Psalm LXXVI
To the chief Musician. On Neginoth. A Psalm or Song of Asaph.
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 stout-hearted 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.
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.
Milton celebrates “the inviolable saints,” the holy hosts that The title. guard the throne of God. But the family of saints on earth may claim that title equally with them, being invincible and inviolable in their King. Asaph sings of these “on Neginoth” (see Psalm iv.), and uses the lively “song” for his triumphant strains.
He looks back upon the past, when God made himself re- The pian. nowned as Israel’s God, dwelling on Zion, breaking there (pttW, thitherward, like Ezekiel’s “Jehovah-/S^amma7i,” xlviii. 35, q. d., his eye and heart ever toward them) the “flashing arrows of the bow,” giving fame to Zion beyond all other hills and kingdoms. All was done by the God of Jacob for his people. The “Selah” (ver. 3) bids us pause to consider this, as it does again verse 9. By him “the stout-hearted were made a prey; they slept deep their sleep;” by him who could give foes the same “rebuke” that he gave to the swelling waters (Psalm civ. 7), causing the warrior and his war-chariot to be alike motionless and dead in the silent camp. Ah, it is “Thou” (pPii) who art to be feared, Thou {nPii) alone! And we might have noticed also, there is significance in using the name “Salem,” (ver. 2). It reminds us of the reign of Melchizedeck, and hints at the slaughter of the kings, whom God’s Abrahams overcome.
And ever shall it be thus. Ever shall it be an unanswerable question, “Who shall stand before thee when thou art angry V (verse 7), down to that great and terrible day when all earth, at the sight of thy throne, shall ask, “Who shall be able to stand V (Rev. vi. 17). And then shall verses 8, 9, be fulfilled most emphatically —
“Out of heaven thou Tiast proclaimed judgment (lu, see Dan. vii. 10,
Earih fears, and is at rest! (HtOp’) like Josh. xiv. 15, and Isa.
xiv. 7.)
When God arises to judgment,
Saving all the meek of earth. Selah.”
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 their 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;”
turning it to use, even every particle of it?
Vow, then, and perform the vow, O Israel! a people near to Him (Num. ii. 2). Bring a gift to him that is the true object of fear, to him who has cut off, as in a time of vintage (“iiJll, as Rev. xiv. 18), the breath, the life, of princes; to him who is terrible to earth’s kings. If this Jehovah be for us, who can be against us? Let us even now sing this
Song to the Mighty One, who is the fear of Israel and of Earth.
PSALM LXXVII. — god’s DOINGS REMEMBERED. 229