Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 76
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 76
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 76
"In Judah is God known: His name is great in Israel. In Salem also is his tabernacle, And his dwelling-place in Zion. There he brake the arrows of the bow; The shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah Glorious art thou [and] excellent, From the mountains of prey. The stouthearted are made a spoil, They have slept their sleep; And none of the men of might have found their hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, Both chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep." — Psalms 76:1-6 (ASV)
Happy people are those who have their land filled with the knowledge of God! Happy persons who have their hearts filled with that knowledge! It is the glory and happiness of a people to have God among them by His ordinances. Where the enemies of the church act proudly, it will appear that God is above them. See the power of God's rebukes. Christians may with pleasure apply this to the advantages bestowed by the Redeemer.
"Thou, even thou, art to be feared; And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? Thou didst cause sentence to be heard from heaven; The earth feared, and was still, When God arose to judgment, To save all the meek of the earth. Selah Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: The residue of wrath shalt thou gird upon thee. Vow, and pay unto Jehovah your God: Let all that are round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. He will cut off the spirit of princes: He is terrible to the kings of the earth. " — Psalms 76:7-12 (ASV)
God's people are the meek of the earth, the quiet in the land, who suffer wrong but do none. The righteous God seems to keep silence long, yet, sooner or later, he will make judgment to be heard. We live in an angry, provoking world; we often feel much, and are apt to fear more, from the wrath of man.
What will not turn to his praise, will not be permitted to break out. He can set bounds to the wrath of man, as he does to the raging sea; hitherto it shall come, and no further. Let all submit to God. Our prayers and praises, and especially our hearts, are the presents we should bring to the Lord.
His name is glorious, and he is the proper object of our fear. He will cut off the spirit of princes; he will slip it off easily, as we slip off a flower from the stalk, or a bunch of grapes from the vine; so the word signifies. He can dispirit the most daring: since there is no contending with God, it is our wisdom, as it is our duty, to submit to him.
Let us seek his favour as our portion, and commit all our concerns to him.
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