Psalms · Chapter 76

Verse 1. In Judah is God known] The true God revealed himself to the Jews. The Israelites, after the separation of the tribes, had the same knowledge, but they greatly corrupted the Divine worship; though still God was great, even in Israel.

Verses 1, 2. In Judah is God known — God’s people do not worship an unknown God, as the Athenians did, Acts 17:23, but one who hath made himself known, not only by his word and ordinances, but also by the glorious effects of his wisdom and power, exerted on their behalf, and against their potent and malicious enemies. His name is great in Israel — That is, famous and renowned, and greatly to be praised and admired. In Salem is his tabernacle — In Jerusalem, which was anciently called Salem, Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1. And his dwelling-place in Zion — Largely so called, as it included Moriah, an adjoining hill, or another part of the same hill.

Verse 1. In Judah is God known. By the fall of a hundred and eighty five thousand vain, boasting soldiers, who seemed asleep in the morning, and could not use their hands for war, God was known to be in his holy temple throughout all the Assyrian empire, and throughout all the western nations.

1. In Judah is God known—The glory of Israel, then and now, is the knowledge and confession of an actually present God and Saviour. His presence supposes the fulness of his works of grace. Israel—Now represented only by the kingdom of Judah, the ten tribes having already gone into captivity.

V. 2. Salem-In Jerusalem, which was anciently called Salem. Zion-Largely so called, as it includes Moriah, an adjoining hill.

Verse 2. In Salem also is his tabernacle] Salem was the ancient name of Jebus, afterward called Jerusalem. Here was the tabernacle set up; but afterwards, when the temple was built on Mount Zion, there was his habitation. The Psalm was evidently composed after the building of Solomon’s temple.

Verses 1, 2. In Judah is God known — God’s people do not worship an unknown God, as the Athenians did, Acts 17:23, but one who hath made himself known, not only by his word and ordinances, but also by the glorious effects of his wisdom and power, exerted on their behalf, and against their potent and malicious enemies. His name is great in Israel — That is, famous and renowned, and greatly to be praised and admired. In Salem is his tabernacle — In Jerusalem, which was anciently called Salem, Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1. And his dwelling-place in Zion — Largely so called, as it included Moriah, an adjoining hill, or another part of the same hill.

2. Salem—The ancient name of Jerusalem, here poetically recalled. Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1. His tabernacle—Such only it was when David first removed the ark to Mount Zion, (2 Samuel 6:17; and such was God’s dwelling place during David’s life.

V. 3. There-At Jerusalem. Sword-Both offensive and defensive weapons. Battle-All the power of the army, which was put in battle-array.

Verse 3. There brake he the arrows of the bow] ypvr rishphey, the fiery arrows. Arrows, round the heads of which inflammable matter was rolled, and then ignited, were used by the ancients, and shot into towns to set them on fire; and were discharged among the towers and wooden works of besiegers. The Romans called them phalaricæ; and we find them mentioned by Virgil, Æn. lib. ix., ver. 705:—

Sed magnum stridens contorta phalarica venit,

Fulminis acta modo

On this passage Servius describes the phalarica as a dart or spear with a spherical leaden head to which fire was attached. Thrown by a strong hand, it killed those whom it hit, and set fire to buildings, &c. It was called phalarica from the towers called phalæ from which it was generally projected. In allusion to these St. Paul speaks of the fiery darts of the devil, Ephesians 6:16, to the note on which the reader is requested to refer.

The shield and the sword] If this refers to the destruction of Sennacherib’s army, it may be truly said that God rendered useless all their warlike instruments, his angel having destroyed 185,000 of them in one night.

Verse 3. There brake he, &c. — That is, in Judah, or at or near Jerusalem; the arrows of the bow — Hebrew, tvq ypvr, rishpee kasheth, the sparks of the bow, the sparkling arrows, bright and shining, swift and piercing, like sparks of fire. Some render it, the fiery arrows of the bow, the shield and the sword — Both offensive and defensive weapons, so that they could neither hurt God’s people nor save themselves from ruin; and the battle — The force and fury of the battle, and all the power of the army put in battle array.

