkling Arrows, bright and shining, swist and piercing, like sparks of Fire.

Both offensive and defensive Weapons, so as they could neither hurt God's People, nor save themselves from Ruin.

The force and fury of the Battle, and all the Power of the Army, which was put in Battel-Array.

4 Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey .

O God: To whom he directeth his Speech here, as also v. 6, 7, 8.

Either, 1. Than the greatest Kings and Empires of the Earth, which in Prophetical Writings are oft Compared to Mountains, as Psal. 46. 2, 3. Isa. 41. 15. Ier. 51. 25. Hab. 3. 6. And they are called Mountains of prey; because then they generally were Established by Tyranny, and maintained by preying upon their own Subjects, or other inferior Kingdoms. Or▪ 2. (Which amounts to the same thing) than the most powerful Enemies of thy People, upon whom they used, and now desired and expected to prey: Such Persons being oft expressed by the name of Mountains, as Psal. 144. 5. [illegible: 1+ letters]eth. 4. 7. &c.

5 The stout hearted are spoiled , they have slept their sleep : and none of the men of might have found their hands .

Of all that Glory and Advantage, which they either had already gotten, or further expected from the Success of their present expedition which they promised to themselves. They became a prey to those upon whom they hoped to prey.

Even a perpetual sleep, as Ier. 51. 39. 57. or the [illegible: 1 word] of Death, Psal. 13. 3. called their sleep Emphatically, as being pecul[illegible: 1+ letters]ar to them, and such like Men, and not that sleep which is common to the good and bad. Their Death he seems to call [illegible: 1 word] Because they were slain in the Night, when they had Composed themselves to rest and sleep, and so passed insensibly from one sleep to another. For it is thought by many, that this Psalm was Composed upon the occasion of that prodigious slaughter of the Assyrians in Iudah, 2 Kings 19. 35.

They had no more strength in, or use of their hands, against the destroying Angel, than they who have no hands.

6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

The men who Rode upon, and [illegible: 1+ letters]ought from Chariots and Horses, who fight with most Advantage, and usually have most Courage; and much more unable were their Footmen, to resist or avoid the stroke.

7 Thou, even thou art to be feared, and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?

To wit, to Contend with thee. Standing, is here opposed to flight or falling before the Enemy. See I[illegible: 1+ letters]sh. 7. 12. Dan. 8. 4.

8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven ; the earth feared, and was still .

Thou didst execute Judgment upon thine Enemies, by an Angel sent from Heaven, which is said to be heard: Either, because that was accompanied with terrible Thunders and Earthquakes, which was not unusual in the descent of an Angel, as Mat. 28. 2. and elsewhere: Or, because the same of it was quickly spread abroad in the Land, and in the World.

The effect of this Terrible Judgement, was that the rest of the World were afraid to invade or disturb the Land and People of Israel, and chose rather to sit still in their own Territories.

Marginal references: Psal. 46. 6▪

9 When God arose to judgment to save all the meek of the earth , Selah.

When God, who for a season had sat still, began to bestir and shew himself against his Enemies. Or, After God had risen, &c. Or, Because God did arise▪ &c.

To save all the godly Persons (who are oft called Meek ones, as hath been noted again and again) in Israel, for whose sakes God wrought this great Deliverance, which reached to all the People of the Land.

10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee , the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain .

The blasphemous Speeches, and furious Attempts of thine Enemies, shall serve thy Glory, and cause thy People and others, to Praise and magnifie thee, for that admirable Wisdom and Power, and Faithfulness, and Goodness, which thou shalt discover upon that occasion.

Thou shalt prevent and disappoint the succeeding malicious Designs of thine Enemies, who will meditate Revenge for those shameful and Terrible overthrows. Or, the r[illegible: 1+ letters]der of wrath, thou shalt gird thy self with, (i. e.) Put it on as an Ornament, which the Girdle was; thou shalt adorn▪ thy self with it, as a Conqueror doth with the spoils of his Enemies.

11 Vow , and pay unto the LORD your God; let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared .

Vow a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving; Either, at this time, for this wonderful Deliverance: Or, hereafter in all your Future straits and Troubles, let this Experience encourage you to make such Vows to God, with Confidence of Success.

But when God hath accepted your Vows, and given you the desired Deliverance, forget not to pay your Vows.

Either, 1. All the Tribes of Israel, who have the Benefit of this Mercy. Or rather, 2. All the neighbouring Nations on every side, to whom the same of this mighty work of God shall come, I advise them for the Future, if they love themselves, to cease from all Hostilities against God, or his People, and to submit themselves to the God of Israel.

Whom though they do not love, yet they see and feel, that they have great reason to Fear and to seek his Favour.

Marginal references: Heb. to the fear. Gen. 31. 42. 53▪

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes, he is terrible to the Kings of the earth.

As men do their Grapes in time of Vintage, as the Hebrew Verb implies, to wit, suddenly, violently and irresistibly. This is all which they shall get by opposing him; and therefore it is their Wisdom to bring Presents to him.

Either, 1. Their Courage. Or rather, 2. Their Breath and Life, as he did in the Assyrian Army.

Praise of God after His Judgment Has Gone Forth

No Psalm has a greater right to follow Psa 75:1-10 than this, which is inscribed To the Precentor, with accompaniment of stringed instruments (vid., Psa 4:1), a Psalm by Asaph, a song. Similar expressions (God of Jacob, Psa 75:10; Psa 76:7; saints, wicked of the earth, Psa 75:9; Psa 76:10) and the same impress throughout speak in favour of unity of authorship. In other respects, too, they form a pair: Psa 75:1-10 prepares the way for the divine deed of judgment as imminent, which Psa 76:1-12 celebrates as having taken place. For it is hardly possible for there to be a Psalm the contents of which so exactly coincide with an historical situation of which more is known from other sources, as the contents of this Psalm confessedly (lxx πρὸς τὸν Ἀσσύριον) does with the overthrow of the army of Assyria before Jerusalem and its results. The Psalter contains very similar Psalms which refer to a similar event in the reign of Jehoshaphat, viz., to the defeat at that time of the allied neighbouring peoples by a mutual massacre, which was predicted by the Asaphite Jahaziel (vid., on Psa 46:1-11 and Ps 83). Moreover in Psa 76:1-12 the “mountains of prey,” understood of the mountains of Seir with their mounted robbers, would point to this incident. But just as in Psa 75:1-10 the reference to the catastrophe of Assyria in the reign of Hezekiah was indicated by the absence of any mention of the north, so in Psa 76:1-12 both the שׁמּה in Psa 76:4 and the description of the catastrophe itself make this reference and no other natural. The points of contact with Isaiah, and in part with Hosea (cf. Psa 76:4 with Hos 2:20) and Nahum, are explicable from the fact that the lyric went hand in hand with the prophecy of that period, as Isaiah predicts for the time when Jahve shall discharge His fury over Assyria, Isa 30:29, “Your song shall re-echo as in the night, in which the feast is celebrated.”

The Psalm is hexastichic, and a model of symmetrical strophe-structure.

Psa 76:1-3

In all Israel, and more especially in Judah, is Elohim known (here, according to Psa 76:2, participle, whereas in Psa 9:17 it is the finite verb), inasmuch as He has made Himself known (cf. דּעוּ, Isa 33:13). His Name is great in Israel, inasmuch as He has proved Himself to be a great One and is praised as a great One. In Judah more especially, for in Jerusalem, and that upon Zion, the citadel with the primeval gates (Psa 24:7), He has His dwelling-place upon earth within the borders of Israel. שׁלם is the ancient name of Jerusalem; for the Salem of Melchizedek is one and the same city with the Jerusalem of Adonizedek, Jos 10:1. In this primeval Salem God has סוּכּו, His tabernacle (= שׂכּו, Lam 2:6, = סכּתו, as in Psa 27:5), there מעונתו, His dwelling-place, - a word elsewhere used of the lair of the lion (Psa 104:22, Amo 3:4); cf. on the choice of words, Isa 31:9. The future of the result ויהי is an expression of the fact which is evident from God’s being known in Judah and His Name great in Israel. Psa 76:4 tells what it is by which He has made Himself known and glorified His Name. שׁמּה, thitherwards, in that same place (as in fact the accusative, in general, is used both in answer to the question where? and whither?), is only a fuller form for שׁם, as in Isa 22:18; Isa 65:9; 2Ki 23:8, and frequently; Arab. ta̱mma ( tu̱mma ) and תּמּן (from תּמּה) confirm the accusative value of the ah. רשׁפי־קשׁת (with Phe raphatum, cf. on the other hand, Sol 8:6)The pointing is here just as inconsistent as in ילדוּת, and on the contrary מרדּוּת.) are the arrows swift as lightning that go forth (Job 41:20-28) from the bow; side by side with these, two other weapons are also mentioned, and finally everything that pertains to war is gathered up in the word מלחמה (cf. Hos 2:18). God has broken in pieces the weapons of the worldly power directed against Judah, and therewith this power itself (Isa 14:25), and consequently (in accordance with the prediction Hos 1:7, and Isa 10, 14, Isa 17:1-14, 29, Isa 31:1-9, 33, 37, and more particularly Psa 31:8) has rescued His people by direct interposition, without their doing anything in the matter.

