Psalm-76
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Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of Thy Law!
Tehillim - Psalm 119:18..
(JPS-1917
version of the Tanakh).
Please
Note: Some
alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’
of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth
from our beloved Torah!
“Ye
shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2.
However, sadly both the later priests as well as our rabbis of long ago have shamefully disobeyed this command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ – ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben
Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Foreword:
Psalm 76 is a majestic
“Song of Zion”. It serves as a powerful companion to Psalm 75; while the
previous Psalm spoke of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God)
as the Judge of the future, Psalm 76 celebrates Him as the Victor of the past.
It is a hymn of awe, commemorating a moment when the “mighty men” of the earth
were rendered powerless by a single word from the
Divine.
Introduction:
The Majesty of the Victor:
Psalm 76 is a “Song of
Asaph” that focuses on the theme of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
dwelling place. It begins by establishing that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
presence is known in Judah and His “tabernacle” is in Salem (Jerusalem). The
Psalm describes a great battle where the weapons of war the bow, the shield,
and the sword, are shattered not by human hands, but by the sheer “rebuke” of אֱלֹהִים.
It is a study in Divine Awe, teaching us that no earthly power can stand when
the True King decides to make His judgment heard from heaven.
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Tehillim-Psalm Chapter 76: (JPS-1917 version
of the Tanakh).
1. For the Leader; with string-music. A Psalm
of Asaph, a Song.
2. In Judah is אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim known; His Name is great in Israel.
3. In Salem also is set His tabernacle, and His
dwelling-place in Zion.
4. There He broke the fiery shafts of the bow; the
shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah
5. Glorious art Thou and excellent, coming down from
the mountains of prey.
6. The stout-hearted are bereft of sense, they sleep
their sleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands.
7. At Thy rebuke, O אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim of Jacob, they are cast into a dead sleep, the
riders also and the horses.
8. Thou, even Thou, art terrible; and who may stand
in Thy sight when once Thou art angry?
9. Thou didst cause sentence to be heard from heaven;
the earth feared, and was still,
10. When אֱלֹהִים arose to judgment, to save all the humble
of the earth. Selah
11. Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee; the
residue of wrath shalt Thou gird upon Thee.
12. Vow, and pay unto אֱלֹהֵיכֶם-
יְהוָה- the LORD your Elohim; let all that are round
about Him bring presents unto Him that is to be feared;
13. He minisheth the spirit
of princes; He is terrible to the kings of the earth.
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Next is the ‘verse by verse’ item with a commentary:
The Presence of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (Verses 1-3).
v. 1: “In Judah is אֱלֹהִים known; His Name is great in
Israel”.
אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is not an abstract concept; He is known through His relationship with His people.
v. 2: “In Salem also is set His בית
המקדש - the Tabernacle,
and His dwelling-place in Zion”.
“Salem” is the ancient
name for Jerusalem, meaning “Peace”.
אֱלֹהִים chooses a place of peace for His dwelling.
v. 3: “There brake
He the fiery shafts of the bow; the shield, and the sword, and the battle.
Selah”.
The weapons of war are “broken” at the gates of the Divine presence.
The Radiance
of the Judge (Verses 4-7).
v. 4: “Glorious art
Thou and mightier than the mountains of prey”.
אֱלֹהִים is more permanent and powerful than the “mountains” (empires) that live by hunting and conquering others.
v. 5: “The
stout-hearted are bereft of spoil, they have slept their sleep; and none of the
men of might have found their hands”.
The “mighty men” found themselves paralyzed, unable to even lift a hand when the moment of judgment came.
v. 6: “At Thy rebuke, O אֱלֹהִים - Elohim of Jacob, they are cast into a dead
sleep, the chariot as well as the horse”.
The technology of war (chariots) and the strength of the animal (horse) are silenced by a single rebuke.
v. 7: “Thou, even
Thou, art terrible; and who may stand in Thy sight when once Thou art angry?”
“Terrible” here means “Awe-inspiring”.It is the realization of human insignificance before the Infinite.
The
Judgment from Heaven (Verses 8-10).
v. 8: “Thou didst
cause sentence to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still”.
When אֱלֹהִים speaks, the chaotic noise of the world falls into a profound, fearful silence.
v. 9: “When אֱלֹהִים arose to judgment, to save all the humble of
the earth. Selah”.
The purpose of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s power is always the salvation of the ‘Anavim’, the humble and the oppressed.
v. 10: “Surely the
wrath of man shall praise Thee; the residue of wrath shalt Thou gird
upon Thee”.
Even the anger of wicked men eventually serves אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s purpose, turning into a source of His ultimate praise.
The Call to Worship (Verses 11-13).
v. 11: “Vow,
and pay unto אֱלֹהֵיכֶם-
יְהוָה- the LORD your Elohim;
let all that are round about Him bring presents unto Him that is to be feared”.
A call to action: commitment and gratitude are the proper responses to אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s protection.
v. 12: “He
withdraweth the spirit of princes; He is terrible to the kings of the
earth”.
The “spirit” (the breath or pride) of rulers is in אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s hand. He remains the King over all kings.
v. 13: “He cutteth
off the spirit of princes; He is terrible to the kings of the earth”.
This final verse serves as a powerful bookend to the Psalm. The word “cutteth off” (yivtzor) is often used in the context of a grape harvester pruning a vine. It suggests that אֱלֹהִים removes the arrogance and life-force of earthly rulers with the same ease and precision as a gardener. It reinforces that no matter how high a “king of the earth” may rise, they are always subject to the “Awe” (Nora) of the King of Kings.
Here
are some “Key Themes” of Psalm 76:
|
Theme |
Verse Reference |
Spiritual Application |
|
Divine Dwelling |
Verses 1-2 |
אֱלֹהִים is “known” where His people
invite Him to dwell. |
|
Disarming the Enemy |
Verse 3 & 6 |
Our battles are won by אֱלֹהִים Elohim’s “rebuke”, not our own weapons. |
|
Victory for the
Humble |
Verse 9 |
אֱלֹהִים Elohim’s strength is specifically used to protect the lowly. |
|
Universal
Sovereignty |
Verse 12 |
No earthly
authority is exempt from Divine accountability. |
My Closing Message: “The Silence of Peace”:
Psalm 76 reminds us that there is a power far greater than the “fiery shafts” of the world’s conflicts. The world is often loud with the sound of “shields and swords”, the debates, the threats, and the displays of might. However, the Psalmist assures us that when אֱלֹהִים arises, the earth becomes “still” (Verse 8).
The lesson for us
today is to find our “Salem”, our place of peace, within the presence of אֱלֹהִים.
When we feel overwhelmed by the “men of might” or the “mountains of prey”, we
must remember that אֱלֹהִים – Elohim is
“mightier than the mountains”. He is the one who “breaks the bow” and saves the
humble. Let your life be a “vow” paid in gratitude to the One who holds the
spirit of princes in His hand!
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk
in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My
Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I
am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
- the LORD your Eloheichem”.
Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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follows;
“The More Torah, the More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,
He
is the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts.
be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as
well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim -
Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers)
and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s
(blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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