3. There brake he the arrows—The adverbial particle, µv, (sham,) “there,” is not to be understood of the place where the miracle of destruction was wrought, but of that whence the miraculous power emanated, namely Zion, or Salem, and should be translated thence, from thence. Thus, “His dwelling-place in Zion. Thence brake he,” etc. So the word is used, Genesis 11:8, “The Lord scattered them abroad from thence;” and Genesis 26:17, “Isaac departed thence.” It is from his dwelling-place God hears and answers prayer. It is a lofty conception of Zion as the throne of Deity. Arrows of the bow—Hebrew, Flames, or lightnings of the bow, that is, flaming or flashing arrows, a description not uncommon of furbished weapons. Job 39:23; Nahum 3:3. Comp. Ephesians 6:16. And the battle—Either poetically for the weapons of war, or directly the war itself. This latter is the true idea. He shivered the battle; that is, ended the war by one stroke, in destroying the warriors. See Hosea 2:18, (Hebrews ver. 20,) and the parallel passage, Psalm 46:9.

V. 4. Thou-O God. Than-The greatest kings and empires of the earth, which in prophetic writings are often compared to mountains. And they are called mountains of prey, because they generally were established by tyranny, and maintained by preying upon their own subjects, or other kingdoms.

Verse 4. Than the mountains of prey.] This is an address to Mount Zion. Thou art more illustrious and excellent than all the mountains of prey, i.e., where wild beasts wander, and prey on those that are more helpless than themselves. Zion was the place where GOD dwelt; the other mountains were the abode of wild beasts.

Verse 4. Thou — O God, to whom he is thought to direct his speech here, as also verse 6, art more glorious, &c., than the mountains of prey — Than the greatest kings and empires of the earth, which in the prophetical writings are often compared to mountains. And they are called mountains of prey, because then they were generally established by tyranny, and maintained by preying on their own subjects, or other inferior kingdoms: or, which amounts to the same thing, than the most powerful enemies of thy people, upon whom they used, and now expected, to prey. Or, as some think, the psalmist asserts here that Jehovah, who sent help to his people from mount Zion, was superior to the idol gods of the mountains, under whose protection the despoilers of the earth made their depredations. Thus the powerful assistance which Jehovah afforded his people from mount Zion, caused the Syrians to call him the God of the hills, and not of the valleys, 1 Kings 20:23. But the words may be considered as an apostrophe to mount Zion, and then the sense is, Thou, O Zion, art infinitely more glorious and excellent, and far more impregnable, through the favour and protection of God, than the mountains upon which the Assyrians had fortified themselves, and from which their soldiers made frequent excursions, and ravaged the country; more safe and secure, through the defence of the Almighty, than “the arm of flesh and the instruments of war could render the kingdoms of the earth, which set themselves against Zion; and which, for their tyranny, and cruelty, and the ravages committed by them, are likened to those mountains, where beasts of prey, with similar dispositions, rove, and roar, and devour.” — Horne.

4. Mountains of prey—The verse is elliptical and obscure, but literally the words would seem to mean, mountains where beasts of prey abounded and held high carnival. Song of Solomon 4:8. Others suppose the reference is to mountains whose rocky dens offered a retreat for robbers where they could bestow their plunder, and from which they issued forth. In either case the metaphor is easily deduced. The language is applicable to the haughty invaders who had spread terror throughout the nation, making it a war of plunder as well as of conquest, and who, probably, had stored their spoils in fortified high places, here called “mountains of prey”—equal to plunder mountains. Stanley supposes reference is made to the “armory” of the “house of the forest of Lebanon” on Zion, where were displayed the shields of mighty men. See Song of Solomon 4:4; Isaiah 22:8. Hammond takes the idea to be, that God is more glorious in power and majesty than the strong mountain fortifications where the enemy made his rendezvous. Either sense might be accepted, though the first seems most natural.

V. 5. Sleep-Even a perpetual sleep.

Verse 5. The stout-hearted are spoiled] The boasting blasphemers, such as Rab-shakeh, and his master Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. They have slept their sleep] They were asleep in their tent when the destroying angel, the suffocating wind, destroyed the whole; they over whom it passed never more awoke.

None of the men of might] Is not this a strong irony? Where are your mighty men? their boasted armour, &c.?

Verses 5, 6. The stout-hearted are spoiled — Of all that glory and advantage which they either had already obtained, or further expected from the success of their present expedition. They became a prey to those on whom they hoped to prey. They have slept their sleep — Even a perpetual sleep, or the sleep of death. They have slept so as never to awake again to life on earth. He terms their death sleep, because they were slain in the night, when they had composed themselves to sleep, and so passed, perhaps insensibly, from one sleep to another. None of the men of might have found their hands — They had no more strength in, or use of their hands, against the destroying angel, than those who have no hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob — By a rebuking blast sent from thee; both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep — Are rendered motionless and useless, like persons in a dead sleep. The horses were killed, as well as their riders, and the chariots were of no further service.

