John Calvin Commentary Psalms 76:11

"Vow, and pay unto Jehovah your God: Let all that are round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared." — Psalms 76:11 (ASV)

Vow and pay to Jehovah your God. The faithful are now exhorted to the exercise of gratitude. Under the Law, it was customary for the Jews to vow sacrifices for special blessings God had bestowed on them. Through these vows, they solemnly acknowledged that their safety depended solely on him, and that they were entirely indebted to him for it. Accordingly, they are called again to engage in this religious practice; and by the word pay, it is intended to instill steadfastness—to teach them that they should not make merely a sudden and inconsiderate acknowledgement, but that they should also testify at all times that the remembrance of their deliverance was deeply fixed in their hearts.

Their most important task, no doubt, was to reflect seriously that God was the author of their salvation. However, it should still be noted that the solemn profession of religion, through which each person stimulates not only himself but also others to perform their duty, is far from being superfluous.

In the second clause, those addressed seem to be the neighboring nations; as if it had been said that such a special manifestation of God’s goodness was worthy of being celebrated even by foreign and uncircumcised nations. But it appears to me that the meaning most consistent with the context is that these words are addressed either to the Levites or to all the descendants of Abraham, both of whom are appropriately said to be round about God, both because the tabernacle was pitched in the midst of the camp as long as the Israelites traveled in the wilderness, and also because the resting-place assigned for the ark was Mount Zion, where the people were accustomed to gather from all the surrounding parts of the country.

And the Levites were entrusted with the care of the temple and were appointed to keep watch around it. The word למורא , lammora, is referred to God by the majority of interpreters, and they translate it terrible. The term fear is, however, sometimes taken in a passive sense for God himself.

If it is applied to the Gentiles and to irreligious people, the meaning will be that they will be tributaries to God; because, being stricken with fear, they will no longer dare to offer him any resistance. But it is more probable that this word has a reference to God, whom the prophet justly declares to be worthy of being feared, after having given such a remarkable proof of his power.