Psa 76:4-6

The “mountains of prey,” for which the lxx has ὀρέων αἰωνίων (טרם?), is an emblematical appellation for the haughty possessors of power who also plunder every one that comes near them,One verse of a beautiful poem of the Muḥammel which Ibn Dûchı̂, the phylarch of the Beni Zumeir, an honoured poet of the steppe, dictated to Consul Wetzstein runs thus: The noble are like a very lofty hill-side upon which, when thou comest to it, thou findest an evening meal and protection (Arab. 'l - ‛š' w - ḏry). or the proud and despoiling worldly powers. Far aloft beyond these towers the glory of God. He is נאור, illustris, prop. illumined; said of God: light-encircled, fortified in light, in the sense of Dan 2:22; 1Ti 6:16. He is the אדּיר, to whom the Lebanon of the hostile army of the nations must succumb (Isa 10:34) According to Solinus (ed. Mommsen, p. 124) the Moors call Atlas Addirim. This succumbing is described in Psa 76:6. The strong of heart or stout-hearted, the lion-hearted, have been despoiled, disarmed, exuti; אשׁתּוללוּWith orthophonic Gaja, vid., Baer’s Metheg-Setzung, §45. is an Aramaizing praet. Hithpo. (like אתחבּר, 2Ch 20:35, cf. Dan 4:16; Isa 63:3) with a passive signification. From Psa 76:6 we see that the beginning of the catastrophe is described, and therefore נמוּ (perhaps on that account accented on the ult.) is meant inchoatively: they have fallen into their sleep, viz., the eternal sleep (Jer 51:39, Jer 51:57), as Nahum says (Nah 3:18): thy shepherds sleep, O king of Assyria, thy valiant ones rest. In Psa 76:6 we see them lying in the last throes of death, and making a last effort to spring up again. But they cannot find their hands, which they have lifted up threateningly against Jerusalem: these are lamed, motionless, rigid and dead; cf. the phrases in Jos 8:20; 2Sa 7:27, and the Talmudic phrase, “he did not find his hands and feet in the school-house,” i.e., he was entirely disconcerted and stupefied.Dukes, Rabbinische Blumenlese, S. 191.

This field of corpses is the effect of the omnipotent energy of the word of the God of Jacob; cf. וגער בּו, Isa 17:13. Before His threatening both war-chariot and horse (ו - ו) are sunk into motionlessness and unconsciousness - an allusion to Ex. 15, as in Isa 43:17 : who bringeth out chariot and horse, army and heroes - together they faint away, they shall never rise; they have flickered out, like a wick they are extinguished.

Psa 76:7-9

Nahum also (Psa 1:6) draws the same inference from the defeat of Sennacherib as the psalmist does in Psa 76:8. מאז אפּך (cf. Rth 2:7; Jer 44:18), from the decisive turning-point onwards, from the אז in Psa 2:5, when Thine anger breaks forth. God sent forth His judiciary word from heaven into the midst of the din of war of the hostile world: immediately (cf. on the sequence of the tenses Psa 48:6, and on Hab 3:10) it was silenced, the earth was seized with fear, and its tumult was obliged to cease, when, namely, God arose on behalf of His disquieted, suffering people, when He spoke as we read in Isa 33:10, and fulfilled the prayer offered in extreme need in Isa 33:2.

Psa 76:10-12

The fact that has just been experienced is substantiated in Psa 76:10 from a universal truth, which has therein become outwardly manifest. The rage of men shall praise Thee, i.e., must ultimately redound to Thy glory, inasmuch as to Thee, namely (Psa 76:1 as to syntax like Psa 73:3), there always remains a שׁארית, i.e., a still unexhausted remainder, and that not merely of חמה, but of חמת, with which Thou canst gird, i.e., arm, Thyself against such human rage, in order to quench it. שׁארית חמת is the infinite store of wrath still available to God after human rage has done its utmost. Or perhaps still better, and more fully answering to the notion of שׁארית: it is the store of the infinite fulness of wrath which still remains on the side of God after human rage (חמה) has spent itself, when God calmly, and laughing (Psa 2:4), allows the Titans to do as they please, and which is now being poured out. In connection with the interpretation: with the remainder of the fury (of hostile men) wilt Thou gird Thyself, i.e., it serves Thee only as an ornament (Hupfeld), the alternation of חמה and חמת is left unexplained, and תּחגּר is alienated from its martial sense (Isa 59:17; Isa 51:9, Wisd. 5:21 [20]), which is required by the context. Ewald, like the lxx, reads תּחגּך, ἑορτάσει σοι, in connection with which, apart from the high-sounding expression, שׁארית חמת (ἐγκατάλειμμα ἐνθυμίου) must denote the remainder of malignity that is suddenly converted into its opposite; and one does not see why what Psa 76:11 says concerning rage is here limited to its remainder. Such an inexhaustiveness in the divine wrath-power has been shown in what has just recently been experienced. Thus, then, are those who belong to the people of God to vow and pay, i.e., (inasmuch as the preponderance falls upon the second imperative) to pay their vows; and all who are round about Him, i.e., all the peoples dwelling round about Him and His people (כּל־סביביו, the subject to what follows, in accordance with which it is also accented), are to bring offerings (Psa 68:30) to God, who is מורא, i.e., the sum of all that is awe-inspiring. Thus is He called in Isa 8:13; the summons accords with Isaiah’s prediction, according to which, in consequence of Jahve’s deed of judgment upon Assyria, Aethiopia presents himself to Him as an offering (Isa 18:1-7), and with the fulfilment in 2Ch 32:23. Just so does v. 13 a resemble the language of Isaiah; cf. Isa 25:1-12; Isa 33:1; Isa 18:5 : God treats the snorting of the princes, i.e., despots, as the vine-dresser does the wild shoots or branches of the vine-stock: He lops it, He cuts it off, so that it is altogether ineffectual. It is the figure that is sketched by Joe 3:13, then filled in by Isaiah, and embodied as a vision in Rev 14:17-20, which is here indicated. God puts an end to the defiant, arrogant bearing of the tyrants of the earth, and becomes at last the feared of all the kings of the earth - all kingdoms finally becomes God’s and His Christ's.

Triumph in God.

1 In Judah is God known: his name is 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 art more glorious and 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.

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.

I. In the revelation God had made of himself to them, v. 1. It is the honour and privilege of Judah and Israel that among them God is known, and where he is known his name will be great. 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, Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20.

II. In the tokens of God's special presence with them in his ordinances, v. 2. In the whole land of Judah and Israel God was known and his name was great; but in Salem, in Zion, were his tabernacle and his dwelling-place. 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, Here will I dwell, for I have desired it. 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. Yet a little while is that light with us.

III. In the victories they had obtained over their enemies (v. 3): There broke he the arrows of the bow. 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.

