For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 76

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 fulfil them;
    let all the neighbouring 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.

A. Find Out:    

1. Where is God known and where is His dwelling place? v.1,2
2. What did He do there? v.3,5,6
3. How is He described? v.4
4. What responses does His activity evoke? v.7-10
5. What exhortation is given as a result? v.11
6. Why? v.12

B. Think:

1. What particular activity of the Lord is at the heart of this psalm?
2. What does that say about Him?
3. What does it say about what our response to Him should be?

C. Comment:

This is a psalm about the might and power of God as it is directed against His enemies, the enemies of Israel. Asaph first focuses the Lord’s activity on Zion or Salem or Jerusalem, the various names by which the chief city of Israel went by (v.1,2). Immediately he speaks of the Lord’s activity in coming against soldiers in war (v.2), utterly defeating them (v.5,6). The Lord simply has to speak a word (v.6) and they are brought down. The Lord stands above all the inhabitants of the earth dressed in light (v.4) and clearly stands out as The Glorious One.

As the psalmist ponders what has happened (for obviously he has some past example in mind where the Lord came and delivered Jerusalem), he declares that no one can stand before the Lord (v.7) when the Lord is roused on Jerusalem ‘s behalf. He speaks a word of judgement from heaven against His enemies (v.8) and all was quiet in the anticipation of His awful power being released in the land on Jerusalem’s behalf (v.8,9). At the end of His activity there is praise from His people (v.10).

With this in mind, the psalmist calls to all who hear him, and calls us to commit ourselves to the Lord and come into a right relationship with the Lord (v.11). For why? Because if we don’t the Lord will deal with us as He does with all who oppose Him (implied).

D. Application:

1. The Lord fights on the side of His people.
2. We need to ensure we truly are His people.