5. Stout-hearted are spoiled—Instead of making plunder of God’s people they themselves are become a spoil. Slept their sleep—Their perpetual sleep, the sleep of death. Jeremiah 51:39-57. None… have found their hands—They found not “their hands” in the sense of discovering, bringing back to light, a lost object, though the least degree of self-consciousness would have sufficed for this; nor yet in the sense to have power over, as the word may signify. 1 Samuel 23:17; Psalm 21:9. These mighty men, whose name had been the terror of the nations, now had neither consciousness to discover, nor ability to use, their hands. The words are in contrast with their boasted strength and skill.

V. 6. Chariot-The men who rode upon, and fought from chariots and horses.

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 “2 Kings 19:35”.

Verses 5, 6. The stout-hearted are spoiled — Of all that glory and advantage which they either had already obtained, or further expected from the success of their present expedition. They became a prey to those on whom they hoped to prey. They have slept their sleep — Even a perpetual sleep, or the sleep of death. They have slept so as never to awake again to life on earth. He terms their death sleep, because they were slain in the night, when they had composed themselves to sleep, and so passed, perhaps insensibly, from one sleep to another. None of the men of might have found their hands — They had no more strength in, or use of their hands, against the destroying angel, than those who have no hands. At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob — By a rebuking blast sent from thee; both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep — Are rendered motionless and useless, like persons in a dead sleep. The horses were killed, as well as their riders, and the chariots were of no further service.

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, (Daniel 8:18; 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 Psalm 46:6.

Verse 7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared] The Hebrew is simple, but very emphatic: hta arwn hta 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-five thousand men were in one moment destroyed by the wrath of God, canst thou, thou poor, miserable, feeble sinner, resist his will, and turn aside his thunder!

Verse 7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared — Thy majesty is to be reverenced, thy sovereignty to be submitted to, and thy justice to be dreaded, by those that have offended thee. Let all the world learn, by this event, to stand in awe of the great God. Who may stand in thy sight — Namely, to contend with thee? Standing is here opposed to flight from, or falling before, the enemy. Surely, “neither the wisdom of the wise, nor the power of the mighty, no, nor the world itself, can stand a single moment before him when once he is angry.” If God be a consuming fire, how can the chaff and the stubble stand before him, though his wrath be kindled but a little? “Yet men continue to dread any frowns but those of heaven; and one poor, vain, sinful man shall, through a course of sixty or seventy years, incessantly and undauntedly tempt and provoke him who destroyed one hundred and eighty-five thousand in a night. What is this but madness?” — Horne.

7. When once thou art angry—From the moment of thy anger, or when once thine anger forms itself into a purpose. Time, with God, is nothing. He can do in an instant, as by the fiat, “Be light,” (Genesis 1:3,) as easily as in a thousand years. “He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth.” Psalm 104:32. He touched the Assyrian camp, and they slept the sleep of death.

V. 8. Thou-Didst execute judgment upon thine enemies, by an angel from heaven: which is said to be heard, either because it was accompanied with thunders and earthquakes, or because the fame of it was quickly spread abroad. Feared-The rest of the world were afraid to disturb Israel.

Verse 8. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard] When God declared by his prophet that the enemy should not prevail, but on the contrary be destroyed, the earth-the land, and by metonymy the inhabitants of the land, were struck with astonishment and terror, so as not to be able to move. The great boaster Sennacherib, who carried terror, dismay and desolation every where, was now struck with dumb amazement; and the angel of the Almighty, in a moment, stopped the breath of those hosts in which he confided.

Verses 8, 9. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard, &c. — Thou didst execute judgment upon thine enemies by an angel sent from heaven. The earth feared, and was still — The effect of this terrible judgment was, that the rest of the world was afraid to invade or disturb the land and people of Israel; and chose rather to be still and stay quietly in their own territories. When God — Who had long suffered their insolence; arose to judgment — To execute judgment upon his enemies, and the enemies of his people. Hebrew, µwqb, bekum, in his arising, or, after he had risen, or, because he did arise; to save all the meek — The humble, the patient, the mild, and gentle; or, the godly, who are often called meek ones; of the earth — Rather, of the land, for whose sakes, and in answer to whose prayers, God wrought this great deliverance which reached to all the people of the land.

8. Judgment to be heard from heaven—The case was a clear one. No delay of secondary causes. The judgment fell like a bolt from heaven. No one, not even Sennacherib, doubted it was of God. The earth feared, and was still—A sublime conception of the majesty of God. “When he arose to judgment” the tumult was hushed, the din of war ceased. Silence and fear pervaded the earth, when God arose for the “meek” ones. See on Psalm 46:10.