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, 2 Chron. xx. 5, 14. Public successes are owing as much to what is done in the church as to what is done in the camp. Now,

2. This victory redounded very much, (1.) To the immortal honour of Israel's God (v. 4): Thou art, and hast manifested thyself to be, more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. [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, v. 5, 6. They were stouthearted, men of great courage and resolution, flushed with their former victories, enraged against Israel, confident of success; they were men of might, robust and fit for service; they had chariots and horses, which were then greatly valued and trusted to in war, Ps. xx. 7. But all this force was of no avail when it was levelled against Jerusalem. [1.] The stouthearted have despoiled and disarmed themselves (so some read it); when God pleases he can make his enemies to weaken and destroy themselves. They have slept, not the sleep of the righteous, who sleep in Jesus, but their sleep, the sleep of sinners, that shall awake to everlasting shame and contempt. [2.] The men of might can no more find their hands 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 cast into a dead sleep 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.

The Defence and Glory of Israel.

7 Thou, even thou, art 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 Lord 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: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

This glorious victory with which God had graced and blessed his church is here made to speak three things:—

I. Terror to God's enemies (v. 7-9): "Thou, even thou, art to be feared; 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: Who may stand in thy sight from the minute that thou art angry? If God be a consuming fire, how can chaff and stubble stand before him, though his anger be kindled but a little? Ps. ii. 12. 2. Let all be afraid of his jealousy for oppressed innocency and the injured cause of his own people: "Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven, then when thou didst arise to save all the meek of the earth (v. 8, 9); and then the earth feared and was still, waiting what would be the issue of those glorious appearances of thine." Note, (1.) God's people are the meek of the earth (Zech. ii. 3), the quiet in the land (Ps. xxxv. 20), 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 all the meek of the earth, he will cause judgment to be heard from heaven; 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: The earth feared and was still, as silence is made by proclamation when the court sits. Be still and know that I am God, Ps. xlvi. 10. Be silent, O all flesh! before the Lord, for he is raised up to judgment, Zech. ii. 13. 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 God caused judgment to be heard from heaven, and that the earth feared (that is, there was an earthquake), but it was soon over. But this is altogether uncertain.

II. Comfort to God's people, v. 10. 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: Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, 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 the heathen rage and plot against the Lord and his anointed the more will God be praised for setting his King upon his holy hill of Zion in spite of them, Ps. ii. 1, 6. When the heavenly hosts make this the matter of their thanksgiving-song that God has taken to himself his great power and has reigned, though the nations were angry (Rev. xi. 17, 18), 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: The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. 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. Hitherto it shall come and no further; here shall its proud waves be stayed. God restrained the remainder of Sennacherib's rage, for he put a hook in his nose and a bridle in his jaws (Isa. xxxvii. 29); and, though he permitted him to talk big, he restrained him from doing what he designed.

III. Duty to all, v. 11, 12. 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: Vow and pay; 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 better it is not to vow than to vow and not to pay. And, having taken him for our King, let us bring presents to him, as subjects to their sovereign, 1 Sam. x. 27. Send you the lamb to the ruler of the land, Isa. xvi. 1. 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: Render to all their due, fear to whom fear is due; and is it not due to God? Yes; (1.) He ought to be feared: He is the fear (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 the fear of Isaac (Gen. xxxi. 42), and we are commanded to make him our fear, Isa. viii. 13. 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 (v. 12): He shall cut off the spirit of princes; 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, terrible to the kings of the earth; 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 rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from his wrath, Rev. vi. 16. Since there is no contending with God, it is as much our wisdom as it is our duty to submit to him.

PSAL. LXXVI.

To the Master of the Musicke on Neginoth, a Psalme of Asaph, a Song.

GOd is knowne in Iudah, his name is great in Israel. And in Shalem is his tabernacle, & his dwelling in Sion. There brake hee the burning arrowes of the bow, the shield & the sword, & the war Selah.

Bright, wondrous excellent art thou, more than the mountains of prey. The mighty of heart have yeelded themselves to the spoile; they have slumbred their sleep, & none of the men of power have found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Iakob, both chariot and horse hath beene cast asleepe. Thou, thou art fearefull, and who shall stand before thee when thou art angry? From the heavens thou causedst judgement to be heard; the earth feared, & was still. When God arose to judgement, to save all the meeke of the earth Selah. Surely the wrathfull heat of men shall confesse thee, the remnant of the wrathfull heats thou wilt gird. Vow ye, and pay to Iehovah your God: all they that be round about him, let them bring a present to the FEAR. To him that gathereth as grapes the spirit of the Governours, that is fearefull to the Kings of the earth.

Annotations. ON Neginoth] or, with stringed instruments: see Psal. 4. 1. of Asaph] or, to Asaph: see Psal. 50. 1. Vers. 3. Shalem] or Salem, the City of Melchisedek, Gen. 14. 18. afterwards called Ierusalem; whereof see the notes on Psal. 51. 20. The Greeke translateth it, in Peace, which is the interpretation of the name Salem, as the Apostle sheweth, Heb. 7. 2. The Chaldee paraphrase saith, Ierusalem. his tabernacle] or tent, pavilion, which is both a meane dwelling, and a moveable, Lev. 13. 42, 43. Heb. 11. 9 10. For both Moses Tabernacle and Solomons Temple were meane cottages in respect of Gods glory, 1 King. 8. 27. Vers. 4. burning arrowes] or fiery darts, (as the Apostle calleth the tentations of that wicked one, Ephes. 6. 16.) The Hebrew Ri[illegible: 2 letters]phei, is properly burning coles, Song 8. 6. figuratively here the glistering brasse-beaded arrowes, elsewhere the fiery thunder bolts, Psal. 78. 48. and burning plague, Deut. 32. 24. Habak. 3. 5. likened to arrowes, Ps. 91. 5. Here it may leade us to minde this Psalme, to celebrate the victories against Satan, figured by the vanquishing of the Assyrians, and other enemies, 2 King. 19. 35. The Chaldee explaineth it thus, When the house of Israel did his will, he placed his divine majesty among them; there brake hee the arrowes and bowes of people that warred; shield, and sword, and battle-ray, destroyed he for ever. and the warre] that is, the army of warriers, the battle-array. See Psal. 27. 3. And thus Shalem, or Peace, is maintained by breaking all warlike instruments: as Esa. 2. 4. Vers. 5. Bright] made light, that is, Glorious: speaking to God, as vers. 7. wondrous excellent] magnificent: see Psal. 8. 2. mounts of prey] the mountaines of the Lions and Leopards, Song 4. 8. meaning the kingdomes of this world, which make prey and spoile one of another, like wilde beasts, Dan. 7. 4. 5, 6, 7. whom the Lambe on mount Sion excelleth in power and glory, Revel. 14. 1. and 17. 14. Or, from the mounts of prey, that is, when thou commest from conquering the enemies, which lie in the mountaines to make prey of thy people. V. 6. mighty of heart] or stout, stubborn-hearted; a title of the wicked that are farre from justice, E[illegible: 1 span]. 46. 12. called here in Greek unwise in heart. their sleepe] their eternall sleepe, Ier. 51. 39, 57. the sl[illegible: 2 letters]pe of death, Psa. 13. 4. So in the next verse. none of] Hebr. all (or any) have not found, that is, none found. So 1 Ioh. 3. 15. every man-slayer hath not, that is, none hath life. See also Psa. 143. 2. men of power] able men, for strength, courage, and riches (in which last sense the Greeke taketh it here) these did not resist, or could not, as Psal. 77. 5. They were not able (as the Chaldee saith) to take their weapons in their hands. Vers. 7. thy rebuke] that is, punishment, destruction: see Ps. 9. 6. chariot] that is, Princes and Captaines riding on chariots & horses, on which they were wont of old to fight, Iudg. 4. 3. 1 King. 22. 31. 34. These all by Gods rebuke have beene slaine, as in the campe of Asshur, 2 King. 19. 35. and the host of Antichrist, Rev. 19. 18,—21. Vers. 8. when thou art angry] Hebr. from then (that is, from the time of) thine anger, after thine anger is once kindled. Vers. 9. the earth] or, the land; which the Chaldee understandeth thus; the land of the heathens feared, the land of Israel was quiet. V. 11. shall confesse thee] that is, shall turne to thy praise, when thy people are delivered from the rage of their foes. the remnant] or, the re[illegible: 2 letters]under, that is, thy people which remaine and perish not in the rages of the wicked. thou wilt gird] to wit, with joyfulnesse, that they shall sing praise to thee; as the Greek explaineth it, shall keepe a feast to thee. As in Ioel 1. 13. Gird ye, there is understood, with sorrow, or sackcloth: so here seemeth to be understood joy or gladnesse, wherewith persons (or things) are said to be girded Ps. 30. 12. and 65. 13. or, thou wilt gird with strength, as Ps. 18. 40. Or if we referre it to the hot rage of the wicked, the residue thereof thou wilt gird, that is, binde or restraine from attempting further evill. Vers. 12. Vow ye] men in danger, or deliuered from it, were wont to make vowes unto God, Genes. 28. 20. Iona 1. 16. Psal. 66. 13, 14. round about him] a description of his people, as the twelve tribes pitched round about the Tabernacle, Numb. 2. 2. and the foure and twenty Elders were round about Gods throne, Revel. 4. 4. So the Chaldee expoundeth it, ye that dwell about his Sanctuary. to the feare] that is, the most fearefull God, called Feare or Terrour, for more reverence and excellency, unto whom all feare is due, as Isai. 8. 12. 13. Malach. 1. 6. So Iakob called God the Feare of his father Isaak, Genes. 31. 53. And this was performed when after Asshurs overthrow, many brought offerings to the Lord, 2 Chron. 32. 21, 23. Vers. 13. To him that gathereth] so the Greeke, to him that taketh away: or wee may reade, Hee gathereth, (or Cutteth off as in vintage;) a similitude from grape-gatherers, which cut off the clusters of the vines; applied here to the cutting off the lives of men. The like is in Rev. 14. 18, 19, 20. also in Iudg. 20. 45. The Chaldee explaineth it, To him that represseth the pride of the spirit of governours; God, to be feared above all Kings of the earth. ...Governours] or Princes, Captaines, that leade and goe before the people. So Gods Angell destroied all the valiant men, and Princes, and Captaines in the Campe of the King of Asshur, 2 Chro. 32. 21.

