John Calvin Commentary Psalms 76

God is known in Judah. At the beginning, we are taught that it was not by human means that the enemies of Israel were forced to retreat without achieving anything, but by the ever-to-be-remembered aid of Jehovah. From where did that knowledge of God and the greatness of his name which are spoken of come, if not because He stretched out his hand in an extraordinary way, to make it clearly evident 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 defeated by such a miraculous intervention.

And his tabernacle was in Salem. Here the reason is given why God, by putting the Assyrians to flight, graciously granted to deliver the city of Jerusalem and to take it under his protection. The reason is that he had chosen for himself a dwelling-place there, in which his name was to be invoked.

In summary, first, people had no basis to claim for themselves any share in the deliverance of the city described here, as God had strikingly shown that all the glory was his own by displaying his power from heaven in the sight of all people. Secondly, he was moved to oppose his enemies for no other reason than his free choice of the Jewish nation.

Since God has, by this example, testified that his power is invincible for preserving his Church, it is a call and an encouragement to all the faithful to rest confidently under his shadow. If his name is precious to himself, he gives an extraordinary pledge and security to our faith when he assures us that it is his will that the greatness of his power should be known in the preservation of his Church.

Moreover, as the Church is a prominent stage on which the divine glory is displayed, we must always take the greatest care not to obscure or allow to be forgotten, through our ingratitude, the benefits that have been bestowed upon it, especially those that ought to be remembered in all ages.

Furthermore, although God is not now worshipped in the visible tabernacle, yet as by Christ he still dwells in our midst, indeed even within us, we will doubtless experience, whenever we are exposed to danger, that under his protection we are in perfect safety. If the earthly sanctuary of Jerusalem afforded God’s ancient people help while it stood, we may rest assured that he will have no less care for us who live in the present day, when we consider that he has graciously chosen us as his temples in which he may dwell by his Holy Spirit.

Here the prophet, in speaking of Jerusalem, uses merely the name Salem, which was the simple and uncompounded name of the city and had been applied to it very anciently, as appears from Genesis 14:18. Some think that the name, in the course of time, assumed its compound form by having Jebus prefixed to Salem; for Jebus was the name by which it was afterwards known in the intervening period, as we learn from Judges 19:10, as it was so called because it was inhabited by the Jebusites. But we will be more correct as to the etymology of the word if we derive it from the verb יראה, yereh, which signifies will see, because Abraham said,

“God will look out for himself a lamb for a burnt-offering” (Genesis 22:8).

There he broke the arrows of the bow. Here we have stated the particular way in which God was known in Judah. He was known by the wonderful proofs of his power, which he displayed in preserving the city. Under these figures, the destruction of the enemies of the chosen people is described.

They could not have been overthrown except by being stripped of their armor and weapons of war. It is therefore said that the arrows, the swords, and the shields, were broken, indeed, all the implements of war, implying that these impious enemies of the Church were deprived of the power of doing harm.

Indeed, the fact is that they were wounded and slain while their weapons remained uninjured; but this metonymy, by which what happened to them is represented as happening to their implements of war, is appropriate.

Some translate the word רשפים, reshaphim, points of weapons! Properly, it should be rendered fires; but it is more accurate to take it for arrows. Even birds are sometimes metaphorically so called because of their swiftness, and flying is attributed to arrows in Psalm 91:6.

It is further added (verse 4) that God is more glorious and terrible than the mountains of prey. By the mountains of prey, kingdoms distinguished by their violence and extortion are meant. We know that from the beginning, the one who engaged most in robbery and pillage was the man who most enlarged his borders and became greatest.

The Psalmist, therefore, here compares those great kings, who had acquired large dominions by violence and the shedding of human blood, to savage beasts that live only on prey. He compares their kingdoms to mountains covered with forests, inhabited by beasts accustomed to live by destroying other animals.

The enemies of God’s ancient people had been accustomed to make violent and furious assaults on Jerusalem; but it is affirmed that God greatly surpassed them all in power, so that the faithful might not be overwhelmed with terror.

The stout-hearted were spoiled, The power of God in destroying His enemies is exalted here by another form of expression. The verb אשתוללו, eshtolelu, which we translate were spoiled, is derived from שלל, shalal, and the letter א, aleph, is used instead of the letter ה, he. Some translate it as were made fools, but this is too forced.

I, however, admit that it has the same meaning, as if it had been said that they were deprived of wisdom and courage; but we must adhere to the proper meaning of the word. What is added in the second clause serves the same purpose: All the men of might have not found their hands; that is to say, they were as incapable of fighting as if their hands had been maimed or cut off.

In short, their strength, of which they boasted, was utterly overthrown.

The words, they slept their sleep, refer to the same subject, implying that while previously they were active and resolute, their hearts now failed them, and they were sunk asleep in sloth and listlessness.

The meaning, therefore, is that the enemies of the chosen people were deprived of that heroic courage of which they boasted and which inspired them with such audacity; and that, in consequence, neither mind, nor heart, nor hands—indeed, none of their mental or bodily faculties—could perform their function.

We are thus taught that all the gifts and power which men seem to possess are in God’s hand, so that He can, at any moment, deprive them of the wisdom He has given them, make their hearts effeminate, render their hands unfit for war, and annihilate their whole strength.

Not without reason are both the courage and power of these enemies magnified; the purpose of this is that the faithful might be led, by the contrast, to extol the power and working of God.

The same subject is further confirmed by the statement that the chariot and the horse were cast into a deep sleep at the rebuke of God. This implies that whatever activity characterized these enemies, it was rendered powerless simply by God’s nod.

Although, therefore, we may be deprived of all created means of help, let us rest content with God’s favor alone, accounting it all-sufficient, since He has no need of great armies to repel the assaults of the whole world, but is able, by the mere breath of His mouth, to subdue and dissipate all assailants.

Thou, even thou, art terrible. The repetition of the pronoun Thou, is intended to exclude all others from what is here affirmed of God, as if it had been said, Whatever power there is in the world, it immediately vanishes and is reduced to nothing when He comes forth and reveals Himself; and, therefore, He alone is terrible.

This is confirmed by the comparison added immediately after, which suggests that, although the wicked are so filled with pride as to be ready to burst with it, yet they are unable to endure the look and presence of God. But as He sometimes remains silent, and seems merely to look on as an idle spectator, it is clearly stated that as soon as He begins to be angry, ruin will be near all the wicked.

Although they may then for a time not only stand, but also rise above the clouds by their fury, we are here, nevertheless, admonished to wait for the time of wrath. Let us also note that this terror is denounced against the wicked in such a way that it sweetly draws all true believers to God.