Psalms 76:7
But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The repetition of "you" in "But you, you are to be feared!" emphasizes that God alone, and no earthly power, holds this ultimate dread and authority. It’s a bold declaration that highlights the sheer uniqueness and overwhelming power of God, especially when His righteous anger is stirred.
{ "author": "Traditionally attributed to Asaph, a Levite musician in King David's court, though some scholars suggest a later author given the psalm's historical allusions.", "location": "Likely written from Jerusalem or within the Kingdom of Judah, celebrating God's protection of Zion.", "dateTime": "Most likely composed during the late 8th century BC, commemorating the destruction of Sennacherib's Assyrian army.", "literaryStyle": "Hebrew poetry, specifically a psalm of thanksgiving and royal psalm, characterized by vivid imagery and direct address to God." }
Why does the psalm repeat "Thou, even thou"? What makes God's fearfulness distinct from anything else in creation?
The psalm emphasizes God's unique and absolute sovereignty through the emphatic repetition of "Thou, even thou, art to be feared." This isn't just a statement about God being scary; it's a declaration that He alone possesses true terror and power. When the original Hebrew repeats the pronoun, it's like saying, 'Of all the powerful beings or forces you can imagine, only He truly commands dread.' It exludes all other powers, human or divine, from comparison. When God's anger is involved, no earthly power, no might, no wisdom, can stand against Him. This absolute dreadfulness isn't meant to paralyze us with fear, but to humble us and draw us to the only one who can truly save.
When God's anger is 'kindled,' what does that look like? How quickly does judgment fall?
The question, 'Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?' isn't hypothetical. It points to the immediate and devastating consequence of God's wrath. The phrase 'when once your anger is roused' literally means 'from the moment your anger begins.' It suggests that the instant God's judgment is initiated, there is no resistance possible. Ancient commentators marveled at how quickly divine judgment could fall, likening it to a thunderclap or a consuming fire. This isn't a slow, drawn-out process for God; His anger, when kindled, brings instant destruction to anything that stands against Him. This highlights the urgency of seeking refuge in Him before His righteous judgment is fully unleashed.
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Understand the original words
yare' · Hebrew Verb
A profound sense of awe, reverence, and trembling before the majesty, power, and holiness of God. It is the appropriate response of a creature recognizing the Creator’s supreme authority.
aph · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting God's intense, righteous reaction against sin, rebellion, and injustice. It is not an irrational outburst but a settled, holy opposition to everything contrary to His nature.
Psalm 76 reflects on a specific, awe-inspiring act of divine judgment against the Assyrian army. This historical context highlights that the psalm isn't just a general theological statement about God's power, but a powerful remembrance of a moment when God visibly intervened to protect His people and His dwelling place in Jerusalem.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many fortified cities and threatening Jerusalem.
c. 701 BC
Divine Intervention and Assyrian Defeat
According to biblical accounts, an angel of the Lord strikes down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight, causing Sennacherib to withdraw his army from Jerusalem.
After 701 BC
Sennacherib's Assassination
Years later, Sennacherib is assassinated by his own sons, a further divine judgment according to some interpretations.
Post-exilic Period
Composition of Psalm 76
The psalm is composed, likely by Asaph or his descendants, to commemorate God's powerful deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian threat.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Psalm 76:7, asking a rhetorical question about who can withstand God's powerful wrath and judgment, emphasizing God's sovereignty and destructive power against His enemies.
Job 9:4Similar to Psalm 76:7, Job questions God's might and wisdom, expressing the utter futility of any human attempting to contend with the Almighty when He chooses to act in judgment.
Isaiah 33:14This verse describes the terrifying reality of facing God's judgment, directly correlating with Psalm 76:7's assertion that none can stand before God when His anger is aroused, highlighting the fear and awe His presence inspires.
Revelation 6:16-17These verses depict the final judgment day where people cry out for the mountains to fall on them rather than face the Lamb's wrath, mirroring the dread and inability to stand before God's anger as expressed in Psalm 76:7.
Jeremiah 10:7This verse calls the nations to fear God because He is great and powerful, a concept that directly supports the opening statement of Psalm 76:7 that God alone is to be feared, especially when His judgment is unleashed.
clarkePsalms 76:7: "Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?"
Thou, even thou, art to be feared - The Hebrew is simple, but very emphatic: אתה נורא אתה attah nora attah, "Thou art terrible; thou art." The repetition of the pronoun deepens the sense. When once thou art angry? - Literally, From the time thou art angry. In the moment thy wrath is kindled, in that moment judgment is executed. How awful is this consideration! If one hundred and eighty-fi…
expositorsPsalms 76:1-12: "To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph. In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel."
Psalm 76:1-12 IN contents and tone this psalm is connected with Psalm 46:1-11 ; Psalm 48:1-14 . No known event corresponds so closely with its allusions as the destruction of Sennacherib’s army, to which the LXX in its superscription refers it. The singer is absorbed in the one tremendous judgment which had delivered the dwelling place of Jehovah. His song has but o…
The repetition of "you" in "But you, you are to be feared!" emphasizes that God alone, and no earthly power, holds this ultimate dread and authority. It’s a bold declaration that highlights the sheer uniqueness and overwhelming power of God, especially when His righteous anger is stirred.
{ "author": "Traditionally attributed to Asaph, a Levite musician in King David's court, though some scholars suggest a later author given the psalm's historical allusions.", "location": "Likely written from Jerusalem or within the Kingdom of Judah, celebrating God's protection of Zion.", "dateTime": "Most likely composed during the late 8th century BC, commemorating the destruction of Sennacherib's Assyrian army.", "literaryStyle": "Hebrew poetry, specifically a psalm of thanksgiving and royal psalm, characterized by vivid imagery and direct address to God." }
{ "author": "Traditionally attributed to Asaph, a Levite musician in King David's court, though some scholars suggest a later author given the psalm's historical allusions.", "location": "Likely written from Jerusalem or within the Kingdom of Judah, celebrating God's protection of Zion.", "dateTime": "Most likely composed during the late 8th century BC, commemorating the destruction of Sennacherib's Assyrian army.", "literaryStyle": "Hebrew poetry, specifically a psalm of thanksgiving and royal psalm, characterized by vivid imagery and direct address to God." }
"But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?" — The repetition of "you" in "But you, you are to be feared!" emphasizes that God alone, and no earthly power, holds this ultimate dread and authority. It’s a bold declaration that highlights the she…
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