Psalms 76:12

Psa 76:12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: [he is] terrible to the kings of the earth.

Ver. 12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes] Vindemiabit, he shall slip them off as one would do a bunch of grapes, or a flower between one’s fingers; easily, suddenly, as he dealt by Sennacherib’s princes, Auferet de vita, ut de vite botros.

He is terrible to kings] Enemies to his Church, as most kings are.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa 76:12. He shall cut off — Dr. Waterland reads, bring down, and Dr. Horne, restrain, the spirit of princes — Their pride and elation of mind, such as was that of the king of Assyria, before he was forced to return with shame of face to his own land. Or their courage; he can dispirit those that are most daring, and make them heartless; for he is, or will be, terrible to the kings of the earth — And sooner or later, if they be not so wise as to submit themselves to him, he will force them to call in vain to rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from his wrath, Rev 6:15. The original word, however, יבצר, jibtzar, is borrowed from gathering the vintage, and signifies literally, He shall cut off their spirit, that is their breath and life, as men do their grapes in the time of vintage, namely, suddenly, violently, and irresistibly, as he did the Assyrian army. This is all they shall get by opposing him. Since, then, there is no contending with him, it is as much the wisdom, as it is the duty, of all, even of captains and generals of armies, of princes and kings, to submit to him, and make their peace with him. Reader, let this be thy care.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. (Psa 76:12). He cuts off the spirit of princes; he is feared (or to be feared) by the kings of earth. The first verb is specially applied to the pruning or cutting of vines. See Jer 6:9; Jer 25:30; Jer 49:9, and compare Rev 14:18-19. Its future form includes a potential sense. He can do it when he will, and he will do it when he sees occasion. Spirit or breath is here put for the life or vital principle, to cut which is to kill. He who possesses this alarming power is or ought to be an object of religious fear, not only to ordinary men, or to certain great men in particular, but to all the kings of the earth. Compare Mat 10:28, Luk 12:5. These expressions shew that the historical occasion of the psalm was not an event of merely local interest, but a great historical and national catastrophe, such as the blow inflicted on the power of Assyria by the sudden destruction of Sennacherib's host.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Hebrew word signifieth to vintage, or gather grapes: meaning, that he shall make the counsels and enterprises of wicked tyrants foolish and vain.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes] Even in the midst of their conquests, he can fill them with terror and dismay, or cut them off in their career of victory.

He is terrible to the kings of the earth.] "He is the only Ruler of princes;" to him they must account. And a terrible account most of them will have to give to the great God; especially those who, instigated by the desire of dominion, have, in the lust of conquest which it generates, laid countries waste by fire and sword, making widows and orphans without number, and extending the empire of desolation and death.

Thus all are under his dominion, and are accountable to him. Even those whom man cannot bring to justice, God will; and to judge them is one grand use of a final judgment day.

ANALYSIS OF THE SEVENTY-SIXTH PSALM

In this Psalm there are three parts: -

I. The Prerogative of Judah and Israel, Ps 76:1-2.

II. A narration of God's majesty in the Church, Ps 76:3-11.

III. An exhortation to worship and serve God.

I. The prerogatives of the Jews above all other nations.

1. God was known among them: "In Judah is God known."

2. His name was great in Israel. Illustrious for his manifold deliverances.

3. At Salem was his tabernacle, - his seat of worship, his peculiar presence.

4. His dwelling in Zion, - his constant habitation.

II. A narration of God's power and majesty.

He was glorious among good men; more glorious than the mountains of prey - kingdoms acquired by violence, murder, and robbery.

And this glory was manifest in the following particulars: -

1. They who came to spoil were spoiled, Ps 76:5.

2. They were slain: "They have slept their sleep," Ps 76:5.

3. They could make no head against their destroyer, though they were both numerous and strong: "None of the men of might have found their hands," Ps 76:5.

