Psalms 76:7

76:7-12 God's people are the meek of the earth, the quiet in the land, that 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, shall not be suffered 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 shall cut off the spirit of princes; he shall 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.

Thou, even thou, art to be feared,.... By his own people with reverence and godly fear, because of his greatness and goodness; and to be dreaded by his enemies; which seems to be the sense here, as appears by what follows: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? or "from the moment thou art angry" (b); so the Targum, from the "time", and Jarchi, from the "hour": that is, as soon as ever his anger begins, when it is kindled but a little, and how much less when it burns in its full strength? there is no standing before his justice, and at his judgment seat, with boldness and confidence, and so as to succeed, or come off acquitted, without having on his righteousness; and much less is there any standing before his wrath and fury, when his hand takes hold on judgment to execute it; see Nahum 1:6. (b) "ex quo irasceris", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "a momento, vel tempore irae tuae", Michaelis.

Psalm 76:7 . Thou, even thou, art to be feared — Thy majesty is to be reverenced, thy sovereignty to be submitted to, and thy justice to be dreaded, by those that have offended thee. Let all the world learn, by this event, to stand in awe of the great God. Who may stand in thy sight — Namely, to contend with thee? Standing is here opposed to flight from, or falling before, the enemy. Surely, “neither the wisdom of the wise, nor the power of the mighty, no, nor the world itself, can stand a single moment before him when once he is angry.” If God be a consuming fire, how can the chaff and the stubble stand before him, though his wrath be kindled but a little? “Yet men continue to dread any frowns but those of heaven; and one poor, vain, sinful man shall, through a course of sixty or seventy years, incessantly and undauntedly tempt and provoke him who destroyed one hundred and eighty-five thousand in a night. What is this but madness?” — Horne.

Verse 7. - Thou, even thou, art to be feared. God is to he feared as well as loved. Only "perfect love casteth out fear" ( 1 John 4:18 ), and "perfect love" is not for mortals. And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? literally, from the time of thine anger (comp. Exodus 5:23 ; Joshua 14:10 ). Psalm 76:7

Thou, even thou, art to be feared - To be had in reverence or veneration. The repetition of the word "thou" is emphatic, as if the mind paused at the mention of God, and remained in a state of reverence, repeating the thought. The particular "reason" suggested here why God should be had in reverence, was the display of his power in overthrowing by a word the mighty hosts that had come against the holy city. And who may stand in thy sight - Who can stand before thee? implying that no one had the power to do it. "When once thou art angry." If such armies have been overcome suddenly by thy might, then what power is there which could successfully resist thee?

Nahum also ( Psalm 1:6 ) draws the same inference from the defeat of Sennacherib as the psalmist does in Psalm 76:8 . מאז אפּך (cf. Ruth 2:7 ; Jeremiah 44:18 ), from the decisive turning-point onwards, from the אז in Psalm 2:5 , when Thine anger breaks forth. God sent forth His judiciary word from heaven into the midst of the din of war of the hostile world: immediately (cf. on the sequence of the tenses Psalm 48:6 , and on Habakkuk 3:10 ) it was silenced, the earth was seized with fear, and its tumult was obliged to cease, when, namely, God arose on behalf of His disquieted, suffering people, when He spoke as we read in Isaiah 33:10 , and fulfilled the prayer offered in extreme need in Isaiah 33:2 .

[Bible] 75:7. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, they have all slumbered that mounted on horseback. 75:8. Thou art terrible, and who shall resist thee? from that time thy wrath. From that time, etc... From the time that thy wrath shall break out. 75:9. Thou hast caused judgment to be heard from heaven: the earth trembled and was still, 75:10. When God arose in judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. 75:11. For the thought of man shall give praise to thee: and the remainders of the thought shall keep holiday to thee. 75:12. Vow ye, and pay to the Lord your God: all you that are round about him bring presents. To him that is terrible, 75:13. Even to him who taketh away the spirit of princes: to the terrible with the kings of the earth. Psalms Chapter 76 Voce mea. The faithful have recourse to God in trouble of mind, with confidence in his mercy and power. 76:1. Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of Asaph. 76:2. I cried to the Lord with my voice; to God with my voice, and he gave ear to me. 76:3. In the days of my trouble I sought God, with my hands lifted up to him in the night, and I was not deceived. My soul refused to be comforted: 76:4. I remembered God, and was delighted, and was exercised, and my spirit swooned away. 76:5. My eyes prevented the watches: I was troubled, and I spoke not. 76:6. I thought upon the days of old: and I had in my mind the eternal years. 76:7. And I meditated in the night with my own heart: and I was exercised and I swept my spirit. 76:8. Will God then cast off for ever? or will he never be more favourable again? 76:9. Or will he cut off his mercy for ever, from generation to generation? 76:10. Or will God forget to shew mercy? or will he in his anger shut up his mercies? 76:11. And I said, Now have I begun: this is the change of the right hand of the most High. 76:12. I remembered the works of the Lord: for I will be mindful of thy wonders from the beginning. 76:13. And I will meditate on all thy works: and will be employed in thy inventions.

[Hymns] 6 When thy rebuke, O Jacob's God, had forth against them past, Their horses and their chariots both were in a dead sleep cast. 7 Thou, Lord, ev'n thou art he that should be fear'd; and who is he That may stand up before thy sight, if once thou angry be? 8 From heav'n thou judgment caus'd be heard; the earth was still with fear, 9 When God to judgment rose, to save all meek on earth that were. 10 Surely the very wrath of man unto thy praise redounds: Thou to the remnant of his wrath wilt set restraining bounds. 11 Vow to the Lord your God, and pay: all ye that near him be, Bring gifts and presents unto him; for to be fear'd is he. 12 By him the sp'rits shall be cut off of those that princes are: Unto the kings that are on earth he fearful doth appear. Psalm 77 To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. 1 Unto the Lord I with my voice, I unto God did cry; Ev'n with my voice, and unto me his ear he did apply. 2 I in my trouble sought the Lord, my sore by night did run, And ceased not; my grieved soul did consolation shun. 3 I to remembrance God did call, yet trouble did remain; And overwhelm'd my spirit was, whilst I did sore complain. 4 Mine eyes, debarr'd from rest and sleep, thou makest still to wake; My trouble is so great that I unable am to speak. 5 The days of old to mind I call'd, and oft did think upon The times and ages that are past full many years agone.