PSALM 76 - VICTORIOUS WAR SONG
PSALM 76- VICTORIOUS WAR SONG
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
August 4, 2020, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Psalm 76 is a Jubilant War Song and a thanks for Victory. It is a celebration of the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us join with the Psalmist and rejoice in the victory in our present warfare which has already been accomplished by our Lord and Savior.
Jesus Christ is the Chief Musician as well as the Chief Shepherd and as well as the Chief Cornerstone.
This great song of victory has three movements. In the first, God is seen as the Defense of the people (verses 1-3). In the second, His victory over our enemies is declared (verses 4-9). In the third, the truth is summarized, and appeal is made to His people and the surrounding nations to change their attitude toward God (verses 10_12). It tells of Zion’s glory and Zion’s safety.
Psalm 76, TPT: God is well-known in the land of Judah. He is famous throughout Israel; making his home in Jerusalem, living here on Mount Zion, that’s where he smashes every weapon of war that comes against him. That’s where he uses the broken arrows as kindling for his mighty bonfire. God, you are so resplendent and radiant!
Your majesty shines from your everlasting mountain. Nothing could be compared to you in glory! Even the mightiest of men have been paralyzed by your presence.
They were so stunned and lifeless not even the strongest one could lift a hand.
When Jacob’s God roared his rebuke, soldiers and their steeds all fell to the ground, stunned and lying still. No wonder you are greatly feared! You are the awe-inspiring God! For who could ever stand before your face when your fierce anger burns and still live to tell about it. As the earth itself holds its breath in awe before you, judgment is decreed from heaven. You arise to punish evil and defend the gentle upon the earth (Pause in his presence).
You have power to transform man’s futile anger into praise. The fury of your enemies only causes your fame to increase. So, you’d better keep every promise you have ever made to the Awesome One, Jehovah God! Let everyone bring their extravagant gifts to him alone. He is famous for breaking the spirit of the powers that be. And the kings of the earth will know Him as the Fearsome One!
Psalm 76, K.J.V.: To the Chief Musician (Jesus Christ), Al-taschith (do not destroy), A Psalm or Song of Asaph.
Asaph means “collector, gatherer, harvester, assembler.” Asaph was a Levite, a son of Berachiah (1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17). He was eminent as a musician (Neh. 12:46; 1 Chron. 16:7). He was appointed by the “chief of the Levites” at the command of David, with two others, Neman and Ethan, to preside over a part of the sacred choral services of public worship (1 Chr. 15: 16-19). They had charge particularly of the worship as conducted with “cymbals of brass” (1 Chron. 15:19). The “sons of Asaph” are afterwards mentioned among the choristers of the Temple. Asaph was celebrated in after times as a prophet and a poet (2 Chron. 29:30; Neh. 12:46).
Psa. 76:1-2: In Judah (praise), God is known: His name is great in Israel. In Salem (Peace) also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion.
In praise, honesty, peace, and stability is victory! There the accusations and strategy of Satan are defeated.
Zion is where the Throne of God is eternally established and sure against all attacks of an enemy. Zion is the dwelling-place of god, where He is gloriously praised, where His doings are known. Zion is the place where God’s most glorious praise is known because there the fullness of salvation is known in the lives of the redeemed. Zion is the source of continual salvation. Those who discover Zion (the overcomers) know the fullness of salvation, and yet learn day by day more of an increasing fullness. Zion is the joy of the whole earth, experienced already by many, anticipated by others, travailed after by all.
76:3: There He broke the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
The “there” is in His Presence, He defeated Satan’s weapons of war. Just as we have been studying God’s divine weapons of warfare, Satan has counterfeit weapons. His arrows are fiery darts or shafts, lightnings of the bow which means a covenant with death and hell. This is why the Church must learn to agree with God’s weapons of war through prayer and as it is written in His Word.
Selah is a musical term, probably a musical directive which connects two passages between which it is placed.
