Wisdom Books Psalms

It Beings And Ends In Jerusalem

Discover Jesus as: King of Glory Psalms 75-76 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 426 of 730
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INTRO

The book of Psalms is about connecting emotionally to God and what was happening in the psalmists’ lives. Psalm 76 was probably composed to “celebrate the destruction of Sennacherib’s Assyrian army in 701 B.C., as well as the subsequent assassination of Sennacherib himself”1 (2 Kings 19:6–7, 36–37). MacArthur also brings to our attention that Psalm 76 points to the end times “when Jehovah will defeat His enemies and bring them into judgment.”2 Wiersbe summarizes the progress of Psalm 76 as, “The psalm begins at Jerusalem and its environs (vv. 1–6), then moves to the entire land of Israel (vv. 7–9), and now it reaches the whole earth (v. 12).”3

TEACHING

Psalm 76:1-3: Wiersbe outlines the theme of these verses as, “God Wants Us to Know Him.”4 Verses 1–2 state God is known in Jerusalem (Judah, Salem, Zion). In Jerusalem, God wiped out the enemies’ weapons (v. 3). Verse 3 is the opposite of the feelings of abandonment from Psalm 74 in yesterday's lesson. In Psalm 76, God is present.

Psalm 76:4–6: Wiersbe outlines these verses as, “God Wants Us to Trust Him.”5 God is described as resplendent, which means to give light or be revived in Hebrew, coming down from the “mountains of prey,” or from the attackers (v. 4). The enemy had been totally defeated, unable to lift a hand against God (vv. 5–6).

Psalm 76:7–9: Wiersbe outlines these verses as, “God Wants Us to Fear Him.”6 The psalmist reflected on the victorious power of God and wrote, “You are to be feared. When You are angry, who can stand before You?” This is the theme of Psalm 76 (vv. 7, 8, 11, 12). Wiersbe summarizes verses 8–9 as, “From His throne in heaven, the Lord announced the verdict and the trial was over. There could be no appeal because God’s court is the very highest and His judgment leaves the defendants speechless.”7 From Jerusalem and Israel, God’s power is feared throughout the earth.

Psalm 76:10–12: Wiersbe outlines these verses as, “God Wants Us to Obey Him.”8 Everything will praise God, even “human wrath” (v. 10). Therefore, God’s people are to keep their vows before Him and bring their tributes to Him (v. 11). Before God, even the leaders and the earthly kings were humbled (v. 12).

CLOSING

In Psalm 76, the enemy has been defeated and God did all the work. The progression of Psalm 76 to cover the whole world is also seen in Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:18–20. In the psalms, God speaks in different ways. Sometimes, He speaks what is obvious, and sometimes, He speaks in what is not clear.

Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The command of Acts 1:8 was also the command to the Israelites—they were supposed to reflect the light of the Lord.

Matthew 28:18–20: “Then Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

We are commanded to “go,” “make disciples,” “baptizing,” and “teaching.”

Look at the progression of Acts 1:8 by reading through these Scriptures:

  • Romans 1:16 – Gospel was intended for both the Jews and the Greeks.
  • John 1:11 – Jesus came to the Jews who didn’t receive Him.
  • John 1:14 – The Jews rejected Him.
  • Romans 10:14–20 – Presence of God started in Jerusalem and went throughout Israel, and Jesus followed the same model.
  • Romans 11:25 – The Jews would have their hearts hardened against Jesus until the fullness of Gentiles have come in.

I believe the Lord has a heart for the city of Jerusalem. My goal is to share the gospel wherever I go, because eventually the Jewish people will see the truth of what God’s plan is for their lives. Our job is to love the Jews and minister to them in the process (Romans 15:25–27).

Ultimately, it all started in Jerusalem, it will all come back to Jerusalem, and end in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:1–4). God will return.

  1. John MacArthur, John MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005), p. 647.

  2. MacArthur, p. 647.

  3. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2004), p. 229.

  4. Wiersbe, p. 227.

  5. Wiersbe, p. 228.

  6. Wiersbe, p. 228.

  7. Wiersbe, p. 228.

  8. Wiersbe, p. 228.

Questions

  1. Many places in Scripture talk about God’s name (2 Samuel 7:13). What do you think the psalmist meant by the statement in Psalm 75:1, “For Your name is near”?
  2. Read Psalm 75:7 and Romans 9:11–28. Do you think the passage in Romans is a good explanation for Psalm 75:7? Why or why not?
  3. What does the cup of wine in Psalm 75:8 represent? Where else in Scripture can you find a similar context?
  4. Do you think Psalm 76:1, “God is known in Judah,” could be a Messianic statement? Why or why not?
  5. The NASB version of the Bible uses the word feared four times in Psalm 76 in conjunction with fearing God (Psalm 76: 7, 8, 11 and 12). Do you fear God? If so, in what way?
  6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Psalms 75—76 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Psalm 76:1–3

“God is known in Judah; His name is great in Israel. His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion. There He shatters the bow’s flaming arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah”

Allow God’s name to be known: His identity, His reputation, and His character. As a believer, the Lord entrusts you to make His name known and to love others with the same love you receive through Jesus. But first, ask yourself, Do I really know God? Do I know God in a way that I trust Him, fear Him, and obey Him?

Press on to know God, not in a scholarly way, but in an intimate-relationship way. God has given you the Holy Spirit. God deliverers you from battles, fighting off the enemy as a mighty warrior. He shatters the schemes of the enemy. His strength surpasses your knowledge. God offers grace and mercy each day through His unconditional love. Love people as Christ loves you and share His truth with others. They will even be jealous of the love you receive from the Lord as you walk through life in joy, peace, and love. The day will come when all will praise the name of the Lord, and He will be feared by the kings of the earth. Until then, press on to know God and make His name known.

“God is known in Judah; His name is great in Israel. His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion. There He shatters the bow’s flaming arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah”

— Psalm 76:1–3

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • John 13:34 — “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.”
  • Acts 1:8 — “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
  • Romans 10:16b–19 — “For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. But I ask, ‘Did they not hear?’ Yes, they did: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the inhabited world. But I ask, ‘Did Israel not understand?’ First, Moses said: I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that lacks understanding.”