The cause of their consternation: -

1. The rebuke of God, Ps 76:6.

2. He was terrible: "None could stand in his sight," Ps 76:7.

3. He was determinate: "Judgment was heard from heaven," Ps 76:8. Sennacherib and his host were destroyed.

The effects produced by this were,

1. Praise from the wicked: "They shall acknowledge this as the hand of God." Ps 76:10.

2. Victory; though they rally, and return again to the battle, they shall be routed: "The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain," Ps 76:10. See the notes.

III. He exhorts all to praise him: - 1. "Vow, and pay." 2. "Fear and submit to him," Ps 76:11.

This exhortation he founds on the following REASONS: -

1. "He shall cut off the spirit of princes;" take away from tyrants their prudence and courage.

2. "He is terrible to the kings of the earth." They also shall know that he is God.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. He will cut off the spirit of princes. As the Hebrew word בצר, batsar, occasionally signifies to strengthen, some think it should be so translated in this passage. But as in the two clauses of the verse the same sentiment is repeated, I have no doubt that by the first clause is meant that understanding and wisdom are taken away from princes; and that by the second, God is represented in general as terrible to them, because he will cast them down headlong from their loftiness. As the first thing necessary to conduct an enterprise to a prosperous issue is to possess sound foresight, in which the people of God are often deficient from the great perplexity in which they are involved in the midst of their distresses, while, on the other hand, the ungodly are too sharp-sighted in their crafty schemes; it is here declared that it is in the power of God to deprive of understanding, and to inflict blindness on those who seem to surpass others in acuteness and ingenuity. The majority of princes being enemies to the Church of God, it is expressly affirmed, that He is sufficiently terrible to subdue all the kings of the earth. When it is said, that their spirit is cut off, or taken away from them, it is to be limited to tyrants and robbers whom God infatuates, because he sees that they apply all their ingenuity and counsels to do mischief.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(12) He shall cut off . . .—Literally, lop off, as a vinedresser prunes a vine. For the image see Joe_3:13; Isa_18:5; Rev_14:17 seq.

Spirit—i.e., the life.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. He shall cut off] Cp. the simile in Isa_18:4-5, describing how Jehovah will destroy the plans of the Assyrians just as they are coming to maturity: and Rev_14:18-19.

the spirit of princes] Their pride and fury. Cp. Isa_33:11.

the kings of the earth] Cp. Psa_48:4.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He shall cut off the spirit of princes,.... The pride of their spirits, as the Targum, humble their proud spirits, and bring them down; or dispirit them, take away their courage from them, upon which they flee apace to rocks and mountains to cover them; or confound them, blast their schemes, and carry their counsel headlong, and even take away their breath, or life; which he can as easily do as a man can cut off a bunch of grapes from the vine, as the word (g) here used signifies; the destruction of the wicked is expressed by cutting down the vine of the earth, and casting it into the winepress of God's wrath, Rev 14:17,

he is terrible to the kings of the earth; as he was to the king of Assyria, when he sent his angel, and destroyed his army; and as he has been to others in all ages; so he will be to the kings of the earth that have committed fornication with the whore of Rome, who will be in the utmost panic at the time of her destruction, Rev 18:9, and who will themselves be overcome by the Lamb, Rev 16:14. The Targum is, he is to be feared above all the kings of the earth.

(g) "qui vindemiat", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "succidet nempe, ut vindemiator racemos", Vatablus, so Ainsworth.

Next: Psalms Chapter 77

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He shall cut off the spirit of princes - That is, He will cut down their pride; he will break them down. Luther renders it, “He shall take away the wrath of princes.” The allusion is to what he had done as celebrated in this psalm. He had shown that he could rebuke the pride and self-confidence of kings, and could bring them low at his feet.

He is terrible to the kings of the earth - When they are arrayed against him.

(1) they are wholly under his control.

(2) he can defeat their plans.

(3) he can check them when he pleases.

(4) he can, and will, make their plans - even their wrath - the means of promoting or carrying out his own purposes.

(5) he will allow them to proceed no further in their plans of evil than he can make subservient to the furtherance of his own.

