In vs. 1, He is the God who is known. In vs. 4, He is the God who is glorious, resplendent, and shining brightly. In vs. 7, He is the God who is to be feared.
Based on the heading in the Septuagint that this is a “song to the Assyrian,” it seems likely the specific historical context of Psalm 76 is God’s defeat of Sennacherib’s army in 2 Kings 18-19. Do you recall the Rabshakeh’s words of mockery against our God in 2 Kings 18:32-35? “Do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has any of the gods of the nations every delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?” (ESV).
Neither Sennacherib nor his representative, the Rabshakeh, knew the LORD as Hezekiah did. Hezekiah prayed:
O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone.
2 Kings 19:15-19, ESV
And that is precisely what God did, killing 185,000 Assyrians in one night. The LORD was known in Judah and Israel; He was then known better in Assyria.
This is powerful just a single literary unit, but let us not forget the psalms of Asaph have been presenting a story arch. In Psalm 73, the Asaphite psalmist struggled with God’s goodness, but when he went to the sanctuary, the place of God’s presence and worship, the place where God’s name dwelt and God was known among His people, the psalmist was reminded of God’s goodness and ultimate purposes. However, in Psalm 74, the sanctuary was destroyed. The one saving grace was gone. But the Asaphite psalmist tied a knot at the end of his rope by remembering God’s great acts through creation and the Exodus. However, he was left struggling. “How long?” he begged to know. How long would God allow His name to be mocked by leaving His sanctuary in ruins. Then, in Psalm 75 we find God’s response. “‘How long?’ you ask. At my appointed time, I will judge.” Though God had not actually in Psalm 75 provided the judgment on Israel’s enemies and brought deliverance to His people, the psalmist praised and thanked God intently. Now we come to Psalm 76. Imagine reading, singing, praying this psalm which memorializes God’s defeat of Assyria while languishing in Babylonian captivity. What a statement of faith it becomes. Yes, we are beset by enemies. Yes, we are far from home. Yes, Salem and Zion lie in ruins. Yes, it seems like our God has been defeated. But we trust our God. We know Him. We know the covenant keeping God He is. We know the phenomenal might He possesses. We know the life-giving, slavery-breaking, restoration-providing power He wields. Assyria should have feared our God. They underestimated Him because He allowed them to judge Israel. Babylon, you should fear our God. Don’t underestimate Him just because He allowed you to be an instrument of our judgment. He has plans for us.
Assyria couldn’t stand before God when He was roused to utter judgment from the heavens. Babylon will not be able to stand either. And no enemy today will either.
Fear has fallen out of favor as a motivator in today’s world. However, be aware, if you decide to push God away. If you mock Him instead of surrendering to Him, and please understand if you don’t surrender to Him you are mocking Him, He is to be feared. You will not stand before Him. You will not be able to resist Him. You will not be able to defeat Him. Please, fear God, and surrender to Him. Let Him save you so you don’t have to fear Him any longer.
If you have surrendered to Him…well, we’ll talk about that tomorrow.
Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 76.
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PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Psalm 76 prompt or improve your trust in God?
Read the Bible 