Psalm 76


Psalm 76 is the 76th psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms. This psalm explains that Judah and Israel are both names for chosen people.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 76:
VerseHebrew
1לַֽמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֑ת מִזְמ֖וֹר לְאָסָ֣ף שִֽׁיר
2נוֹדָ֣ע בִּֽיהוּדָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֜יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל גָּד֥וֹל שְׁמֽוֹ
3וַיְהִ֣י בְשָׁלֵ֣ם סוּכּ֑וֹ וּמְע֖וֹנָת֣וֹ בְצִיּֽוֹן
4שָׁמָּה שִׁבַּ֣ר רִשְׁפֵי־קָ֑שֶׁת מָגֵ֨ן וְחֶ֖רֶב וּמִלְחָמָ֣ה סֶֽלָה
5נָאוֹר אַתָּ֥ה אַדִּ֗יר מֵֽהַרְרֵי־טָֽרֶף
6אַבִּ֬ירֵי לֵ֗ב נָמ֥וּ שְׁנָתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־מָֽצְא֖וּ כָל־אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֣יִל יְדֵיהֶֽם
7מִגַּֽעֲרָ֣תְךָ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב נִ֜רְדָּ֗ם וְרֶ֣כֶב וָסֽוּס
8נ֥וֹרָא אַ֗תָּה וּמִי־יַֽעֲמֹ֥ד לְ֜פָנֶ֗יךָ מֵאָ֥ז אַפֶּֽךָ
9מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמַ֣עְתָּ דִּ֑ין אֶ֖רֶץ יָֽרְאָ֣ה וְשָׁקָֽטָה
10בְּקוּם־לַמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט אֱלֹהִ֑ים לְהוֹשִׁ֖יעַ כָּל־עַנְוֵי־אֶ֣רֶץ סֶֽלָה
11כִּֽי־חֲמַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם תּוֹדֶ֑ךָּ שְׁאֵרִ֖ית חֵמֹ֣ת תַּחְגֹּֽר
12נִֽדְר֣וּ וְשַׁלְּמוּ֘ לַֽיהֹוָ֪ה אֱֽלֹֽהֵ֫יכֶ֥ם כָּל־סְבִיבָ֑יו יֹבִ֖ילוּ שַׁ֣י לַמּוֹרָֽא
13יִבְצֹר ר֣וּחַ נְגִידִ֑ים נ֜וֹרָ֗א לְמַלְכֵי־אָֽרֶץ

King James Version

The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.
  1. In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.
  2. In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.
  3. There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
  4. Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
  5. The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.
  6. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
  7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
  8. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
  9. When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.
  10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
  11. Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
  12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

    Verse numbering

In the Hebrew Bible, Psalm 76:1 comprises the designation
From then on Psalm 76:1–12 in English versions correspond to verses 2–13 in the Hebrew text.

Commentary

This psalm shares some similarities with Psalm 46 and 48, and has been interpreted as:
  1. a celebration of Israelite victory over their enemies
  2. a part of the New Year Festival in Jerusalem
  3. a prophecy of God's future victory,
  4. a post-exilic praise.
The division of the text is usually:
  1. verses 1–3: praise God who chose Zion as his dwelling and defended his city
  2. verses 4–6: describe God's victory
  3. verses 7–9: portray 'a judge who saves the humble'
  4. verses 10–12: declare that all human beings will worship YHWH and tell them to perform their vows.
The Sela in verses 3 and 9 provides a 'threefold structure' with the middle section focusing on the 'description of God'.

Uses

Judaism