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God the Victor[a]

76 God is known in Judah;
    his name is honored in Israel.
He has his home in Jerusalem;
    he lives on Mount Zion.
There he broke the arrows of the enemy,
    their shields and swords, yes, all their weapons.

How glorious you are, O God!
    How majestic, as you return from the mountains
    where you defeated your foes.
Their brave soldiers have been stripped of all they had
    and now are sleeping the sleep of death;
    all their strength and skill was useless.
When you threatened them, O God of Jacob,
    the horses and their riders fell dead.

But you, Lord, are feared by all.
    No one can stand in your presence
    when you are angry.
You made your judgment known from heaven;
    the world was afraid and kept silent,
when you rose up to pronounce judgment,
    to save all the oppressed on earth.

10 Human anger only results in more praise for you;
    those who survive the wars will keep your festivals.[b]

11 Give the Lord your God what you promised him;
    bring gifts to him, all you nearby nations.
God makes everyone fear him;
12     he humbles proud princes
    and terrifies great kings.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 76:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by Asaph; a song.
  2. Psalm 76:10 One ancient translation will keep your festivals; verse 10 in Hebrew is unclear.

Psalm 76

Israel’s God—Judge of All the Earth

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

In Judah God is known;
    his name is great in Israel.(A)
His abode has been established in Salem,
    his dwelling place in Zion.(B)
There he broke the flashing arrows,
    the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah(C)

Glorious are you, more majestic
    than the everlasting mountains.[a]
The courageous were stripped of their spoil;
    they sank into sleep;
none of the troops
    was able to lift a hand.(D)
At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
    both rider and horse lay stunned.

But you indeed are awesome!
    Who can stand before you
    when your anger is roused?(E)
From the heavens you uttered judgment;
    the earth feared and was still(F)
when God rose up to establish judgment,
    to save all the oppressed of the earth. Selah(G)

10 Human wrath serves only to praise you,
    when you bind the last bit of your[b] wrath around you.(H)
11 Make vows to the Lord your God and perform them;
    let all who are around him bring gifts
    to the one who is awesome,(I)
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes,
    who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.(J)

Footnotes

  1. 76.4 Gk: Heb the mountains of prey
  2. 76.10 Heb lacks your

76 (0) For the leader. With string music. A psalm of Asaf. A song:

(1) In Y’hudah God is known;
his name is great in Isra’el.
(2) His tent is in Shalem,
his place is in Tziyon.
(3) There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. (Selah)

(4) You are glorious, majestic,
more so than mountains of prey.
(5) The bravest have been stripped of their spoil
and now are sleeping their final sleep;
not one of these courageous men
finds strength to raise his hands.
(6) At your rebuke, God of Ya‘akov,
riders and horses lie stunned.

(7) You are fearsome! When once you are angry,
who can stand in your presence?
(8) You pronounce sentence from heaven;
the earth grows silent with fear
10 (9) when God arises to judge,
to save all the humble of the earth. (Selah)

11 (10) Human wrath serves only to praise you;
what remains of this wrath you wear as an ornament.
12 (11) Make vows to Adonai your God, and keep them;
all who are around him must bring presents to the one who should be feared.
13 (12) He curbs the spirit of princes;
he is fearsome to the kings of the earth.

76 1-3 God is well-known in Judah;
    in Israel, he’s a household name.
He keeps a house in Salem,
    his own suite of rooms in Zion.
That’s where, using arrows for kindling,
    he made a bonfire of weapons of war.

4-6 Oh, how bright you shine!
    Outshining their huge piles of loot!
The warriors were plundered
    and left there impotent.
And now there’s nothing to them,
    nothing to show for their swagger and threats.
Your sudden roar, God of Jacob,
    knocked the wind out of horse and rider.

7-10 Fierce you are, and fearsome!
    Who can stand up to your rising anger?
From heaven you thunder judgment;
    earth falls to her knees and holds her breath.
God stands tall and makes things right,
    he saves all the wretched on earth.
Instead of smoldering rage—God-praise!
    All that sputtering rage—now a garland for God!

11-12 Do for God what you said you’d do—
    he is, after all, your God.
Let everyone in town bring offerings
    to the One Who Watches our every move.
Nobody gets by with anything,
    no one plays fast and loose with him.