Message Notes

SSS 4 14 May 2023
Book 3
Psalms 73-89

Text: Psalm 76

To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.
1 In Judah God is known;
His name is great in Israel.

2 In Salem also is His tabernacle,
And His dwelling place in Zion.

3 There He broke the arrows of the bow,
The shield and sword of battle. Selah

4 You are more glorious and excellent
Than the mountains of prey.

5 The stout-hearted were plundered;
They have sunk into their sleep;
And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.

6 At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.

7 You, Yourself, are to be feared;
And who may stand in Your presence
When once You are angry?

8 You caused judgment to be heard from heaven;
The earth feared and was still,

9 When God arose to judgment,
To deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah

10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise You;
With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.

11 Make vows to the LORD your God, and pay them;
Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes;
He is awesome to the kings of the earth.

Psalm 76:1-12

THEME OF PSALM 76

1. It continues with the Theme of Psalm 75

2. Both Psalms deal with the subject of God’s Judgment

3. The specific focus of Psalm 76 is on the LORD Himself as the Judge

4. There appears to be a connection with Psalm 74-76

a) Psalm 74

The Psalmist brings the problem of Jerusalem being ravaged by invaders

b) Psalm 75

The LORD Himself gives a direct word about how He will judge the wicked

c) Psalm 76

The Psalmist responds to the word of the LORD concerning His judgment

JUDAH AND THE LORD

1 In Judah God is known;
His name is great in Israel.

2 In Salem also is His tabernacle,
And His dwelling place in Zion.

Psalm 76:1-2

1. An Affirmation is made

a) God is known in Judah

b) His name is great in all of Israel

c) In Salem (Jerusalem) is His tabernacle

d) His dwelling place is in Zion (Jerusalem)

2. This Affirmation

a) Well-grounded Biblically

b) These are truths that must cause the heart to rejoice

THE GLORY OF THE LORD

3 There He broke the arrows of the bow,
The shield and sword of battle. Selah

4 You are more glorious and excellent
Than the mountains of prey.

Psalm 76:3-4

1. God’s power had been displayed many times in the past

a) He had broken the power of the bow, the shield and the sword

b) These glorious facts build great confidence in Him

2. The Person of God

a) He is more glorious and excellent

b) Than the mighty enemies called “The mountains of prey”

i) The enemies were like predators

ii) They were mighty enough to be compared to “mountains”

iii) But they could not be compared to the LORD in power and majesty

THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL

5 The stout-hearted were plundered;
They have sunk into their sleep;
And none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.

6 At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.

7 You, Yourself, are to be feared;
And who may stand in Your presence
When once You are angry?

Psalm 76:5-7

1. The enemies described

a) They were called “stout-hearted”

b) They were called “mighty men”

c) They had horses and chariots

2. Before an angry God

a) They were plundered (defeated)

b) They were cast into “a deep sleep”

c) They were rebuked by the LORD

d) They could not stand in the presence of God

e) The LORD is to be feared!

THE JUDGMENT OF GOD

8 You caused judgment to be heard from heaven;
The earth feared and was still,

9 When God arose to judgment,
To deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah

Psalm 76:8-9

1. When God rises up to judge

a) He would cause His judgment to be heard from heaven

b) The earth would hear that judgment and be still before God

2. Why God would rise up to judge

a) To deliver all the oppressed

b) To uphold justice

c) To cause man to fear Him

d) To cause His people to trust in Him even more deeply

VARIED RESPONSES TO GOD’S JUDGMENT

10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise You;
With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.

11 Make vows to the LORD your God, and pay them;
Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.

12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes;
He is awesome to the kings of the earth.

Psalm 76:10-12

1. Some would respond with anger towards God

a) The wrath of man is impotent

b) It would result in the praise of God

c) The wrath of man would be another reason why God would gird Himself to come and judge the wicked

2. Others would make vows to God

a) Some vows are made out of fear

b) But all vows are to be paid

c) Vows often include “presents” (offerings) to God

d) The LORD is not to be trifled with but to be feared

3. The correct view of God

a) He has the power to cut off the princes of the earth

b) He is awesome to all the kings of the earth

c) Princes and kings cannot be compared to the LORD