1 <To the chief music-maker; put to Neginoth. A Psalm. Of Asaph. A Song.> In Judah is the knowledge of God; his name is great in Israel,
For what great nation has a god so near to them as the Lord our God is, whenever we are turned to him in prayer? And what great nation has laws and decisions so right as all this law which I put before you today?
Has God ever before taken a nation for himself from out of another nation, by punishments and signs and wonders, by war and by a strong hand and a stretched-out arm and great acts of wonder and fear, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes? All this he let you see, so that you might be certain that the Lord is God and there is no other. Out of heaven itself his voice came to you, teaching you; and on earth he let you see his great fire; and his words came to your ears out of the heart of the fire.
So David gave praise to the Lord before all the people; and David said, Praise be to you, O Lord the God of Israel, our father for ever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the strength and the power and the glory, and the authority and the honour: for everything in heaven and on earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are lifted up as head over all. Wealth and honour come from you, and you are ruler over all, and in your hand is power and strength; it is in your power to make great, and to give strength to all.
And the house which I am building is to be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who may have strength enough to make a house for him, seeing that the heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be his resting-place? who am I then to make a house for him? But I am building it only for the burning of perfume before him.
<A Song. A Psalm. Of the sons of Korah.> Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, in the town of our God, in his holy mountain. Beautiful in its high position, the joy of all the earth, is the mountain of Zion, the mountain of God, the town of the great King. In its buildings God is seen to be a high tower.
The Lord has given to all the knowledge of his salvation; he has made clear his righteousness in the eyes of the nations. He has kept in mind his mercy and his unchanging faith to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
He makes his word clear to Jacob, teaching Israel his laws and his decisions. He has not done these things for any other nation: and as for his laws, they have no knowledge of them. Let the Lord be praised.
Let them give glory to the name of the Lord: for his name only is to be praised: his kingdom is over the earth and the heaven. He has put on high the horn of his people, for the praise of all his saints; even the children of Israel, a people which is near to him. Let the Lord be praised.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 76
Commentary on Psalms 76 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 76
Ps 76:1-12. On Neginoth—(See on Ps 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; Isa 37:1-28. (Compare Ps 46:1-11).
1, 2. These well-known terms denote God's people and Church and His intimate and glorious relations to them.
2. Salem—(Ge 14:18) is Jerusalem.
3. brake … the arrows—literally, "thunderbolts" (Ps 78:48), from their rapid flight or ignition (compare Ps 18:14; Eph 6:16).
the battle—for arms (Ho 2:18).
4. Thou—God.
mountains of prey—great victorious nations, as Assyria (Isa 41:15; Eze 38:11, 12; Zec 4:7).
5. slept their sleep—died (Ps 13:3).
none … found … hands—are powerless.
6. chariot and horse—for those fighting on them (compare Ps 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 (Ps 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).