PSAL. LXXVI.

A Pſalm or ſong of Aſaph] Or, for Aſaph; Either made prophetically by Aſaph himſelf; or by ſome other Pſalmiſt who committed it to Aſaphs ſucceſſours, to be plaid and ſung. The Hebrews ſay it is made de bello Gogi; [non-Latin text not transcribed] In He[illegible: 2 letters]pl[illegible: 1 letter]. of the war with Gog and Magog, that is, the Eaſtern and Weſtern Antichriſt[illegible: 1 letter] The Greeks [illegible: 1 letter]ay [illegible: 1 span] Of [illegible: 1 word] and his [illegible: 1 letter]oſt and [illegible: 1 word] the ma[illegible: 1 letter]er or the Pſalm is ſuch as very well agreeth with that overthrow. Con[illegible: 1 letter]er Pſal. 46.[illegible: 2 letters] 48.

Verſ. 1. In Judah is God known] Nobili[illegible: 1 letter] eſt, ſaith [illegible: 1 span] eſt, ſaith another Interpreter, i. e. Better known he is now than eve[illegible: 1 letter], not by his Word only which is preached in Judah, but by his wondrous works; this eſpecially of deſtroying the Aſſyrians at Lachiſh, in the Tribe of Judah.

His name is great in Iſrael] Greater now than ever: God having made himſelf a glorious names, Iſa. 63.14. Aegypt rang of this [illegible: 1 letter]la[illegible: 1 letter]ghter of the Aſſyrians as Herodotus teſtifieth; ſo did all other Countries, doubtleſs.

Verſ. 2. In Satem alſo is his Tabernacle] i. e. In Jeruſalem, which was firſt called Salem, Gen. 14.18. Heb. 7.2. Secondly, Jebus, 1 Chron. 11.4. Joſh. 15.8. & 18.28. Thirdly, Jeruſalem, Joſh. 15.63. & 2 Sam. 5.6. not quaſi [non-Latin text not transcribed], Salomons Temple (as Hegefippus would have it, and hence likely came the aſpiration Hieruſalem) but from that famous Jehovah, Jireh, Gen. 22.14. with 2. which Jir[illegible: 1 letter]h being added to Salem maketh it Jeruſalem, the viſion of peace. Here God was pleaſed to pitch his Tabernacle, moveable, and mean, in reſpect of Gods greatneſs, 1 King. 8.27.Luſtrum [illegible: 1 word] q. d. In Sion deſidet ut leo ad praedam pitatus. Metap[illegible: 1 letter].

And his dwelling-place in Sion] Which therefore he will ſave and ſee to, as every man doth to the place of his habitation.

Verſ. 3. There brake [illegible: 1 letter]e the arrows of the bow] There? Where? Surely in Sion, in the holy Aſſemblies where the Saints were praying, there the Arrow, Shield, Spear, &c. were broken. This made the Queen Mother of Scotland ſay, that ſhe more feared the prayers of John Knox, than an Army of thirty thouſand fighting Souldiers. The King of Sweden, as ſoon as he ſet foot in Germany fell down to Prayer, and what great things did he in a little time? Now for the fruit of Prayer cryed thoſe great Gallants at Edge-hil fight, and did great exploits. The word he[illegible: 2 letters] rendred Arrows ſignifieth fiery Darts, ſee Eph. 6.16. a burning coal, Job 5.7. a light bolt,L[illegible: 2 letters]. 2[illegible: 1 letter]. [illegible: 1 word]. Pſal. 78.48. the Plague, or Carbuncle, Deut. 32.24. [illegible: 1 letter]abak. 3.5. Strabo ſaith, that Ori[illegible: 1 letter]es, Gy[illegible: 2 letters]eters, and Aethiopians ſhot fiery Arrows: ſo might the Aſſyrians. Confer Pſal. 120.4.

The ſhield, and the ſword, and the battle] Both the Men, and the Munition. This Herodotus had heard of, but mil-relateth the Hiſtory, lib. 2.

Verſ. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent] Or, more bright and magnificent. Glorious God was before, but now more glorious by this late deliverance; illuminating his people with his marvellous light.

Than the mountains of prey] Thoſe vaſt Hoſts of Aſſyrians lying now upon the Mountains round about Jeruſalem, and plundering the Country at their pleaſure. Thou Lord art farre more illuſtrious and admirable than all thoſe Graſſatores popul[illegible: 1 letter], ac reges qua [illegible: 1 word] elati, thoſe mountaines of Lions and Leopards, Cant. 4.8. the Kingdoms of this World, enemies to the Church.

Verſ. 5. The ſtout-hearted are ſpoiled] Heb. have yeelded themſelves up for a prey: thoſe that eſcaped the ſtroke of the Angel, fled as faſt as they could for their lives, leaving all behind them. The Rabbines expound it, they are ſpoyled of their underſtanding, infatuated.

They have ſlept their ſleep] Their long Iron-ſleep (as the Poets call it) of Death. The deſtroying Angel hath laid them faſt enough, and ſafe enough.

And [illegible: 1 word] of the men of might] Viri divili[illegible: 1 letter]rum, the vulgar rendreth it, Men of riches, ſuch as are all [illegible: 1 word], but men of might is better: theſe men of their hands could not finde their hands, when Gods Angel took them to do.

Verſ. 6. At thy rebuke, O God &c.] i. e. with thy mighty word of command, and without any more ado, God can nod men to deſtruction, Pſal. 80.16. blow them into Hel▪ Job 4.9. rebuke them to death, as here: do it with as much eaſe as he that ſwimeth ſpreadeth forth his hands to ſwim, Iſa. 25.11.

The Chai[illegible: 2 letters] and the Horſe] The Chieftains of the Army.

Verſ. 7. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. [illegible: 1 span] ] Herodotus ſaith, that [illegible: 1 span] was written,[illegible: 1 span].

[illegible: 1 span] is Gods Wrath revealed plainly and plentifully, Rom. 1.28. and [illegible: 1 word] he oft appeareth for his people, and out of an engine.

The earth feared] All was [illegible: 1 word], as [illegible: 1 word] Thunder [illegible: 1 word].

Verſ. 9. When God [illegible: 1 span] ] Being ſtirred up as it were, by the prayers of his people, as verſ. 2, 3.