“The Babylonian Talmud hath it, that this destruction of the army of the Assyrians was executed by lightning; and some of the targums are quoted for saying the same thing. But it seems most likely that it was effected by bringing on them the hot wind which is frequent in those parts, and often, when it lights among a multitude, destroys great numbers of them in a moment, as it frequently happens in those vast caravans of Mohammedans who go their annual pilgrimages to Mecca.”—Prideaux.

And the words of Isaiah (Isaiah 37:7,) which threatened Sennacherib with a “blast” from heaven, seem to denote the same. The poet has the same:—

“For the angel of death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed.”

The account of Herodotus, (book ii, chap. 141,) 450 years before Christ, that “so immense a number of mice infested by night Sennacherib’s camp that their quivers and bows, together with what secured their shields to their arms, were gnawed in pieces,” and thus rendered the army powerless, while it corroborates the great fact of the catastrophe, and calls Sennacherib by name, is incorrect as to the circumstances, and puerile. See on Psalm 46.

Verse 9. The meek of the earth.] The humbled or oppressed people of the land. The poor Jews, now utterly helpless, and calling upon the Lord for succour.

Verses 8, 9. Thou didst cause judgment to be heard, &c. — Thou didst execute judgment upon thine enemies by an angel sent from heaven. The earth feared, and was still — The effect of this terrible judgment was, that the rest of the world was afraid to invade or disturb the land and people of Israel; and chose rather to be still and stay quietly in their own territories. When God — Who had long suffered their insolence; arose to judgment — To execute judgment upon his enemies, and the enemies of his people. Hebrew, µwqb, bekum, in his arising, or, after he had risen, or, because he did arise; to save all the meek — The humble, the patient, the mild, and gentle; or, the godly, who are often called meek ones; of the earth — Rather, of the land, for whose sakes, and in answer to whose prayers, God wrought this great deliverance which reached to all the people of the land.

V. 10. Surely-The furious attempts of thine enemies, shall cause thy people and others to praise thee for thy admirable wisdom, power, and faithfulness.

Verse 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee] The rage of Sennacherib shall only serve to manifest thy glory. The stronger he is, and the more he threatens, and the weaker thy people, the more shall thy majesty and mercy appear in his destruction and their support. The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.] The Hebrew gives rather a different sense: “Thou shalt gird thyself with the remainder of wrath.” Even after thou hast sent this signal destruction upon Sennacherib and his army, thou wilt continue to pursue the remnant of the persecutors of thy people; their wrath shall be the cause of the excitement of thy justice to destroy them. As a man girds himself with his girdle, that he may the better perform his work, so thou wilt gird thyself with wrath, that thou mayest destroy thy enemies. A good maxim has been taken from this verse: “God often so counterworks the evil designs of men against his cause and followers, that it turns out to their advantage and his glory; nor does he permit them to go to the extent of what they have purposed, and of what they are able to perform. He suffers them to do some mischief, but not all they would or can do.” But how different is the reading of the Vulgate! Quoniam cogitatio hominis confitebitur tibi: et reliquiæ cogitationis diem festum agent tibi: “The thought of man shall praise thee; and the remains of thought shall celebrate a feast day to thee.” The Septuagint and the Æthiopic have understood the text in the same way. Some translate thus: “Certainly, the ferocity of the man (Sennacherib) shall praise thee: and thou shalt gird thyself with the spoils of the furious.” The spoils of this great army shall be a booty for thy people. Probably this is the true notion of the place. The old Psalter renders it thus: For thoght of man sal schrife (confess) to the, and levyngs (remains) of thoght a feste day till the sal wirk. The paraphrase is curious, of which this is the substance: “When man forsakes perfitly his synne, and sithen (afterwards) rightwisness werks; it is a feste day; whenne the conscience is clered, and makes feste with the swetnes of goddes lufe, restand fra besynes of any creatur in erth: Than is God at hame with his spouse dwelland.”

Verse 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee — The furious attempts and blasphemous speeches of thine enemies shall serve thy glory, and cause thy people and others to praise and magnify thee for that admirable wisdom, power, faithfulness, and goodness which thou didst discover on that occasion. The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain — Thou shalt prevent and disappoint the succeeding malicious designs of thine enemies, who will meditate revenge for those shameful and terrible overthrows. Or, as the Hebrew may be properly rendered, with the remainder of wrath shalt thou gird thyself; that is, thou shalt put it on as an ornament, which the girdle was; thou shalt adorn thyself with it as a conqueror adorns himself with the spoils of his enemies.

