I. God’s Nearness to His People (76:1-3)
II. God’s Deliverance of His People (76:4-9)
III. God’s Majesty to His People (76:10-12)
76:Title. Asaph. See notes on Pss. 50, 73, 74:Title.
76:3 broke the arrows…shield…sword. God destroyed the enemy’s weapons.
76:4 mountains of prey. Probably a poetic description of the attackers.
76:5 the use of their hands. God had crippled the enemy soldiers.
76:10 wrath of man shall praise You. The railings against God and His people are turned into praise to God when God providentially brings the wicked down (cf. Is. 36:4–20; Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:28).
76:12 cut off the spirit of princes. God shatters the attitude of proud governmental leaders who rebel against Him.
Psalm 77
77:1–20 This psalm illustrates one cure for depression. The psalmist does not explain the cause of his despair, but he was definitely locked into gloom. When he thought about God, it only caused him to complain bitterly. But beginning in v. 10, the psalmist’s mood starts to change because he commits himself to focusing on God’s goodness and past acts of deliverance. His lament then changes into a hymn of praise.
I. The Irritations of a Depressed Soul (77:1-9)
II. The Intention to Refocus the Mind (77:10-15)
III. The Illustrations of God’s Past Blessings (77:16-20)
77:Title. Jeduthun. See note on Ps. 39:Title.
77:2 hand was stretched out. This was the posture for prayer. The psalmist prayed throughout the night.
77:4 hold my eyelids open. The psalmist was so upset that he could neither sleep nor talk rationally.
77:6 my song in the night. The remembrance of happier times only deepened his depression. spirit makes diligent search. His spirit continually meditated on possible solutions to his problems.
77:10 years of the right hand of the Most High. The psalmist began to remember the times when God used His right hand (power) to strengthen and protect him.
77:16 waters…were afraid. A dramatic picture of God’s parting the waters of the Red Sea (cf. v. 19; also Ex. 14:21–31; 15:1–19).
77:17 Your arrows. A metaphor for lightning flashes.
Psalm 78
78:1–72 This didactic psalm was written to teach the children how gracious God had been in the past in spite of their ancestors’ rebellion and ingratitude. If the children learn well the theological interpretation of their nation’s history, hopefully they would “not be like their fathers” (v. 8). The psalmist especially focuses on the history of the Exodus.
I. Exhortation on the Instruction of Children (78:1-11)
II. Lecture on the Graciousness of God (78:12-72)
A. Rehearsal of Israel’s History (78:12-39)
B. Reiteration of Historical Lessons (78:40-72)
78:2 parable. The word is used here in the broader sense of a story with moral and spiritual applications. dark sayings. Puzzling, ambiguous information. The lessons of history are not easily discerned correctly. For an infallible interpretation of history, there must be a prophet. The specific puzzle in Israel’s history is the nation’s rebellious spirit in spite of God’s grace.
78:9 children of Ephraim. The act of treachery or apostasy of this largest of the northern tribes is not specifically identified in Israel’s history.
78:12 field of Zoan. The regions of Zoan, an Egyptian city.
78:13 waters stand up like a heap. The parting of the Red Sea at the beginning of the Exodus, which allowed Israel to escape from the Egyptian armies, was always considered by the OT saints to be the most spectacular miracle of their history (cf. Ex. 14).
78:15 split the rocks. Twice in the wilderness, when Israel desperately needed a great water supply, God brought water out of rocks (cf. Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:11).
78:18 the food of their fancy. Instead of being grateful for God’s marvelous provisions of manna, the Israelites complained against God and Moses. God sent them meat, but also judged them (Num. 11).
78:19 prepare a table in the wilderness. The answer was “yes,” but the question implied a sarcastic lack of faith.
78:27 rained meat. A poetic description of the quail which dropped into Israel’s camp in the wilderness (Num. 11:31–35).
78:41 limited the Holy One. The Israelites did this by doubting God’s power.
78:42 did not remember His power. The generations of Israelites which left Egypt and eventually died in the wilderness were characterized by ignoring God’s previous acts of power and faithfulness. The following verses (vv. 42–55) rehearse the plagues and miracles of the Exodus from Egypt, which marvelously demonstrated God’s omnipotence and covenant love.
78:57 deceitful bow. This is a useless bow.