To ſave all the [illegible: 1 word] of the earth] Who ceaſe not to ſeek the Lord, to [illegible: 1 word] righteouſneſs and judgement, Zeph. 2.3.

Verſ. 10. Surely the wrath of man ſhall praiſe the[illegible: 1 letter] ] As when [illegible: 1 span] army was deſtroyeth the Iſtraelites ſang praiſe yea the Aegy[illegible: 1 letter]ians built Altars as Iſa. 19. God by his wiſdom ordereth, and draweth the blinde and brute motions of the worſt Creatures unto his own honour; as the Hi[illegible: 1 letter]tſ-man doth the rage of the Dogge to his pleaſure; or the Mariner the blowing of the Wind to his voyage; or the [illegible: 1 word], the heat of the fire to his Work; or the Phyſician, the bloud-thirſtineſs of the Leech to a Cure, ſaith a Reverend man.

The remainder of wrath ſhalt thou reſtrain] Heb. Shalt thou gird; [non-Latin text not transcribed]. that is, curb and keep within compaſs. The Greek hath it, It ſhall keep holy day to thee; that is, ceaſe from working, or acting outwardly, how reſtleſs [illegible: 1 letter]o[illegible: 1 letter]ver it be within.

Verſ. 11. Vow and pay to the Lord] A plain precept; and yet Bellarmine ſaith,Lib. 2. de Monach. cap. 17 De cult. Sanctor. cap. 9. [illegible: 1 span] eſt praeceptum. As for vowing to Saints, hee granteth, that when the Scriptures were written, the Church had no ſuch cuſtom. Saint-worſhip then is but new worſhip.

Let all that he round about him] All the neighbouring Nations and ſo they did, after Aſhurs overthrow, 2 Chron. 32.21, 23.

To him that ought to be feared] Heb. To fear, that is, to God the proper object of fear, called therefore Fear, by an appellative property.

Verſ. 12. He ſhall cut off the ſpirit of Princes] Vind[illegible: 3 letters]iabit, he ſhall ſlip them off as one would do a bunch of Grapes, or a Flower between ones fingers: eaſily, ſuddenly,Auferet de [illegible: 1 span]. as he dealt by [illegible: 1 word] Princes.

He is terrible to Kings] Enemies to his Church, as moſt Kings are.

In Judah is God known. If unknown in all the world beside, he has so revealed himself to his people by his deeds of grace, that he is no unknown God to them. His name is great in Israel. To be known, in the Lord's case, is to be honoured: those who know his name admire the greatness of it. Although Judah and Israel were unhappily divided politically, yet the godly of both nations were agreed concerning Jehovah their God; and truly whatever schisms may mar the visible church, the saints always "appear as one" in magnifying the Lord their God. Dark is the outer world, but within the favoured circle Jehovah is revealed, and is the adoration of all who behold him. The world knows him not, and therefore blasphemes him, but his church is full of ardour to proclaim his fame unto the ends of the earth.

In Salem also is his tabernacle. In the peaceful city he dwells, and the peace is perpetuated, because there his sacred tent is pitched. The church of God is the place where the Lord abides and he is to her the Lord and giver of peace. And his dwelling place in Zion. Upon the chosen hill was the palace of Israel's Lord. It is the glory of the church that the Redeemer inhabits her by his Holy Spirit. Vain are the assaults of the enemy, for they attack not us alone, but the Lord himself. Immanuel, God with us, finds a home among his people, who then shall work us ill?

There brake he the arrows of the bow. Without leaving his tranquil abode, he sent forth his word and snapped the arrows of his enemies before they could shoot them. The idea is sublime, and marks the ease, completeness, and rapidity of the divine action. The shield, and the sword, and the battle. Every weapon, offensive and defensive, the Lord dashed in pieces; death bearing bolts and life preserving armour were alike of no avail when the Breaker sent forth his word of power. In the spiritual conflicts of this and every age, the like will be seen; no weapon that is formed against the church shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against her in judgment, she shall condemn. Selah. It is meet that we should dwell on so soul stirring a theme, and give the Lord our grateful adoration, —hence a pause is inserted.

Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. Far more is Jehovah to be extolled than all the invading powers which sought to oppress his people, though they were for power and greatness comparable to mountains. Assyria had pillaged the nations till it had become rich with mountains of spoil, this was talked of among men as glory, but the psalmist despised such renown, and declares that the Lord was far more illustrious. What are the honours of war but brags of murder? What the fame of conquerors but the reek of manslaughter? But the Lord is glorious in holiness, and his terrible deeds are done in justice for the defence of the weak and the deliverance of the enslaved. Mere power may be glorious, but it is not excellent: when we behold the mighty acts of the Lord, we see a perfect blending of the two qualities.

The stouthearted are spoiled. They came to spoil, and lo! they are spoiled themselves. Their stout hearts are cold in death, the angel of the pestilence has dried up their life blood, their very heart is taken from them. They have slept their sleep. Their last sleep —the sleep of death. And none of the men of might have found their hands. Their arms are palsied, they cannot lift a finger, for the rigour of death has stiffened them. What a scene was that when Sennacherib's host was utterly destroyed in one night. The hands which were furious to pull down Jerusalem, could not even be raised from the sod, the most valiant warriors were as weak as the palsied cripples at the temple gate, yea, their eyes they could not open, a deep sleep sealed their vision in everlasting darkness. O God, how terrible art thou! Thus shalt thou fight for us, and in the hour of peril overthrow the enemies of thy gospel. Therefore in thee will we trust and not be afraid.

At thy rebuke. A word accomplished all, there was no need of a single blow. O God of Jacob. God of thy wrestling people, who again like their father supplant their enemy; God of the covenant and the promise, thou hast in this gracious character fought for thine elect nation. Both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep. They will neither neigh nor rattle again; still are the trampings of the horses and the crash of the cars; the calvary no more creates its din. The Israelites always had a special fear of horses and scythed chariots; and, therefore, the sudden stillness of the entire force of the enemy in this department is made the theme of special rejoicing. The horses were stretched on the ground, and the chariots stood still, as if the whole camp had fallen asleep. Thus can the Lord send a judicial sleep over the enemies of the church, a premonition of the second death, and this he can do when they are in the zenith of power; and, as they imagine, in the very act of blotting out the remembrance of his people. The world's Rabshakahs can write terrible letters, but the Lord answers not with pen and ink, but with rebukes, which bear death in every syllable.

Thou, even thou, art to be feared. Not Sennacherib, nor Nisroch his god, but Jehovah alone, who with a silent rebuke had withered all the monarch's host.

"Fear him, ye saints, and then ye shall

Have nothing else to fear."

The fear of man is a snare, but the fear of God is a great virtue, and has great power for good over the human mind. God is to be feared profoundly, continually, and alone. Let all worship be to him only. And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? Who indeed? The angels fell when their rebellion provoked his justice; Adam lost his place in Paradise in the same manner; Pharaoh and other proud monarchs passed away at his frown; neither is there in earth or hell any who can abide the terror of his wrath. How blest are they who are sheltered in the atonement of Jesus, and hence have no cause to fear the righteous anger of the Judge of all the earth.

Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven. So complete an overthrow was evidently a judgment from heaven; those who saw it not, yet heard the report of it, and said, "This is the finger of God." Man will not hear God's voice if he can help it, but God takes care to cause it to be heard. The echoes of that judgment executed on the haughty Assyrian are heard still, and will ring on down all the ages, to the praise of divine justice. The earth feared and was still. All nations trembled at the tidings, and sat in humbled awe. Repose followed the former turmoils of war, when the oppressor's power was broken, and God was reverenced for having given quiet to the peoples. How readily can Jehovah command an audience! It may be that in the latter days he will, by some such miracles of power in the realms of grace, constrain all earth's inhabitants to attend to the gospel, and submit to the reign of his all glorious Son. So be it, good Lord.