10. The wrath of man shall praise thee—As furnishing an occasion for the display of the divine character and attributes in delivering his people and punishing sin, and hence the increased praises of the triumphant righteous. So of Pharaoh, Exodus 9:16, and chaps, 14 and 15. Remainder of wrath—A passage much tortured by interpreters. Is the wrath of man, or of God, here intended? This depends upon the signification of the word rgj, (hhagar,) rendered restrain in the common version. Its literal and usual sense is, to gird on, to bind. In this sense God is supposed to gird on the remainder of his wrath, not required for the present judgment, in order to new and further vengeance upon his enemies. But this certainly would not be µda tmj, “the wrath of man,” which is the subject, and most literally defined. The word admits the sense of “restrain,” and the connexion requires it. Furst, though proposing another reading of the text, derives the sense “restrain” from the cognate Arabic and Syriac roots, and says, “The signification of to restrain proceeds from to bind,” and renders tmj tyrav, the remnant of hostile wrath, which would give what we conceive to be the exact idea. So Phillips: “The word may denote girding in the sense of restraining.” Calvin: “More simple is the interpretation, that although the enemies cease not to breathe cruelty, yet shalt thou impede and restrain them, that they shall not be able to bring their attempts to pass.”

V. 11. Vow-A sacrifice of thanksgiving for this wonderful deliverance. Let all-All the neighboring nations submit to the God of Israel.

Verse 11. Vow, and pay unto the Lord] Bind yourselves to him, and forget not your obligations.

Let all that be round about him] All the neighbouring nations, who shall see God’s judgments against his enemies, should

Bring presents unto him] Give him that homage which is due unto him. That ought to be feared.] arwml lammora, “to the terrible One;” lest they be consumed as the Assyrians have been.

Verse 11. Vow unto the Lord — Vow a sacrifice of thanksgiving; either at this time, for this wonderful deliverance, or hereafter, in all your future straits and troubles: let this experience encourage you to make such vows to God with confidence of success. And pay — But when God hath accepted your vows, and given you the desired deliverance, forget not to pay your vows. Let all that be round about him — All the tribes of Israel, who have the benefit of this mercy: or, rather, all the neighbouring nations, on every side, to whom the fame of this mighty work of God hath or shall come; bring presents — I advise them, for the future, if they love themselves, to cease from all hostilities against Jehovah and his people, and to submit themselves to the God of Israel; unto him that ought to be feared — Whom, though they do not love, yet they see and feel that they have great reason to fear, and to seek his favour.

Ver. 11. Vow, and pay to the Lord, the vows made in sickness and in war. But they should not be rash and unguarded vows: many such were made while Jerusalem was invested with the Assyrians.—Bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. arwml la-mora, The Fear, the terrible one. This is a name, like that of love, which is given absolutely to God. The text requires these oblations to be brought to the Fear, or the terrible One.

11. Vow, and pay unto the Lord—As the fittest return for all his benefits. Psalm 116:12-14; Hosea 14:2. Bring presents unto him— According to Asiatic custom, taxes and tribute often take the form of presents, which the governors of provinces bring to their sovereign. They are a token of submission and loyalty. Thus, those who “brought no presents to Saul,” refused to acknowledge him as their king. 1 Samuel 10:27. See Psalm 68:29; 72:10. The invasion of Sennacherib had been brought on by Hezekiah’s having cast off the tributary yoke of Assyria, which Ahaz, his father, had wickedly assumed, and, in doing so, had revolted from Jehovah. Hezekiah now exhorts the nation to bring tribute to Jehovah, their only lawful sovereign. 2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 28:16-25; Isaiah 7:1-12. Round about him—That is, the surrounding nations on every side of Judea. Let Jehovah be confessed by them and by all people to be the supreme God. And such should have been the effect of this miracle, especially in regard to Assyria; but it failed, as had also the preaching of Jonah about one hundred years before. To-day men are digging out the buried ruins of Nineveh, the proud capital, from the overlaying mounds of rubbish by which its very site had been lost from history; and among its inscribed and sculptured stone slabs are found the records and memorials of this same Sennacherib, his war with Hezekiah, and his siege of Lachish.

V. 12. 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.

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.

Verse 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, Revelation 6:15. The original word, however, rxby, 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.

12. Cut off the spirit of princes—The breath of princes, as in Job 9:18; Psalm 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.