(6) he can cut down the most mighty of them at his pleasure, and destroy them forever.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Cut off; as men do their grapes in time of vintage, as the Hebrew verb implies, to wit, suddenly, violently, and irresistibly. This is all which they shall get by opposing him, and therefore it is their wisdom to bring presents to him.

The spirit of princes; either,

1 Their courage. Or rather,

2. Their breath and life, as he did in the Assyrian army.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 12. He shall cut off the spirit of princes. Their courage, skill, and life are in his hands, and he can remove them as a gardener cuts off a slip from a plant. None are great in his hand. Caesars and Napoleons fall under his power as the boughs of the tree beneath the woodman's axe.

He is terrible to the kings of the earth. While they are terrible to others, he is terrible to them. If they oppose themselves to his people, he will make short work of them; they shall perish before the terror of his arm, "for the Lord is a man of war, the Lord is his name." Rejoice before him all ye who adore the God of Jacob.

Whole Psalm. No Psalm has a greater right to follow Psalm 75 than this, which is inscribed To the Precentor, with accompaniment of stringed instruments (vid. iv. 1), a Psalm by Asaph, a song. Similar expressions (God of Jacob, Ps 75:10 77:7; saints, wicked of the earth, Ps 75:9 76:10), and the same impress throughout speak in favour of unity of authorship. In other respects too, they form a pair: Psalm 75 prepares the way for the divine deed of judgments as imminent, which Psalm 76 celebrates as having taken place. Franz Delitzsch.

Ver. 12. Cut off. He deals with princes as men deal with a vine. An axe is too strong for a cluster of grapes, or a sprig of a vine; it easily cuts them off: so God by a judgment easily cuts off the spirit of princes; they are not able to stand against the least judgments of God: when he puts strength into worms, or any other creature they fall. William Greenhill, in a Sermon, entitled, "The Axe at the Root."

Ver. 12. The Lord cuts off the spirit of princes; the word is, he slips off, as one should slip off a flower between one's fingers, or as one should slip off a bunch of grapes from a vine, so soon is it done. How great uncertainty have many great ones, by their miserable experience, found in their outward glory and worldly felicity! What a change hath a little time made in all their honours, riches, and delights! That victorious emperor Henry the Fourth, who had fought fifty-two pitched battles, fell to that poverty before he died, that he was forced to petition to be a prebend in the church of Spier, to maintain him in his old age. And Procopius reports of King Gillimer, who was a potent king of the Vandals, who was so low brought, as to intreat his friends to send him a sponge, a loaf of bread, and a harp; a sponge to dry up his tears, a loaf of bread to maintain his life, and a harp to solace himself in his misery. Philip de Comines reports of a Duke of Exeter, who though he had married Edward the Fourth's sister, yet he saw him in the Low Countries begging barefoot. Bellisarius, the chief man living in his time, having his eyes put out, was led at last in a string, crying, "give a halfpenny to Bellisarius." Jeremiah Burroughs.

None.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. Cut off the spirit of princes—The breath of princes, as in Job_9:18; Psa_104:29. Or, the spirit of princes may be taken for the ambition, haughtiness, pride, of princes. “God puts an end to the defiant, arrogant bearing of the tyrants of the earth, and becomes at last the feared of all the kings of the earth.”—Delitzsch.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He shall cut off the spirit of princes. "The spirit" seems here to mean "the life." God cuts off princes in their prime as a gardener cuts off bunches of grapes. (comp. Isa_18:5) He is terrible to the kings of the earth. Not "princes" only but "kings also are cut off in their prime when God pleases. Sennacherib"s untimely death (2Ki_19:37) followed not many years after the destruction of his host, in which there must have been many "princes."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Cut off - As men do their grapes in time of vintage; so the Hebrew verb implies. The spirit - Their breath and life, as he did in the Assyrian army.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Vow and pay your vows.

all those around Him who hear of this salvation, and so they did, as it is stated (Isa. 19:18): “there will be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing to the Lord of Hosts.”

will bring a gift to Him Who is to be feared Why? Because at the time of His desire...

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.