1. In Judah is God known.
If unknown in all the world beside, he has so revealed himself to his people by
his deeds of grace that he is no unknown God to them. His name is great in
Israel. To be known, in the Lord’s case, is to be honored: those who know
his name admire the greatness of it. Although Judah and Israel were unhappily
divided politically, yet the godly of both nations were agreed concerning
Jehovah their God; and truly whatever schisms may mar the visible church, the
saints always “appear as one” in magnifying the Lord their God. Dark is the
outer world, but within the favored circle Jehovah is revealed, and is the
adoration of all who behold him. The world knows him not and therefore
blasphemes him, but his church is full of ardor to proclaim his fame unto the
ends of the earth.
2. In Salem also is his tabernacle. In the peaceful city he dwells, and the peace is
perpetuated, because there his sacred tent is pitched. The church of God is the
place where the Lord abides and he is to her the Lord and giver of peace. And
his dwelling place in Zion. It is the glory of the church that the Redeemer
inhabits her by his Holy Spirit. Vain are the assaults of the enemy, for they
attack not us alone, but the Lord himself.
3. There brake he the arrows of the bow. Without leaving his abode, he sent his word and snapped the
arrows of his enemies before they could shoot them. The idea marks the ease,
completeness, and rapidity of the divine action. The shield, and the sword,
and the battle. Every weapon, offensive and defensive, the Lord dashed in
pieces. In spiritual conflicts, no weapon that is formed against the church
will prosper, and every tongue that is against her she will condemn. Selah.
It is meet that we should dwell on so soul-stirring a theme, and give the Lord
our grateful adoration—hence a pause is inserted.
4. Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains
of prey. Far more is Jehovah to be extolled
than all the invading powers which sought to oppress his people, though they
were for power and greatness comparable to mountains. The psalmist despises
such renown, and declares that the Lord was far more illustrious. What are the
honors of war but boasts of murder? But the Lord’s terrible deeds are done in
justice for the defense of the weak and the deliverance of the enslaved. Mere
power may be glorious, but it is not excellent: when we behold the mighty acts
of the Lord, we see a perfect blending of the two qualities.
5. The stouthearted are spoiled. They came to spoil, and they are spoiled themselves. Their
stout hearts are cold in death. They have slept their sleep. Their last
sleep—the sleep of death. And none of the men of might have found their
hands. They cannot lift a finger, for the rigor of death has stiffened
them. O God, thus shalt thou fight for us, and in the hour of peril overthrow
the enemies of thy Gospel. Therefore in thee will we trust and not be afraid.
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. The Israelites always had a special fear of horses and
chariots; and therefore this is the theme of special rejoicing. 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, as they imagine, in the very
act of blotting out the remembrance of his people.
7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared. The fear of man is a snare, but the fear of God is a great
virtue, and has great power for good over the human mind. Let all worship be to
him only. And who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? The
angels fell when their rebellion provoked his justice; Adam lost his place in
Paradise in the same manner; Pharaoh and other proud monarchs passed away at
his frown; neither is there in earth or hell any who can abide the terror of
his wrath. How blest are they who are sheltered in the atonement of Jesus, and
hence have no cause to fear the righteous anger of the Judge of all the earth.
8. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven. So complete an overthrow was evidently a judgment from
heaven; those who saw it not, yet heard the report of it, said, “This is the
finger of God.” Man will not hear God’s voice if he can help it, but God takes
care to cause it to be heard. The echoes of that judgment executed on the
haughty Assyrian are heard still, and will ring on down all the ages, to the
praise of divine justice. The earth feared, and was still. All nations
trembled at the tidings, and sat in humbled awe. Repose followed the former
turmoils of war, when the oppressor’s power was broken, and God was reverenced
for having given quiet to the peoples. How readily can Jehovah command an
audience! It may be that in the latter days he will, by some such miracles of
power in the realms of grace, constrain all earth’s inhabitants to attend to
the Gospel, and submit to the reign of his all-glorious Son. So be it, good
Lord.
9. When God arose to judgment. Men were hushed when he ascended the judgment-seat and
actively carried out the decrees of justice. When God is still, the people are
in tumult; when he arises they are still as a stone. To save all the meek of
the earth. The Ruler of men has a special eye towards the poor and
despised; he makes it his first point to right all their wrongs. “Blessed are
the meek, for they shah inherit the earth.” They have little enough of it now,
but their avenger is strong and he will surely save them. He who saves his
people is the same God who overthrew their enemies; he is as omnipotent to save
as to destroy. Glory be unto his name. Selah. Here pause, and let devout
contemplations adore the God of Jacob.
10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee. Human breath of threatening is but blowing the trumpet of the
Lord’s eternal fame. Let men and devils rage as they may, they cannot do
otherwise than subserve the divine purposes. The remainder of wrath shalt
thou restrain. Malice is tethered and cannot break its bounds. The fire
which cannot be utilized will be damped. Some read it, “thou shalt gird,” as
if the Lord girded on the wrath of man as a sword to be used for his own
designs, and certainly men of the world are often a sword in the hand of God,
to scourge others. Even the most rampant evil is under the control of the Lord,
and will in the end be overruled for his praise.
11. Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God. Well may we do so in memory of such mercies and judgments.
He keeps his promises; let not his people fail in theirs. He is their faithful
God and deserves to have a faithful people. Let all that be round about him
bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. Let surrounding nations
submit to the only living God, let his own people with alacrity present their
offerings, and let his priests and Levites be leaders in the sacred sacrifice.
He who deserves to be praised as our God does, should not have mere verbal
homage, but substantial tribute. Dread Sovereign, I give myself to thee.
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 shoot from a plant. He is terrible to
the kings of the earth. While they are terrible to others, he is terrible
to them. If they oppose his people, he will make short work of them.
Excerpt from:
The Treasury of David
By Charles H Spurgeon