78:60 tabernacle of Shiloh. Shiloh was an early location of Jehovah worship in the Promised Land. The capture and removal of the ark from Shiloh by the Philistines symbolized God’s judgment (cf. Josh. 18:1; 1 Sam. 1:9; 3:1; 4:1–22).
78:65 mighty man…wine. The picture is that of a furious, raging warrior entering the battle on Israel’s side.
78:68 the tribe of Judah. Instead of the prestigious tribes, God chose Judah. In Judah was Mt. Zion where the central worship center of Jehovah was located. Also, David their king, as well as his royal descendants, were from this tribe.
Psalm 79
79:1–13 The historical basis for this lament psalm was probably Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of the temple in 586 B.C. (cf. Ps. 74; 2 Kin. 25:8–21; Lam. 1–5). The psalm contains prayer for the nation’s spiritual needs, curses against the enemies of God’s people, and praises in anticipation of God’s actions. The psalm helps the believer express his anguish in a disaster when it seems as though God is aloof.
I. The Lamentation Over the National Disaster (79:1-4)
II. The Supplication for Divine Intervention (79:5-13)
A. The Prayer for Vindication (79:5-7)
B. The Prayer for Forgiveness (79:8, 9)
C. The Prayer for Reprisal (79:10-12)
D. The Praise for Response (79:13)
79:1 nations. In this context, the word refers to heathen, pagan people. inheritance. The inheritance of God was national Israel, and specifically its capital city, Jerusalem, where the temple was located.
79:9 atonement. See Ps. 65:3. For Your name’s sake. A defeat of a nation was believed to be a defeat of its god. A mark of spiritual maturity is one’s concern for the reputation of God.
79:10 “Where is their God?” The heathen were mocking Israel’s God by saying that the destruction of the nation implied that its God was nonexistent.
79:11 appointed to die. A prayer for the preservation of the prisoners awaiting execution in the enemy’s dungeon.
79:12 sevenfold into their bosom. A petition that God would restore His reputation by bringing a destruction of the enemies much worse than what had happened to Israel.
Psalm 80
80:1–19 This psalm was probably written from Jerusalem in astonishment at the captivity of the 10 northern tribes in 722 B.C. The psalmist recognized that God’s people had removed themselves through apostasy from the blessings of the Mosaic Covenant. So he begs God to act and to restore His people into covenant blessings (vv. 3, 7, 14, 19).
I. Prayer for Divine Restoration (80:1-3)
II. Despair over God’s Anger (80:4-7)
III. Description of God’s Vine (80:8-16a)
IV. Prayer for Divine Restoration (80:16b-19)
80:Title. “The Lilies.” The name of a tune. See note on Ps. 45:Title.
80:1 dwell between the cherubim. A reference to the ark of the covenant, a symbol for God’s presence. The images of two cherubim sat on top of the ark, facing each other (cf. Ex. 37:1–9).
80:3 face to shine. See note on Ps. 67:1; cf. 80:7, 19.
80:4 God of hosts. See note on Ps. 59:5; cf. 80:7, 14.
80:8 vine out of Egypt. The vine is a metaphor for Israel, whom God delivered out of Egypt and nurtured into a powerf
ul nation (cf. Is. 5:1–7; 27:2–6; Matt. 21:33–40).
80:17 son of man. In this context, this phrase is primarily a reference to Israel. In a secondary sense, the “son of man” may allude to the Davidic dynasty and even extend to the Messiah, since He is so frequently called by that title in the NT.
Psalm 81
81:1–16 This psalm was intended to be used in the celebration of one of the feasts of Israel, most likely the Feast of Tabernacles. After the call to worship (vv. 1–5), the psalm presents a message from God in the first person (vv. 6–16). This oracle pleads with Israel to “listen” to Him (v. 13), so that He might pour out on the nation the blessings of the covenant.
I. A Call to Joyful Worship (81:1-5)
II. A Call to Godly Obedience (81:6-16)
81:Title. an instrument of Gath. See note on Ps. 8:Title.
81:2 lute. A musical instrument with a long and narrow neck resembling a guitar.
81:3 New Moon…full moon. The seventh month of Israel’s year (Tishri; Sept./Oct.) culminated the festival year with a succession of celebrations. The month began with the blowing of the trumpets, continued with the Day of Atonement on the tenth day, and celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles on the fifteenth day when the moon was full. The Feast of Tabernacles praised God for His care in the wilderness wanderings, and also pointed to the coming kingdom (Matt. 17:1–4).
