Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 76
PSALM LXXVI.
Verſ 1. IN Iudah is God known, &c.] To wit, Not by his word only, but alſo (which is chiefly here intended) by the miraculous works he hath wrought amongſt them; whereby it was clearly manifeſted not to them only, but even to all the world, that the God of Iſrael was the only true almighty God, as is implyed in the following words, his name is great in Iſrael; concerning which ſee alſo the the Notes Pſal. 48.1, 2, 3, &c. a Pſalm that is for the matter of it much like to this.
Verſ. 2. In Salem alſo is his tabernacle, &c.] See the Note Gen. 14.18: and his dwelling-place in Sion; as if he had ſaid, and therefore no wonder though he be better known there then elſewhere, and though he have ſhewn great wonders againſt his enemies there, that have ſought to drive him out of that his dwelling-place.
Verſ. 3. There brake he the arrows of the bow, &c.] That is, He took from the enemy all power of uſing them againſt his people, and the meaning is, he utterly deſtroyed them; ſee the Notes 1 Sam. 2.4. and Pſal. 46.9: the shield and the ſword and the battel; that is, and all other weapons and proviſions of war; or the battel-array, or army of ſouldiers. And becauſe moſt Expoſitours conceive that this Pſalm was penned upon occaſion of that miraculous deſtruction of the Aſſyrians, that had beſieged Jeruſalem in Hezekiahs daies, therefore they conceive alſo that in theſe words there may be an alluſion to that which the prophet Iſaiah then ſaid, 2 Kings 19.32. He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, &c.
Verſ. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent, &c.] To wit, for power & proweſſe, then the mountains of prey, that is, then the robbers in the mountains; or, then the Aſſyrians, that coming to beſiege Jeruſalem did pitch their tents upon the mountains round about her; or rather, then all the great kingdomes of the world, which becauſe they are uſually gotten by violence, and do exalt and enrich themſelves by ſpoiling the neighbouring nations round about them, are therefore compared to mountains, that harbour ravening wild beaſts, that live wholly upon prey.
Verſ. 5. The ſtout-hearted are ſpoiled, &c.] That is, ſay ſome, they are bereaved of all wiſedome and proweſſe; ſee the Note Job 12.17: they have ſlept their ſleep; that is, through aſtoniſhment & fear they were as men aſleep, not able to move a hand in their own defence; which is expreſſed more clearly in the following words, and none of the men of might have found their hands. But I rather underſtand it thus, that the proud enemies being ſlain, were ſtripped & ſpoiled of all they had about them; and thence it is added, they have ſlept their ſleep, that is, the ſleep of death, as it is called Pſal. 13.3. And becauſe God ſmote the Aſſyrians by night, 2 Kin. 19.35. there may be in theſe words an alluſion thereto; as if it had been ſaid, They were ſmitten ſleeping, and ſo that ſleep of theirs proved an eternall ſleep, according to that Jer. 51.39. I will make them drunken, that they may rejoyce, and ſleep a perpetuall ſleep, and not awake: And none of the men of might have found their hands; that is, they were as men without hands, their hands being of no uſe to reſiſt the ſtroke of an angel.
Verſ. 8. Thou didſt cauſe judgement to be heard from heaven, &c.] To wit, ſay ſome Expoſitours, by terrible tempeſts of thunder and lightening, &c. whereby thou didſt execute judgement upon thine enemies: and accordingly they alſo expound the following words, the earth feared, & was ſtill; that is, the earth was ſhaken with an earthquake, and all things were ſtill, the wild beaſts betaking themſelves ſtraightway to their dens; or, the inhabitants of the earth trembled, ſo that the boldeſt of the wicked durſt not then ſtir or mutter againſt God. But I rather conceive the meaning of the words to be this, that the vengeance executed upon the enemies of God was ſuch, (& we may particularly apply it to that of the ſlaying the Aſſyrians) and withall ſo dreadfull and terrible, that it was as manifeſt that it was from the God of heaven, as if God had by an audible voice from heaven, terrible as thunder, given ſentence of judgement againſt them, that ſuch & ſuch judgements ſhould be executed upon them; and that hereupon the earth feared, and was ſtill, the nations round about them were ſtill, as men amazed, not daring to plot or act any thing farther againſt the people of God.
Verſ. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praiſe thee, &c.] To wit, becauſe 1. the greater their wrath againſt thy people is, and the farther they proceed, & the more they proſper therein, the more ſhall thy wiſedome and power be magnified in deſtroying them, & delivering thy people, & in cauſing all things to work together in the concluſion for their good: and 2. not only thy people ſhall hereupon praiſe thee, but others likewiſe that ſhall obſerve this; yea thine enemies themſelves ſhall acknowledge, that they are vanquiſhed & broken by thine almighty power, & that thou art righteous in all thy judgements upon them. The remainder of wrath shalt thou reſtrain; that is, thoſe that are left alive of thy wrathfull enemies wilt thou curb and reſtrain; or rather thus, thoſe that have ſtill any malice againſt thy people, either thou wilt not ſuffer their wrath to be ſo great as formerly, or if they go about to recruit their forces, and to ſet again upon thy people, thou wilt ſet ſuch bounds to their wrath, that they ſhall not accompliſh their deſire, nor ſhall proceed farther then ſhall be for thy glory and thy peoples good.
Verſ. 11. Let all that be round about him bring preſents to him that ought to be feared.] Or, to fear, as it is in the originall; for which ſee the Note Gen. 31.42. And by thoſe that be round about him, he means, either 1. the Prieſts & Levites; or 2. the people of God, who only enjoyed this priviledge and favour of drawing near unto him to worſhip him, & call upon him (and in this expreſſion he may ſeem to allude to the Iſraelites encamping round about the tabernacle whilſt they were in the wilderneſſe;) or 3. the nations round about, who being indeed convinced by this miraculous judgement of God upon the Aſſyrians, did thereupon bring gifts unto the Lord to Ieruſalem, and preſents to Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.23.
Verſ. 12. He shall cut off the ſpirit of Princes.] That is, their lives, or their underſtanding and courage.