Psalm 76
Psalm 76 (Greek numbering: Psalm 75) is the 76th psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms. It refers to the "Majesty of God in Judgment".[1] The Jerusalem Bible regards it as an "ode to God the awe-inspiring".[2]
Text[edit]
Hebrew Bible version[edit]
Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 76:[3]
Verse | Hebrew |
---|---|
1 | לַֽמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֑ת מִזְמ֖וֹר לְאָסָ֣ף שִֽׁיר |
2 | נוֹדָ֣ע בִּֽיהוּדָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֜יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל גָּד֥וֹל שְׁמֽוֹ |
3 | וַיְהִ֣י בְשָׁלֵ֣ם סוּכּ֑וֹ וּמְע֖וֹנָת֣וֹ בְצִיּֽוֹן |
4 | שָׁמָּה שִׁבַּ֣ר רִשְׁפֵי־קָ֑שֶׁת מָגֵ֨ן וְחֶ֖רֶב וּמִלְחָמָ֣ה סֶֽלָה |
5 | נָאוֹר אַתָּ֥ה אַדִּ֗יר מֵֽהַרְרֵי־טָֽרֶף |
6 | אֶשְׁתּ֚וֹלְל֨וּ | אַבִּ֬ירֵי לֵ֗ב נָמ֥וּ שְׁנָתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־מָֽצְא֖וּ כָל־אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֣יִל יְדֵיהֶֽם |
7 | מִגַּֽעֲרָ֣תְךָ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב נִ֜רְדָּ֗ם וְרֶ֣כֶב וָסֽוּס |
8 | אַתָּ֚ה | נ֥וֹרָא אַ֗תָּה וּמִי־יַֽעֲמֹ֥ד לְ֜פָנֶ֗יךָ מֵאָ֥ז אַפֶּֽךָ |
9 | מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמַ֣עְתָּ דִּ֑ין אֶ֖רֶץ יָֽרְאָ֣ה וְשָׁקָֽטָה |
10 | בְּקוּם־לַמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט אֱלֹהִ֑ים לְהוֹשִׁ֖יעַ כָּל־עַנְוֵי־אֶ֣רֶץ סֶֽלָה |
11 | כִּֽי־חֲמַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם תּוֹדֶ֑ךָּ שְׁאֵרִ֖ית חֵמֹ֣ת תַּחְגֹּֽר |
12 | נִֽדְר֣וּ וְשַׁלְּמוּ֘ לַֽיהֹוָ֪ה אֱֽלֹֽהֵ֫יכֶ֥ם כָּל־סְבִיבָ֑יו יֹבִ֖ילוּ שַׁ֣י לַמּוֹרָֽא |
13 | יִבְצֹר ר֣וּחַ נְגִידִ֑ים נ֜וֹרָ֗א לְמַלְכֵי־אָֽרֶץ |
King James Version[edit]
The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.
- To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.
- In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.
- In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.
- There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
- Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
- The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.
- At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
- Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
- Thou didst cause judgment 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 remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
- Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
- He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.
Verse numbering[edit]
In the Hebrew Bible, Psalm 76:1 comprises the designation
- To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph. (KJV)
From then on verses 2–13 in the Hebrew text correspond to verses 1–12 in English versions.
Commentary[edit]
This psalm shares some similarities with Psalms 46 and 48, and has been interpreted as:[4]
- a celebration of Israelite victory over their enemies
- a part of the New Year Festival in Jerusalem
- a prophecy of God's future victory,
- a post-exilic praise.
The division of the text (e.g., in the New Revised Standard Version) is usually:
- verses 1–3: praise God who chose Zion as his dwelling and defended his city
- verses 4–6: describe God's victory
- verses 7–9: portray 'a judge who saves the humble'
- verses 10–12: declare that all human beings will worship YHWH and tell them to perform their vows.[4]
According to Gordon Churchyard in the EasyEnglish Translation of the Psalms, this psalm explains that Judah and Israel are both names for God's chosen people.[5] The Jerusalem Bible suggests that the psalm "apparently refers to the defeat of Sennacherib in 701 BC at the gates of Jerusalem":[6] see also Assyrian siege of Jerusalem.
The Sela in verses 3 and 9 provides a 'threefold structure' with the middle section focusing on the 'description of God'.[4]
Uses[edit]
Judaism[edit]
Musical settings[edit]
Marc-Antoine Charpentier set :
- "Notus in Judea Deus" H.179, for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo (1681),
- "Notus in Judea Deus" H.219, for soloists, chorus, flutes, strings and continuo (? early1690s).
Jean-Baptiste Lully set: LWV 77 - Notus in Iudea Deus, motet
References[edit]
- ^ Sub-title in the New King James Version at Psalm 76
- ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), sub-title to Psalm 76
- ^ "Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 76". Chabad.org. 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- ^ a b c Rodd, C. S. (2007). "18. Psalms". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 388. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ Churchyard, G., The Story of Psalm 76, Wycliffe Associates, published January 2002, accessed 1 March 2022
- ^ Jerusalem Bible, footnote a at Psalm 76
- ^ The Artscroll Tehillim, page 329
External links[edit]
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