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Psalm 76

This article is about Psalm 76 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 76 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 77.

Psalm 76 is the 76th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "In Judah is God known; His name is great in Israel". The Book of Psalms forms part of the Ketuvim section of the Hebrew Bible and part of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 75. In Latin, it is known as "Notus in Judaea".[1] It is one of the psalms of Asaph. It refers to the "Majesty of God in Judgment".[2] The Jerusalem Bible regards it as an "ode to God the awe-inspiring".[3]

Psalm 76
"In Judah is God known; His name is great in Israel"
Folio 105a - Psalm 76. The Parma Psalters from about 1280 AD (Ms. Parm. 1870; Cod. De Rossi 510; Palatina Library) now in Parma, Italy.
Other name"Notus in Judaea"
Textby Asaph
LanguageHebrew (original)

This psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music, including in works in German by Heinrich Schütz, and in Latin by Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Text

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Hebrew

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The following table shows the Hebrew text[4][5] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֑ת מִזְמ֖וֹר לְאָסָ֣ף שִֽׁיר׃‎ For the Leader; with string-music. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song.
2 נוֹדָ֣ע בִּיהוּדָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל גָּד֥וֹל שְׁמֽוֹ׃‎ In Judah is God known; His name is great in Israel.
3 וַיְהִ֣י בְשָׁלֵ֣ם סוּכּ֑וֹ וּמְע֖וֹנָת֣וֹ בְצִיּֽוֹן׃‎ In Salem also is set His tabernacle, And His dwelling-place in Zion.
4 שָׁ֭מָּה שִׁבַּ֣ר רִשְׁפֵי־קָ֑שֶׁת מָגֵ֬ן וְחֶ֖רֶב וּמִלְחָמָ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃‎ There He broke the fiery shafts of the bow; The shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah
5 נָ֭אוֹר אַתָּ֥ה אַדִּ֗יר מֵֽהַרְרֵי־טָֽרֶף׃‎ Glorious art Thou and excellent, coming down from the mountains of prey.
6 אֶשְׁתּֽוֹלְל֨וּ ׀ אַבִּ֣ירֵי לֵ֭ב נָמ֣וּ שְׁנָתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־מָצְא֖וּ כׇל־אַנְשֵׁי־חַ֣יִל יְדֵיהֶֽם׃‎ The stout-hearted are bereft of sense, they sleep their sleep; And none of the men of might have found their hands.
7 מִ֭גַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב נִ֝רְדָּ֗ם וְרֶ֣כֶב וָסֽוּס׃‎ At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, They are cast into a dead sleep, the riders also and the horses.
8 אַתָּ֤ה ׀ נ֥וֹרָא אַ֗תָּה וּמִֽי־יַעֲמֹ֥ד לְפָנֶ֗יךָ מֵאָ֥ז אַפֶּֽךָ׃‎ Thou, even Thou, art terrible; And who may stand in Thy sight when once Thou art angry?
9 מִ֭שָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמַ֣עְתָּ דִּ֑ין אֶ֖רֶץ יָֽרְאָ֣ה וְשָׁקָֽטָה׃‎ Thou didst cause sentence to be heard from heaven; The earth feared, and was still,
10 בְּקוּם־לַמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט אֱלֹהִ֑ים לְהוֹשִׁ֖יעַ כׇּל־עַנְוֵי־אֶ֣רֶץ סֶֽלָה׃‎ When God arose to judgment, To save all the humble of the earth. Selah
11 כִּֽי־חֲמַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם תּוֹדֶ֑ךָּ שְׁאֵרִ֖ית חֵמֹ֣ת תַּחְגֹּֽר׃‎ Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee; The residue of wrath shalt Thou gird upon Thee.
12 נִ֥דְר֣וּ וְשַׁלְּמוּ֮ לַיהֹוָ֢ה אֱֽלֹהֵ֫יכֶ֥ם כׇּל־סְבִיבָ֑יו יֹבִ֥ילוּ שַׁ֝֗י לַמּוֹרָֽא׃‎ Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God; Let all that are round about Him bring presents unto Him that is to be feared;
13 יִ֭בְצֹר ר֣וּחַ נְגִידִ֑ים נ֝וֹרָ֗א לְמַלְכֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃‎ He minisheth the spirit of princes; He is terrible to the kings of the earth.

King James Version

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The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.
  1. In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.
  2. In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.
  3. There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
  4. Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
  5. The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.
  6. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
  7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?
  8. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
  9. When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.
  10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
  11. Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
  12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

Verse numbering

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In the Hebrew Bible, Psalm 76:1 comprises the designation

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph. (KJV)

From then on verses 2–13 in the Hebrew text correspond to verses 1–12 in English versions.

Commentary

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This psalm shares some similarities with Psalms 46 and 48, and has been interpreted as:[6]

  1. a celebration of Israelite victory over their enemies
  2. a part of the New Year Festival in Jerusalem
  3. a prophecy of God's future victory,
  4. a post-exilic praise.

The division of the text (e.g., in the New Revised Standard Version) is usually:

  1. verses 1–3: praise God who chose Zion as his dwelling and defended his city
  2. verses 4–6: describe God's victory
  3. verses 7–9: portray 'a judge who saves the humble'
  4. verses 10–12: declare that all human beings will worship YHWH and tell them to perform their vows.[6]

According to Gordon Churchyard in the EasyEnglish Translation of the Psalms, this psalm explains that Judah and Israel are both names for God's chosen people.[7] The Jerusalem Bible suggests that the psalm "apparently refers to the defeat of Sennacherib in 701 BC at the gates of Jerusalem":[8] see also Assyrian siege of Jerusalem.

The Sela in verses 3 and 9 provides a 'threefold structure' with the middle section focusing on the 'description of God'.[6]

Uses

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Judaism

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This psalm is recited on the first day of Sukkot.[9]

Book of Common Prayer

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In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the fifteenth day of the month.[10]

Musical settings

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Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 76 in a metred version in German, "In Juda ist der Herr bekannt", SWV 173, as part of the Becker Psalter, first published in 1628.

Marc-Antoine Charpentier set :

  • Notus in Judea Deus H.179, for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo (1681),
  • Notus in Judea Deus H.219, for soloists, chorus, flutes, strings and continuo (? early1690s).

Jean-Baptiste Lully set it as a motet, Notus in Judea Deus, LWV 77.

References

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  1. ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 75 (76) medievalist.net
  2. ^ Sub-title in the New King James Version at Psalm 76
  3. ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), sub-title to Psalm 76
  4. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 76". Mechon Mamre.
  5. ^ "Psalms 76 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  6. ^ a b c Rodd, C. S. (2007). "18. Psalms". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 388. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  7. ^ Churchyard, G., The Story of Psalm 76, Wycliffe Associates, published January 2002, accessed 1 March 2022
  8. ^ Jerusalem Bible, footnote a at Psalm 76
  9. ^ The Artscroll Tehillim, page 329
  10. ^ Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 252-253
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