Read Psalm 76
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1 God is renowned in Judah;
in Israel his name is great.
2 His tent is in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.
4 You are radiant with light,
more majestic than mountains rich with game.
5 The valiant lie plundered,
they sleep their last sleep;
not one of the warriors
can lift his hands.
6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob,
both horse and chariot lie still.
7 It is you alone who are to be feared.
Who can stand before you when you are angry?
8 From heaven you pronounced judgment,
and the land feared and was quiet—
9 when you, God, rose up to judge,
to save all the afflicted of the land.
10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,
and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.
11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;
let all the neighboring lands
bring gifts to the One to be feared.
12 He breaks the spirit of rulers;
he is feared by the kings of the earth.
Go Deeper
Psalm 76 is a psalm of praise and a victory hymn. It highlights the greatness and awe of God, and shows us what the proper response to His greatness is⏤praise! The author, Asaph, writes this psalm in response to a battle victory. It may have been written in response to the particular victory in 2 Kings 19:35, but the lack of specificity allows for these words to be used more generally for celebrating any victory that the Lord gives.
Over and over again in Scripture, we see God fight on behalf of His people. Victory is always His. Psalm 20:6-7 says, “Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” As God’s people, we can trust that He will fight on our behalf.
The first two verses of this psalm are particularly powerful: “God is renowned in Judah; in Israel his name is great. His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.” God is renowned or known in Judah. This all powerful God who gives victory in battle also chooses to make Himself known to His people. Salem is the ancient name for Jerusalem, and it means city of peace. He makes His tent or home there, in Jerusalem, with His people, bringing peace to them as He dwells. He has both revealed Himself to His people and chosen to dwell with them.
In the Old Testament, God chose to dwell with His people in Jerusalem. Then, He sent His Son to dwell on earth. John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Today, He has sent His Spirit to dwell in each and every believer. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).
We have access to a holy God, not because of anything we’ve done, but because He made a way to live with us. Throughout history, God chooses to dwell with His people and bring them peace. He’s choosing to do that same thing with you today.
Questions
- What do you need to release control of and trust God to fight for you and bring victory?
- For what victories can you praise God and rejoice? Write them down, and worship God for who He is and what He’s done.
- God makes Himself known to and dwells with His people. Have you invited His presence to dwell with you and bring you peace?
Listen to This
Listen to the song “Slow Down” by Jonathan Ogden. Enjoy this song and rest in knowing that God is in control.
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1 thought on “Psalm 76”
V4 says “You are radiant with light”. His truth and power are unmatched by any other thing. All in heaven and on earth must bow to his authority. In John 1:4 & 9 we see “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…the true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” Yesterday as we studied Psalm 23 at HCBC, JP shared about the symbolism of the rod & staff:
Rod-protects & corrects (the Word of God)
Staff-saves & directs (the Holy Spirit)
Today, I will trust God to illuminate my ever winding path by his Word and the Holy Spirit, inviting his presence into the moments of my day, for I surely need his light to guide my steps.