Psalms 76:6

Psa 76:6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

Ver. 6. At thy rebuke, O God, &c.] i.e. With thy mighty word of command, and without any more ado. God can nod men to destruction, Psa 80:16, blow them into hell, Job 4:9, rebuke them to death, as here; do it with as much ease as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, Isa 25:11,

The chariot and horse] The chieftains of the army.

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.

7. (Psa 76:6). At thy rebuke, 0 God of Jacob, put to sleep (is) both chariot and horse. The particle at the beginning is both temporal and causal, post hoc et propter hoc. After and because of thy rebuke. This noun denotes not merely a verbal but a real or practical expression of the divine displeasure. See above, on Psa 9:5; Psa 68:30. God of Jacob, see above, on Psa 76:9. Put to sleep is here used to translate a passive participle, denoting not a mere state or condition, but the violence by which it is produced. The sleep meant is of course the sleep of death. The application of this figure to the chariot as well as to the horse, is less paradoxical in Hebrew, where the noun used is sometimes a collective meaning cavalry. See my note on Isa 21:7. At the same time there is beauty in the figure, as suggesting that the noisy rattle of the wheels is hushed in death-like silence.

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

Verse 6. At thy rebuke] It was not by any human means that this immense army was overthrown; it was by the power of God alone. Not only infantry was destroyed, but the cavalry also.

The chariot and horse] That is, the chariot horses, as well as the men, were

Cast into a dead sleep.] Were all suffocated in the same night. On the destruction of this mighty host, the reader is requested to refer to Clarke's notes on "2Ki 19:35".

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

(6) Are cast into a deep sleep.—The same Hebrew expression is used of Sisera’s profound slumber (Jdg_4:21). Deborah’s Song and Exodus 15 are in the poet’s mind, as they were to the author of Isa_43:17, and as they have inspired the well-known lines of Byron’s “Sennacherib.”

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

6. At thy rebuke] Cp. Psa_9:5; Psa_18:15; Isa_17:13.

are cast into a dead sleep] A word which denotes a deep, supernaturally caused slumber. It is usual to say that ‘chariot and horse’ stand by metonymy for charioteers and horsemen: but surely poetry imagines chariots as well as horses to be alive. The “pransing horses” and the “bounding chariots” (Nah_2:3-4; Nah_3:2), all the rush and roar of the battle, are still and silent as the grave. Cp. Isa_43:17.

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.

At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,.... The God of Jacob personally, and of his posterity, the children of Israel, and of the church, often so called who rebukes his people in love, but his enemies with furious rebukes, with rebukes in flames of fire; with such he rebukes the Heathen, destroys the wicked, and puts out their name for ever:

both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep; that is, the riders in chariots and on horses; such there were doubtless in the Assyrian army, it being usual to have such in great armies. Kimchi observes, that the word translated "cast into a dead sleep", is in the singular number, and interprets it of the king, the head of the men of might: but Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was not slain, he departed to his own country; wherefore he applies it to Gog and Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, Eze 39:1 and may very well be understood of the head of the apostasy, the king of the bottomless pit, the beast or false prophet, who being destroyed, the flesh of his captains and horsemen shall be the food of the fowls of the air, at the supper of the great God, Rev 19:17.

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

At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob - At thy word; thy bidding; or, when God rebuked them for their attempt to attack the city. The idea is, that they were discomfited by a word spoken by God.

Both the chariot and horse ... - The Septuagint renders this, “They who are mounted on horses.” The word rendered “chariot” here - רכב rekeb - may mean “riders, cavalry,” as well as chariot. See the notes at Isa 21:7. Hence, there would be less incongruity in the Hebrew than in our translation, where it is said that the “chariots” have fallen into a deep sleep. The idea may be either that horsemen and horses had fallen into a deep slumber, or that the rumbling of the chariot-wheels had ceased, and that there was a profound silence, like a deep sleep.

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

The chariot and horse; the men who rode upon and fought from chariots and horses, who fight with most advantage, and usually have most courage; and much more unable were their footmen to resist or avoid the stroke.

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

Ver. 6. At thy rebuke. A word accomplished all, there was no need of a single blow.

O God of Jacob. God of thy wrestling people, who again like their father supplant their enemy; God of the covenant and the promise, thou hast in this gracious character fought for thine elect nation.