76: 4-6: You are 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 your rebuke, O’ God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep
Zion is where the Lord is known in His greatness.
Mountains are metaphorical of kingdoms. The mountains of prey would speak of Satan’s evil kingdoms.
1Pe 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
The glory of God is powerful, shining, mighty, illustrious, noble and a brilliant light in the face of the mountains of prey. Zion is the perfection of beauty, out from which the light of God shines. As we studied in Jeremiah 51:48-56, the spoilers are one of God’s weapons in his armory to plunder and strip Satan’s earthly kingdoms/beast system. This describes all the holy wars in which God fought for His people. Originally Psalm 76 may have celebrated David’s capture of the Jebusite city and his defeat of the Philistines (2 Sam5).
However, I will reference God’s Holy War in 2 Kings 19:35 over the army of Sennacherib. The stouthearted are the mighty men of the king of Assyria. None of the demons have found their hands (cannot lift a hand). When the Lord rebukes our enemies, they are put to sleep (185,000 were killed in one night).
Divine government is set up as the LORD reigns in Zion as a result of His judgments over the wicked. Psalm 76 is the joyful song of the glory of God’s victory over our enemies.
Hezekiah was King of Judah. He was a Godly king and brought one of the greatest periods of restoration recorded in the Old Testament. He opened the doors of the temple and then repaired them. The temple was cleansed, and made an atonement for the Altar. Hezekiah consecrated the Priesthood, and ordered that the Passover be kept. The Word was taught and idolatry destroyed throughout the land. The priests were supported and the tithe and the offerings were brought in with the result of prosperity and great success. The Philistines were smitten. Then Assyria revolted, but Sennacherib’s great army was destroyed by God through the ministry of Isaiah, and Hezekiah’s faith in God. Here is the powerful ministry of priest/prophet and King.
The Lord sent an ANGEL, which cut off all the mighty men of the King of Assyria. The Angel of the Lord smote 185,000 during the night when they arose early in the morning, they were all dead corpses (2 Kings 19:35). Sennacherib returned in shame and dwelt in Nineveh. “As he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, his sons smote him with the sword.” The Lord saved and guided the King of Judah, and magnified Hezekiah as the nation’s brought him presents. Later Hezekiah’s pride of showing all his treasures to Babylon stirred God’s anger. Isaiah spoke judgment. Hezekiah and the people repented delaying Isaiah’s judgmental word.
At your rebuke, O God, both the chariot and the horse are cast into a deep sleep.
Psa. 76:7-9: You, even You, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your sight when once You are angry? You did 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.
In the great day of His wrath, who shall be able to stand? (Rev. 6:17) Zion is the place of rejoicing in the judgments of God, for in Zion men come to know a true perspective of God’s judgment and righteousness.
Psa. 76:10-12: Surely the wrath of man (Adam nature) shall praise you; the remainder of wrath shall You restrain. Vow, and pay to the LORD your God; let all that be round about Him bring presents to Him that ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of princes. He is terrible to the kings of the earth.
Zion is the place where praise to the Lord is perfected; a praise which arises out of a perfect rest in the Lord, so much so that silent expectation becomes praise to Him.
The phrase, “Him that ought to be feared” is one word in Hebrew, “mowra.” This points to the “He that says” in Revelation chapters two through three.
The princes are rulers in the flesh and demonic princes over areas
Isa 3:1For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water. The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
Rebels against God will be forced to acknowledge His authority. In view of God’s sovereign control over all our foes, people are urged both to promise and to bring offerings as tokens of how grateful we are. God time and again breaks the spirit of foreign rulers who could conquer His people and their land.
Zion has a King who reigns forever in a Kingdom which extends to all generations. Zion is known, not traced out with a boundary. Zion is a place of being in God. Zion is a present reality. Zion is the government of God in the earth.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church, 10115 West Hidden Lakes Lane, Richmond, TX 77406
Scripture from K.J.V. and T.P.T.