When God arose to judgment. Men were hushed when he ascended the judgment seat and actively carried out the decrees of justice. When God is still the people are in tumult; when he arises they are still as a stone. To save all the meek of the earth. The Ruler of men has a special eye towards the poor and despised; he makes it his first point to right all their wrongs. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." They have little enough of it now, but their avenger is strong and he will surely save them. He who saves his people is the same God who overthrows their enemies; he is as omnipotent to save as to destroy. Glory be unto his name. Selah. Here pause, and let devout contemplation adore the God of Jacob.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee. It shall not only be overcome but rendered subservient to thy glory. Man with his breath of threatening is but blowing the trumpet of the Lord's eternal fame. Furious winds often drive vessels the more swiftly into port. The devil blows the fire and melts the iron, and then the Lord fashions it for his own purposes. Let men and devils rage as they may, they cannot do otherwise than subserve the divine purposes. The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Malice is tethered and cannot break its bounds. The fire which cannot be utilised shall be damped. Some read it "thou shalt gird, "as if the Lord girded on the wrath of man as a sword to be used for his own designs, and certainly men of the world are often a sword in the hand of God, to scourge others. The verse clearly teaches that even the most rampant evil is under the control of the Lord, and will in the end be overruled for his praise.

Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God. Well may we do so in memory of such mercies and judgments. To vow or not is a matter of choice, but to discharge our vows is our bounden duty. He who would defraud God, his own God, is a wretch indeed. He keeps his promises, let not his people fail in theirs. He is their faithful God and deserves to have a faithful people. Let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. Let surrounding nations submit to the only living God, let his own people with alacrity present their offerings, and let his priests and Levites be leaders in the sacred sacrifice. He who deserves to be praised as our God does, should not have mere verbal homage, but substantial tribute. Dread Sovereign, behold I give myself to thee.

He shall cut off the spirit of princes. Their courage, skill, and life are in his hands, and he can remove them as a gardener cuts off a slip from a plant. None are great in his hand. Caesars and Napoleons fall under his power as the boughs of the tree beneath the woodman's axe. He is terrible to the kings of the earth. While they are terrible to others, he is terrible to them. If they oppose themselves to his people, he will make short work of them; they shall perish before the terror of his arm, "for the Lord is a man of war, the Lord is his name." Rejoice before him all ye who adore the God of Jacob.

Whole Psalm. No Psalm has a greater right to follow Psalm 75 than this, which is inscribed To the Precentor, with accompaniment of stringed instruments (vid.) iv. 1, a Psalm by Asaph, a song. Similar expressions (God of Jacob, Ps 75:10 77:7; saints, wicked of the earth, Ps 75:9 76:10), and the same impress throughout speak in favour of unity of authorship. In other respects too, they form a pair: Psalm 75 prepares the way for the divine deed of judgments as imminent, which Psalm 76 celebrates as having taken place. Franz Delitzsch.

In Judah is God known. God is truly and savingly known only in and through his Son; God indeed is obscurely and darkly known in his works, as a God of power; in his providence, as a God of authority, wisdom, and order; in his common mercies, as a God of bounty; and in his punishments and judgments, as a God of justice; but in Christ opened and preached in the gospel, God is known with a clear, a comfortable, and saving knowledge, as a father of grace and singular mercy and lovingkindness. In Judah (saith the psalmist) is God known: his name is great in Israel. In Judah, in his church, where his word and ordinances are, where Christ is preached and the mystery of man's salvation is opened, there God is known truly without error, perspicuously without obscurities, and savingly without uncertainties; there he is known as a King in his courts, for the glory and beauty which he there manifests; as a teacher in his school, for the wisdom and knowledge which he there dispenses; as a dweller in his house, for the holy orders he there prescribes, and gracious rule and dominion he there erects and beareth in the souls of his servants; as a bridegroom in the banqueting house, for the spiritual dainties he there maketh, for the clear and open manifestation of himself, and love and comforts he there ministereth to his spiritual friends and guests; and his name is great in Israel; his power, wisdom, truth, love, and goodness is much magnified and very glorious in their apprehensions who know him in Christ Jesus. Alexander Grosse.

His name. By the name of God here, God himself is understood; for in so many good effects as God uttereth himself towards his kirk, so many names he giveth to himself whereby he may be praised of her. As for example, when he promises unto his kirk freely grace and mercy, his kirk giveth him a name, and calleth him merciful. When he keepeth his promise, and uttereth himself a faithful God to his kirk, his kirk giveth him a name, and calleth him a true God. When he delivereth his kirk out of danger, and sheweth him a mighty God, and terrible against his enemies, the kirk giveth him a name, and calleth him a potent God, and so forth in the rest of his effects: so that by the name of God is understood here God himself, as God maketh himself to be known in his wonderful works. Robert Bruce.

His name is great in Israel. Properly the great name in Israel, that is, the church, is the name of Jesus, which is great, first, by its efficacy: for it signifies Saviour. There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Secondly, it is great in dignity: for it is the name that is above every name... Thirdly, it is great in the breadth if its range, Ps 8:1: How excellent is thy name in all the earth. Thomas Le Blanc.

In Salem also is his tabernacle. It is not without meaning that Jerusalem has the appellation of Salem; for it is thereby insinuated that the tabernacle of God, notwithstanding the assault of foes, in the very heart of the tumults of war remained in peace. How much more now that the invaders had been overthrown, would prosperity be enjoyed? Hermann Venema.

In Salem also is his tabernacle. God the Holy Ghost is a spirit of peace, he is the comforter; he seals up peace (2Co 1:22). This blessed dove brings the olive branch of peace in his mouth: now a peaceable disposition evidences something of God in a man, therefore God loves to dwell there. "In Salem is God's tabernacle:" Salem signifies peace; God dwells in a peaceable spirit. Thomas Watson.

In Salem also is his tabernacle, etc. All the old versions, as well as the two English ones, have missed one especial force of this passage. There is no direct reference in words to any human habitation, but to the lair of the Lion of Judah. The word wkm does not only mean his tabernacle, but his covert, and is so translated in another place (Jer 25:38): "He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion; "and the vaguer word wtgwem which succeeds may well be translated by "den, "or some equivalent phrase. Ps 10:9. Simon De Muis.

Verses 2-3. The care of Salem, or Zion, lies at the bottom of all God's powerful acting and workings among the sons of men. Every mighty work of God throughout the world may be prefaced with these two verses. The whole course of affairs in the world in steered by Providence in reference to the good of Salem. John Owen.

There. Observe how it is said, There he brake, namely, in his temple, his habitation there. For unto that his temple doth the coherence in the verse afore carry it, for that was last in mention, and with the greatest emphasis. In the story we read how that Sennacherib's overthrow was from Hezekiah's prayer in the temple; for upon Sennacherib's letter, and Hezekiah's hearsay of the blasphemy, he took himself thither, went instantly into the temple, and began his prayer thus: "O thou God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims." He invocates him under that style of his dwelling in the holiest, and so hearing prayers there. Thus you have it recorded both in Isaiah and in 2Ki 19:15. And how suitably, in answer hereunto, it is said here in the Psalm, that God gave forth sentence presently out of his tabernacle, yea, and that so suddenly too, as that the very execution is said to be done there, that is, from thence. And yet again, in the eighth verse of the Psalm, it is said to be a sentence from heaven too; Thou didst cause judgment (so called because it was the sentence of God as a judge) to be heard from heaven. Thus Hezekiah prayed, and thus God heard; and both as in the temple. Thomas Goodwin.

There. These men, to wit the King of Asshur and his accomplices, came to cast out God out of his dwelling place; but he stood to the defence of his own house, and showed them that he would not remove for their pleasure. Robert Bruce.

God was not known in Babylon, in Egypt, in other nations, his tabernacle and dwelling place was not amongst them, therefore they were not glorious. But see what is in the fourth verse, Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey; thou Judah, thou Israel, thou Salem, thou Zion, that hast spiritual mercies and blessings, art more glorious than they, whatever their glory be. Have the nations abroad goodly towers? thou hast the temple; have they stately cities? thou hast Jerusalem, the city of God; have they wise men? thou hast the prophets; have they gods of gold, silver, and stones; thou hast the true living God, Jehovah, to be thy God; have they human laws that are good? thou hast divine laws that excel; have they temporal excellencies? thou hast spiritual; have they the glory of the world? thou hast the glory of heaven. William Greenhill.