81:5 language…not understand. Either the psalmist heard a message, the meaning of which he did not grasp, in which case this message is presented as an oracle in the following verses; or, the psalmist is referring to the Egyptian language, which the Jews did not know.
81:6 hands…freed…baskets. The Israelites in Egypt were forced to carry bricks and clay in baskets.
81:7 secret place of thunder. Probably a reference to God’s presence on Mt. Sinai at the giving of the law (cf. Ex. 19:16ff.; 20:18ff.). waters of Meribah. Meribah, which means “strife” or “dispute,” marked places where Israel tempted God (cf. Ex. 17:1–7; Num. 20:1–13; Pss. 95:8; 106:32).
81:14 soon subdue their enemies. One of the blessings of obedience promised to Israel in the Mosaic Covenant was victory over its enemies (cf. Num. 33:52–56; Deut. 6:16–19; 7:16–24).
81:16 honey from the rock. This phrase was first used by Moses in his song of praise (Deut. 32:13). Though honey is sometimes found in the clefts of rocks, the intent of the figure here is more likely to valuable food provided from unlikely places.
Psalm 82
82:1–8 This psalm, like Pss. 2 and 58, focuses on the injustices of tyranny. The psalmist pictures God standing in the assembly of earthly leaders, to whom He has delegated authority, and condemning their injustices. The final prayer of the psalmist (v. 8) is that God Himself will take direct control of the affairs of this world.
I. The Assembly of World Leaders Before God (82:1)
II. The Evaluation of World Leaders by God (82:2-7)
III. The Replacement of World Leaders with God (82:8)
82:1 congregation of the mighty. The scene opens with God having called the world leaders together. among the gods. Some have taken this psalm to be about demons or false pagan gods. The best interpretation is that these “gods” are human leaders, such as judges, kings, legislators, and presidents (cf. Ex. 22:8, 9, 28; Judg. 5:8, 9). God the Great Judge, presides over these lesser judges.
82:2–4 judge unjustly. God accuses the lesser human judges of social injustices which violate the Mosaic law (e.g., Deut. 24).
82:5 darkness. Signifies both intellectual ignorance and moral iniquity. foundations of the earth are unstable. When leaders rule unjustly, the divinely established moral order which undergirds human existence is undermined.
82:6 I said. Kings and judges are set up ultimately by the decree of God (Ps. 2:6). God, in effect, invests His authority in human leaders for the stability of the universe (cf. Rom. 13:1–7). But God may revoke this authority (v. 7). “You are gods.” Jesus, in quoting this phrase in John 10:34, supported the interpretation that the “gods” were human beings. In a play on words, He claims that if human leaders can be called “gods,” certainly the Messiah can be called God. children of the Most High. Created by God for noble life.
82:7 die like men. In spite of being made in God’s image, they were mortal and would die like human beings. fall like…princes. The unjust rulers would become vulnerable to the violent deaths which often accompanied tyranny.
82:8 You shall inherit all nations. The psalmist prayerfully anticipates the future when God will set up His kingdom and restore order and perfect justice to a sin-cursed world (cf. Pss. 96, 97; Is. 11:1–5).
Psalm 83
83:1–18 This psalm, a national lament which includes prayer and imprecations, may be best studied with a map since several individual national enemies of Israel are noted. Second Chronicles 20:1–30 may record the specific historical event prompting this psalm, though some Bible students believe that the nations mentioned are only symbolic of all of Israel’s enemies. The psalmist begs God to rescue Israel from its enemies as He had done so many times in the past.
I. A Plea for Help (83:1)
II. A Protest Against Israel’s Enemies (83:2-8)
III. A Petition for Divine Judgment (83:9-18)
83:2 Your enemies. Throughout this psalm, the hostile nations are described as God’s enemies.
83:4 cut them off. The hostile nations, under Satan’s influence, repudiated God’s promise to preserve forever the nation of Israel (cf. Gen. 17:7, 8; Ps. 89:34–37).
