Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 76
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; foreign In He…pl….of the war with Gog and Magog, that is, the Eaſtern and Weſtern Antichriſt… The Greeks …ay … Of … and his …oſt and … the ma…er or the Pſalm is ſuch as very well agreeth with that overthrow. Con…er Pſal. 46.… 48.
Verſ. 1. In Judah is God known] Nobili… eſt, ſaith … eſt, ſaith another Interpreter, i. e. Better known he is now than eve…, 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 …la…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 foreign, 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…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 … q. d. In Sion deſidet ut leo ad praedam pitatus. Metap….
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 …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… rendred Arrows ſignifieth fiery Darts, ſee Eph. 6.16. a burning coal, Job 5.7. a light bolt,L…. 2…. …. Pſal. 78.48. the Plague, or Carbuncle, Deut. 32.24. …abak. 3.5. Strabo ſaith, that Ori…es, Gy…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…, ac reges qua … 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 … of the men of might] Viri divili…rum, the vulgar rendreth it, Men of riches, ſuch as are all …, 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… and the Horſe] The Chieftains of the Army.
Verſ. 7.foreign. … ] Herodotus ſaith, that … was written,….
… is Gods Wrath revealed plainly and plentifully, Rom. 1.28. and … he oft appeareth for his people, and out of an engine.
The earth feared] All was …, as … Thunder ….
Verſ. 9. When God … ] Being ſtirred up as it were, by the prayers of his people, as verſ. 2, 3.
To ſave all the … of the earth] Who ceaſe not to ſeek the Lord, to … righteouſneſs and judgement, Zeph. 2.3.
Verſ. 10. Surely the wrath of man ſhall praiſe the… ] As when … army was deſtroyeth the Iſtraelites ſang praiſe yea the Aegy…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…tſ-man doth the rage of the Dogge to his pleaſure; or the Mariner the blowing of the Wind to his voyage; or the …, 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; foreign.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 …o…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. … 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…iabit, he ſhall ſlip them off as one would do a bunch of Grapes, or a Flower between ones fingers: eaſily, ſuddenly,Auferet de …. as he dealt by … Princes.
He is terrible to Kings] Enemies to his Church, as moſt Kings are.