The mountains of prey. Why are they called the mountains of prey? There is a reference to the lairs of the lions in the mountains, whence they rush forth upon those who come that way, and tear them in pieces. In the same way the dwelling place of God was represented above under the title of a tabernacle or lair. Moreover, this is a mystic epithet of the mountains of Judah, by which it is hinted that the enemies who venture to approach that lair are wont to be torn in sunder: a terrible example of which had just been shown in the case of the Assyrian, there overthrown, torn, and spoiled. Compare Isa 31:4. Hermann Venema.

The stouthearted are spoiled. There is indicated in these words that consternation of mind which deprives of judgment and power. The valiant are spoiled of their heart: that is, they who at other times were wise and courageous have now lost their heart, and have been reduced to foolishness and stupidity. Hermann Venema.

The stouthearted are spoiled. After the breaking of their weapons their spoliation is recorded, for that follows the slaughter of foes. Nor is mention made of that without reason. They had come to spoil, therefore are they deservedly spoiled. Musculus.

The stouthearted are spoiled. Some translate it, They are spoiled of their stout heart. The stouthearted, the strong, are spoiled. The strong man may be spoiled by a stronger; that's a good sense, but it is more elegantly rendered, they are spoiled of their stout heart; that is, the Lord takes their heart out of their bosom. Daring men, who fear nothing, are turned into Magor-missabibs —fear round about; their stout hearts are taken from them, and they are so far from being a terror to other men, that they run from the shadow of a man; their courage is down; they cannot give a child a confident look, much less look dangers or enemies in the face. Joseph Caryl.

(last clause). The strength and power of a man is in his hands; if they be gone, all his hope is gone. If a man's sword be taken from him, he will do what he can with his hands; but if his hands be gone, he may go to sleep for any disturbance he will work. For men not to find their hands, is not to have that power for the execution of their designs which formerly they had. John Owen.

(last clause). As we say of a man that goes lamely or lazily, "he cannot find his feet; "so of a man that acts lamely or lazily, or of a soldier that fights faintly and cowardly, he cannot find his hands. Joseph Caryl.

Verses 5-6.

For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,

And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;

And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,

And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever were still!

And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,

But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride:

And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,

And cold as the spray of the rock breaking surf.

And there lay the rider distorted and pale,

With the dew on his brow and the rust on his mail;

And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,

The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown. —George Gordon, Lord Byron.

Cast into a deep sleep. It is observable that the verb here used is the same as is used in the narrative of the act of Jael, and of the death of the proud enemy of Israel, Sisera, cast into a deep sleep, by God's power, working by the hand of a woman. Christopher Wordsworth.

Thou, even thou, art to be feared. The emphasis in the word thou, redoubled, implies as much as if he had said, Not principalities, not powers, not hell, not death, nor anything for themselves, but thou, O Lord, alone art to be feared. Arguments and reasons to confirm it are two, here laid down in the text: the first is drawn from God's anger, who hath decreed, and accordingly executes vengeance upon all the proud. The second is drawn from his power; not princes, not armies, not men, not angels, are able to endure the breath of his fury; for, Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?... The anger of God is a terrible, unspeakable, unsupportable, intolerable, burden. Every word in the text hath a special emphasis to prove this. Who may stand? Who? Shall angels? They are but like refracted beams or rays, if God should hide his face, they would cease to shine. Shall man? His glory and pomp, like the colours in the rainbow, vanish away, when God puts forth in anger the brightness of his face. Shall devils? If he speak the word, they are tumbled down from heaven like lightning. Stand in thy sight. Stand. What! a reed against a cedar, a thistle in Lebanon against a cedar in Lebanon; a feather against a flame; a grasshopper against an Almighty, a head of glass against a rod of brass? When once thou art angry. Angry. By sending out his wrath, that it wounds like arrows; angry, in pouring it out, that it drowns like water; angry, in kindling of it, that it burns like fire; a consuming fire, but you tell me such a fire may be quenched; an unquenchable fire, but since that may cease to burn, when it lacks matter, it is in one word an everlasting fire, that never goes out. That, that's it; such anger as is never fully shown, but in punishment of reprobates; in no punishment, but that in hell; in none in hell, but that eternal. John Cragge's "Cabinet of Spiritual Jewells." 1657.

God arose to judgment. This great judgment was wrought upon the enemies when God rose: it was not done when God sat; for the whole time when he sat his enemies were aloft, stirring their time, raging in murder, oppression, and blood... He bringeth in God here after the manner of earthly judges, after the custom of our judges; for first they sit down, they try, seek out, and advise, and after consideration they resolve, and after resolution they rise up, give forth judgment, and pronounce the sentence; even so the prophet bringeth in God after the same manner; sitting, and after sitting, rising and pronouncing the sentence. Robert Bruce.

To save all the meek. We see from this passage what care God takes of the afflicted. When he is angry with the ungodly, he is angry with them chiefly because they have oppressed the poor and the innocent. Although he detests all iniquity, yet he is most indignant with that which is committed against the needy and guiltless. So in Psalm 12, "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord." So in this verse, when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Musculus.

Is not this the day when the Saviour comes to reign? the day when the results of things shall best be seen; the day when every saint with anointed eye shall see that events all tended to the glory of God; the day when they shall sing better far than now.

"Surely the wrath of man praiseth thee.

Thou girdest thyself with the remnant of wrath." —Andrew A. Bonar.

Surly the wrath of man shall praise thee. Persecutions tend to correct the failings of good men, and to exercise and illustrate their several graces and virtues. By these, good men are usually made much better and more approved, while they tend to exercise our patience, to quicken our devotion, to evidence out zeal and Christian fortitude, and to show to the whole world what love we bear to the truth, and how much we are willing to undergo for the honour of God. Till they have suffered something for it, truth is too apt to grow cheap and be less prized many times, even by those that are good men in the main; whereas we are apt on the contrary, never to value it at a higher rate, or to be more zealous for it, or to make better use of it, than when it is opposed and persecuted. What more truly beneficial therefore, or tending to the divine glory, than for God, who useth to bring good out of evil, to make use also of the opposers of his truth, to rouse up his servants whom he sees growing more remiss and negligent than they should be, and to suffer such temptations to assault them, by which their drowsy minds may be spurred on into a greater love and zeal for the truth, and a deeper sense of the divine benefit in it, and in general, excited to the more diligent performance of their duty. Richard Pearson. 1684.

The wrath of man shall praise thee. In the Septuagint it is, The wrath of man shall keep holy day to thee, shall increase a festival for thee. God many times gets up in the world on Satan's shoulders. When matters are ravelled and disordered, he can find out the right end of the thread, and how to disentangle us again; and when we have spoiled a business, he can dispose it for good, and make an advantage of those things which seem to obscure the glory of his name. Thomas Manton.

The wrath of man shall praise thee. The wrath of wicked men against the people of God is very tributary to his praise.

1. It puts them upon many subtle devices and cunning stratagems, in frustrating of which the wisdom of God and his care of his Church is very much illustrated.

2. The wrath of wicked men impels them to many violent and forcible attempts upon the people of God to destroy them, and so gives him occasion to manifest his power in their defence.

3. It makes them sometimes fit to be his instruments in correcting his people, and so he vindicates himself from the suspicion of being a patron to sin in them that are nearest to him, and makes them that hate holiness promote it in his people, and them that intend them the greatest hurt, to do them the greatest good.

4. It administers occasion to him for the manifestation of the power of his grace in upholding the spirits of his people and the being of his church in despite of all that enemies can do against them.

5. It serves very much to adorn God's most signal undertakings for his people in the world.

6. It serves to manifest the glory of God's justice upon his people's enemies in the day when he rises up to avenge himself upon them, when he shall stand over them, lashing them with scorpions, and at every blow mind their former cruelties. Here, take that for your inhuman rage against my people at such a place, and that for your barbarous usage of them at such a time. Now see how good it is to be imprisoned, beaten, tortured, burnt, and sawn asunder. Thus the enemies themselves are often constrained to acknowledge with Adoni Bezek the righteous hand of God upon them in the day of inquisition. Condensed from John Warren's Sermon before Parliament. 1656.