83:6 Edom…Hagrites. The list of nations represents Israel’s enemies throughout its history. Edom descended from Esau and lived SE of Israel. The Ishmaelites, descendants from Abraham and Hagar, were Bedouin tribes. The Moabites descended from Lot (cf. v. 8) and were tribal people living E of the Jordan (cf. Judg. 11:17, 18; Is. 15, 16). The Hagrites were a nomadic tribe living E of the Jordan (1 Chr. 5:10, 19, 20).
83:7 Gebal…Tyre. Gebal was probably a community S of the Dead Sea, near Petra in Edom. Ammon, a nation descending from Lot, was located E of the Jordan River. The Amalekites, nomads living SE of the Jordan River, were descendants of Esau (cf. Gen. 36:12, 16; Ex. 17:8–13; Num. 24:20; Judg. 6:3; 1 Sam. 15:1–8). Philistia was located SW of Israel (Judg. 14–16). Tyre was NW of Israel (cf. Ezek. 27).
83:8 Assyria. This dominant nation of the eighth century B.C. took captive the northern 10 tribes of Israel in 722 B.C. Assyria used smaller nations, like Moab and Ammon (the children of Lot; cf. Gen. 19:36–38), to accomplish its military goals.
83:9 Midian…Jabin. The psalmist reminded God of famous past victories. Gideon had defeated the Midianites (Judg. 7:19–25). Barak and Deborah defeated Jabin and his army commander, Sisera, near the Brook Kishon (Judg. 4, 5).
83:11 Oreb…Zalmunna. These men were chiefs of the Midianites when they were defeated by Gideon (cf. Judg. 6–8).
83:13–15 The psalmist uses several dramatic similes in his prayer for the destruction of Israel’s enemies.
83:18 know…Most High. The purpose of the maledictions against the hostile nations is neither personal nor national, but spiritual: that the nations may know and glorify God. whose name alone is the LORD. “Alone” should precede “are” in the next phrase. The Gentile nations need to know that the God of the Bible is the only God.
Psalm 84
84:1–12 This psalm, like other psalms of ascent (Pss. 120–134), expresses the joy of a pilgrim traveling up to Jerusalem, then up into the temple to celebrate one of the feasts. The pilgrim focuses his attention especially on the thought of being in the very presence of the Lord God. The NT believer-priest, in an even greater way, can come into the presence of the Lord (cf. Heb. 4:16; 10:19–22).
I. The Expectation of Worshiping God (84:1-4)
II. The Expedition to Worship God (84:5-7)
III. The Elation at Worshiping God (84:8-12)
84:Title. instrument of Gath. See note on Ps. 8:Title. sons of Korah. These descendants of Levi through Kohath were the gatekeepers and mu
sicians in the temple at Jerusalem (1 Chr. 6:22; 9:17–32; 26:1; see all Pss. 42–49; 84, 85; 87, 88).
84:1 lovely is Your tabernacle. The temple worship center was “lovely” because it enabled the OT saint to come into the presence of God (cf. Pss. 27; 42:1, 2; 61:4; 63:1, 2). LORD of hosts. “Hosts” represent God’s angelic armies, thus God’s omnipotence over all powers in heaven and on earth (cf. vv. 3, 8, 12).
84:2 longs…faints…cry out. The psalmist is consumed with his happy, but intense desire to worship God in the temple.
84:3 sparrow…swallow. The psalmist admires these birds who were able to build their nests in the temple courtyards, near the altars of God.
84:4 Blessed. This word is used 3 times (vv. 4, 5, 12) to describe the happiness of those who, like the sons of Korah, “lodged all around the house of God” (1 Chr. 9:27).
84:6 Valley of Baca. “Baca” can be translated as “weeping” or “balsam tree.” The valley was an arid place on the way to Jerusalem. They make it a spring. The pilgrims traveling to a festival of worship at Jerusalem turn an arid valley into a place of joy.
84:7 strength to strength. Anticipation of joyous worship of God in Jerusalem overcame the pilgrims’ natural weariness in their difficult journey. Zion. See note on Ps. 87:2.
84:9 behold our shield. A metaphor for the king, who also would have participated in a festival at the temple (cf. Ps. 47:9; Hos. 4:18). the face of Your anointed. The king is regularly described as God’s “anointed” (Pss. 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 89:38, 51). The psalmist thus prays that God would look upon the king with favor, blessing his reign with prosperity.
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 281