Both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep. They will neither neigh nor rattle again; still are the trampings of the horses and the crash of the cars; the calvary no more creates its din. The Israelites always had a special fear of horses and scythed chariots; and, therefore, the sudden stillness of the entire force of the enemy in this department is made the theme of special rejoicing. The horses were stretched on the ground, and the chariots stood still, as if the whole camp had fallen asleep. Thus can the Lord send a judicial sleep over the enemies of the church, a premonition of the second death, and this he can do when they are in the zenith of power; and, as they imagine, in the very act of blotting out the remembrance of his people. The world's Rabshakahs can write terrible letters, but the Lord answers not with pen and ink, but with rebukes, which bear death in every syllable.

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. 6. Cast into a deep sleep. It is observable that the verb here used is the same as is used in the narrative of the act of Jael, and of the death of the proud enemy of Israel, Sisera, cast into a deep sleep, by God's power, working by the hand of a woman. Christopher Wordsworth.

None.

Psalms 76:7*

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

6. The chariot and horse—Cavalry and the war-chariot were the terror of ancient warfare.

Dead sleep—The word indicates a profounder sleep than is natural, (Dan_8:18; Dan_10:9,) and the language intimates that the judgment was not heralded by any alarm. Whatever physical cause was used, if any, it occasioned no disturbance of the camp. Silently, at the rebuke of Jehovah, from a deeper sleep than was natural they slept the sleep of death. See note on Psa_46:6

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

At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob. The catastrophe has been God"s doing; man has had no part in it. (comp. 2Ki_19:28, 2Ki_19:35) Both the chariot and the horse are cast into a dead sleep. Metonymy for the charioteers and the horsemen. (comp. Isa_43:17) These were the two chief arms of the military service with the Assyrians.

The power of the Lord"s rebuke.

"At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep." Byron pictures the scene with great poetical force"And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide, But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride; And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf, And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf. "And there lay the rider distorted and pale, With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail.

"God did but speak the word, as the God of Jacob that commands deliverances for Jacob, and, at his rebuke, the chariot and horse were both cast into a dead sleep. See the power and efficacy of God"s rebukes." "It is impossible to mistake the allusion to the deeper sleep of death, falling on the sleeping Assyrian army, before the valiant men could "find their hands," in the half-waking grasp of weapons in the hour of danger.

I GOD"S REBUKES ARE SOMETIMES WORDS. Illustrate by Moses" messages from God to Pharaoh. Or the case of the prophet who went to Bethel to rebuke Jeroboam. Or Nathan"s rebuke of David. Or Elijah"s rebuke of Ahab. What is it that specially calls for the Lord"s rebuke? Wilfulness. Persistent forcing of a man"s own way. And even more precisely, the daring of the man who forces his way when he knows it is contrary to the will of God, or when he means to put dishonour on God. This is the case before us now. Sennacherib was forcing his own way, with designed intention of insulting and humiliating the God of Israel. And still the Divine rebuke is called forth when we fall into the committal of "presumptuous sins.

II GOD"S REBUKES ARE SOMETIMES DEEDS. But they are voiceful deeds. See here, the rebuke was a night blast that slew the tens of thousands, and drove Sennacherib back to his land, a defeated and humiliated man. God"s rebuke to hardened Pharaoh was the flower of his army drowned in the Red Sea. God"s rebuke to over confident David was three days" plague in the land. God"s rebuke to Herod, who accepted the homage due alone to God, was a terrible disease, that carried him off in agony and disgrace. Read life aright, and we may find God"s rebuke in disappointments that we have known, and disasters we have suffered. Blessed are they who

(1) receive, who

(2) heed, and who

(3) respond to, their Lord"s rebuke! R.T.

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

Chariot - The men who rode upon, and fought from chariots and horses.

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

At your rebuke

The abstract noun "rebuke" refers to saying something in an angry or critical way. AT: "When you rebuked them" (See: Abstract Nouns)

fell asleep

This phrase is a polite way to say that they died. AT: "died" or "fell down dead" (See: Euphemism)

who can stand in your sight when you are angry?

This can be translated as a statement. AT: "No one can stand in your sight when you are angry." or "You can destroy anyone at whom you are angry." (See: Rhetorical Question)

translationWords

rebuke

Jacob

horse

fear

anger

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

became mad Heb. אשתוללו, like השתוללוּ. As (II Chron. 20:35): “And afterwards, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah joined (אתחבר) Ahaziah the king of Israel,” like התחבר. [The word] אשתוללוּ is derived from (Job 12:17): “He leads counselors away with madness (שולל).” It is an expression of error and tranquility, as madmen err, and the “tav” falls into the middle of the word in the reflexive, as in every word beginning with “shin.”

slumbered in their sleep They Heb. נמו. They fell into a deep sleep, an expression of תנוּמה slumber.

and none...found their hands and their strength when You came to punish them.

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.