The wrath of man. Wrath is anger accented unto the highest pitch, or blown up into a flame. The wrath of man, (in the original it is The wrath of Adam, or the wrath of clay, weak, impotent man) shall praise thee, i.e., it shall turn to the praise and glory of God through his overruling providence, though quite otherwise intended. God will bring honour to himself, and serve his own holy and wise designs out of it... This expression, the wrath of man, imports the weakness and impotence of it; it is but the wrath of Adam, or of red clay. How contemptibly doth the Spirit of God speak of man, and of the power of man, in Scripture? "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?" The wrath of man, when it is lengthened out to its utmost boundaries, can only go to the length of killing the body, or in the breaking the sheath of clay in which the soul lodges, and then it can do no more. Ebenezer Erskine.

Shall praise thee. God turns the wrath of man to the praise of his adorable sovereignty. Never have the Lord's people had such awful impressions of the sovereignty of God, as when they have been in the furnace of man's wrath, then they become dumb with silence. When the Chaldean and Sabean robbers are let loose to plunder and spoil the substance of Job, he is made to view adorable sovereignty in it, saying, "The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord." It is in such a case as this that God says to his own people, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen." What work of God about the church is advanced by the wrath of men?

1. His discovering work; for by the wind of man's wrath he separates between the precious and the vile, betwixt the chaff and the wheat. In the day of the church's prosperity and quiet, hypocrites and true believers are mingled together, like the chaff and the wheat in the barn floor: but the Lord, like the husbandman, opens the door of his barn, and puts the wind of man's wrath through it, that the world may know which is which. O, sirs, much chaff is cast up already, both among ministers and professors; but it is like the wind and sieve may cast up much more yet ere all be done.

2. God's purging work is advanced among his own children by the wrath of men: there is much of the dross of corruption cleaves to the Lord's people while in the wilderness. Now, the Lord heats the furnace of man's wrath, and casts his people into it, that when he has tried them, he may bring them forth as gold.

3. God's uniting work is hereby advanced. In a time of peace and external tranquillity the sheep of Christ scatter and divide among themselves; but God lets loose the dogs upon them, and then the flock runs together; or like pieces of metal cast into the fire, they run together in a lump.

4. God's enlarging work, or his work of spreading the gospel, is sometimes advanced by the wrath of man. Ac 8:1-5. The gospel, like the chamomile, the more it is trodden upon, the more it spreads. Ebenezer Erskine.

The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. The remainder of wrath, i.e. what is left behind of the wrath of men, when God has glorified himself thereby. Even after God has defeated the purposes of wicked men, and made them contribute to his glory, yet there is abundance of wrath remaining. But what becomes of that wrath that is left? God shall restrain it. The word signifies to gird up. However God may see fit to slacken the bridle of his providence, and suffer wicked men to vent their wrath and enmity, as far as it shall contribute to his glory; yet the super abounding and the remainder of his wrath that is not for his glory and his people's profit, God will gird it up, that they shall not get it vented... If any wrath of man remain beyond what shall bring in a revenue of praise unto God, he will restrain it, and bind it up like the waters of a mill: he will suffer as much of the current of water to run upon the wheel, as serves to carry it about and grind his corn, but the remainder of the water he sets it off another way: so God will let out as much of the current of man's wrath as shall serve the ends of his glory and our good, but the remainder of the stream and current he will restrain, and turn another way. In Isaiah 28 we are told that God will not be aye "threshing his corn, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. This cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." All this comfort is sure and certain, there is not the least peradventure about it, that the flame of man's wrath shall praise the Lord, and the superfluous fire shall be quenched, or hemmed in; for here we have God's parole of honour for it: Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Ebenezer Erskine.

The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. twmh Chemoth, "wrath, "in the plural number, seems to be put in opposition to chamoth, the single wrath of man in the former part of the verse; to shew there is more wrath which God is to restrain, than merely that of man. There is also more pride which needs a like restraint; namely, that of the first Lucifer, who sinned, and, as is thought, fell by aspiring to ascend, and to be like the Most High. There are finally, other counsels also, as well as other wrath and pride, besides human, which God confounds. There is a wisdom that descendeth not from above (no, nor grows on earth) but is devilish, Jas 3:15. And both wrath, pride, and wisdom, of devils as well as men, shall God restrain, when he pleases not to turn them to his praise. Let there be hellish plots, yet our God shall confound them. From "A Sermon preached"... before the Queen... By Edward (Wetenhall) Lord Bishop of Corke and Rosse. 1691.

Thou shalt restrain. This, in the Hebrew, is expressed in one word, rygxt, which imports the girding or binding of it on every side, that it shall by no means break out, but shall be kept in, as a dog in a chain, as a lion in his den, how violent soever. Cornelius Burges, in "Another Sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons... November the fifth, 1641."

Round about him. A description of his people, as the twelve tribes pitched round about the tabernacle, Nu 2:2; and the twenty-four elders were round about God's throne, Re 4:4. So the Chaldee expounds it; —Ye that dwell about his sanctuary. Henry Ainsworth.

Cut off. He deals with princes as men deal with a vine. An axe is too strong for a cluster of grapes, or a sprig of a vine; it easily cuts them off: so God by a judgment easily cuts off the spirit of princes; they are not able to stand against the least judgments of God: when he puts strength into worms, or any other creature they fall. William Greenhill, in a Sermon, entitled, "The Axe at the Root."

The Lord cuts off the spirit of princes; the word is, he slips off, as one should slip off a flower between one's fingers, or as one should slip off a bunch of grapes from a vine, so soon is it done. How great uncertainty have many great ones, by their miserable experience, found in their outward glory and worldly felicity! What a change hath a little time made in all their honours, riches, and delights! That victorious emperor Henry the Fourth, who had fought fifty-two pitched battles, fell to that poverty before he died, that he was forced to petition to be a prebend in the church of Spier, to maintain him in his old age. And Procopius reports of King Gillimer, who was a potent king of the Vandals, who was so low brought, as to intreat his friends to send him a sponge, a loaf of bread, and a harp; a sponge to dry up his tears, a loaf of bread to maintain his life, and a harp to solace himself in his misery. Philip de Comines reports of a Duke of Exeter, who though he had married Edward the Fourth's sister, yet he saw him in the Low Countries begging barefoot. Bellisarius, the chief man living in his time, having his eyes put out, was led at last in a string, crying, "give a halfpenny to Bellisarius." Jeremiah Burroughs.

Reverence for God's name proportionate to true knowledge of it.

The peculiar relation of God to his church.

(first clause). A peaceful church the tabernacle of God. The benefits peace confers, the evils of strife, the causes of dissension, and the means of promoting unity.

Christian glories, or the victories vouchsafed to the church over heathenism, heresy, persecution, etc.

1. Where enemies are conquered; "There; "not on the battlefield so much as in the house of God; as Amalek by Moses on the Mount; Sennacherib by Hezekiah in the Sanctuary.

2. How there?

(a) By faith.

(b) By prayer. "The weapons of our warfare, "etc.

The Lord, our portion, compared with the treasures of empires.

1. What the world is, compared with the church: Mountains of prey.

(a) Cruelty instead of love.

(b) Violence instead of peace.

2. What the church is compared with the world.

(a) More glorious, because more excellent.

(b) More excellent, because more glorious. Both are more real and abiding. G. R.

They have slept their sleep. Divers kinds of deaths or sleeps for the various classes of men.

The anger of God. A very suggestive subject.

Verses 8-9.

1. The characters described: the meek of the earth.

2. The need implied.

(a) To be vindicated.

(b) To be saved.

3. The divine interposition on their behalf: Thou didst cause, etc. When God arose, etc.

4. The effect of their deliverance: The earth feared, etc. G. R.

1. Evil permitted for good: the wrath, etc.

2. Restrained for good: The remainder, etc.

Or,

1. Ruled.

2. Overruled. G. R.

1. To whom vows may be made. Not to man, but God.

2. What vows should be thus made.

(a) Of self dedication.

(b) Of self service.

(c) Of self sacrifice.

3. How kept: Vow and pay. (a) From duty.

(b) From fear of his displeasure. G. R.

The propriety, obligation, pleasure, and profit of presenting gifts unto the Lord.