Psa 76 | EE | STEP | This is for the music leader. He must use stringed instruments. It is a Psalm of Asaph and a Song. God is famous in Judah. His name is great in Israel.

Psalms 76

Sing A Song Of Zion (or The Lion’s Den)

This is for the music leader.

He must use stringed instruments.

It is a Psalm of Asaph and a Song.

1 God is famous in Judah.

His name is great in Israel. ^{▼▼76:1 Verse 1: When King Solomon died, his country became two countries. One was Judah and the other was Israel. They had a king each. But Assyria destroyed Israel in 721 BC. BC means ‘years Before Christ came to the earth.’ So, when Sennacherib attacked Judah, there was no country of Israel. That means that in this psalm, Judah and Israel are both names for God’s people. They do not mean two different countries.}

2 His house is in Salem and his home is in Zion.

3 There he broke the enemy’s:

· bow shooting fire

· shield

· and sword

· and war weapons

SELAH ^{▼▼76:3 Verse 3: Breaking the enemy’s weapons (bow, shield and sword) is another way to say that God destroyed the enemy.}

4 You God are the Shining One!

You are the King from the mountains,

where you robbed your enemy!

5 You took from the brave enemy soldiers all the weapons that they had.

Now they are sleeping and will never wake up.

None of the soldiers can use their hands. ^{▼▼76:5 Verse 5: ‘sleeping’ is a Bible way to describe death. Because the soldiers are dead, they cannot use their hands to fight.}

6 When you were angry, God of Jacob,

both the horses and the men that rode on them fell down dead.

7 You – everyone is afraid of you!

Who can remain standing in front of you when you are angry?

8 From the heavens you said that you would judge the people.

All the earth was afraid of you and became quiet.

9 This happened, God, when you came to judge

and to save the oppressed people in the land.

SELAH ^{▼▼76:9 Verse 9: We have said that ‘to judge’ means ‘to say who is right and who is wrong.’ But it really means more than that in many places in the Bible. This is one of those places. God judged the Assyrians to be wrong: the result of this was that they died. God judged the poor people to be right: the result of this was that they became free. They were not oppressed any more. This means that the enemy did not hurt them, or take their food, money, animals and children.}

10 So the anger of men will praise you.

What remains of their anger you will wear as praise. ^{▼▼76:10 Verse 10: Bible students do not really know what this verse means. This translation says what the Hebrew words say. Maybe it means that when people like Sennacherib are angry with people like the Israelites then people will praise what God does.}

11 Make a promise to the LORD your God and do what you promise.

Let everyone that lives near bring a gift to the God that people are afraid of.

12 He breaks the spirit of rulers.

All the kings of the world are afraid of him. ^{▼▼76:12 Verse 12: ‘Breaks the spirit’ means ‘stops them wanting to fight.’}