Psalm 76 (75):1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Many of our honored ancestors exemplified both physical circumcision, as a seal of faith, and the circumcision of the heart, which represents the faith itself. From these ancestors descended those who now take pride in merely their name, having forsaken their deeds; they remain Jews by lineage but are Gentiles in spirit. The Jews descended from Abraham, through Isaac, and then Jacob, and from Jacob came the twelve Patriarchs, creating the lineage of all of Judah. They are referred to as Jews because Judah was one of Jacob's twelve sons, a Patriarch, whose lineage gave rise to royalty among them. This nation, reflecting the number of Jacob's twelve sons, was divided into twelve tribes. These tribes represent distinct groups and assemblies of people. Among these twelve tribes was Judah, from which kings arose; another tribe, Levi, produced the priests. However, since the priests were assigned no territory in the temple service, it was imperative that the entire Promised Land be distributed among the twelve tribes. The total of twelve was fulfilled through the two sons of Joseph. Notably, one of Jacob's sons was Joseph, who had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. As he approached death, Jacob welcomed his grandsons as his sons, declaring to Joseph that the rest of his offspring would belong to him, resulting in a division of the land alongside their brethren. While the Promised Land was yet to be allocated, Jacob spoke prophetically. Thus, with the inclusion of Joseph's two sons, the count of tribes technically became thirteen. However, if we exclude Levi, the priestly tribe, which dwelled solely by receiving tithes from the landless tribes, the number reverts to twelve. Within these twelve is the tribe of Judah, from which kings descended. Initially, Saul was chosen as king from another tribe, but he was rejected for evil; later, David, a descendant of Judah, was appointed, and all subsequent kings were from his lineage. Jacob prophesied during the blessing of his sons, declaring, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until He comes to whom it belongs." From the lineage of Judah came our Lord Jesus Christ, who, as the Scripture affirms, is of the seed of David, born of Mary. According to the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, in which He shares equality with the Father, He existed not only before the Jews but also before Abraham himself; and not just before Abraham, but before Adam, heaven, earth, and the ages; for through Him, all creation came into being. Prophetically, it was stated that no ruler shall depart from Judah. Throughout history, the Jews consistently had rulers from Judah until the time of Herod, who was king at the birth of the Lord. With Herod, foreign kings emerged. Prior to him, all rulers were from the tribe of Judah, but only until the promised One arrived. Thus, when the Lord came, the kingdom of Judah was dismantled and taken from the Jews, leaving them without a king because they failed to recognize their true Monarch. This prompts the question of whether they should still be labeled as Jews. Clearly, they cannot rightfully claim that title, as they’ve renounced it through their own words, stating, "We have no king but Caesar." Oh, you who profess to be Jews yet are not! If you declare allegiance to Caesar as your king, it signals that the rightful ruler has indeed arrived. True Jews are those who have become Christians from among the Jews; the others who reject Christ deserve to forfeit even that title. Therefore, authentic Judea is found in Christ's Church, which believes in that King who emerged from the tribe of Judah through the Virgin Mary. This congregation believes in Him, of whom the Apostle writes to Timothy, "Remember that Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, is of the seed of David, according to my gospel." For David came from Judah, and from David, our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Christ can rightfully identify with Judah and acknowledge Him. Though we have not seen Him with our eyes, we embrace Him through faith. Thus, let not those who are no longer Jews cast judgment upon us. They themselves proclaimed, "We have no king but Caesar," and it is better for them if their sovereign were Christ, of David’s lineage, from the tribe of Judah. However, since Christ is indeed of David's line according to the flesh yet is God, blessed forever, He is our King and God. Our King, for Christ the Lord, the Savior, was born of Judah, and our God, who exists before Judah, heaven, and earth, through whom all things were created, both spiritual and physical. Everything, including Mary, from whom He was born, came into existence by Him. In Judah, God is recognized; in Israel, His name is esteemed. Regarding Israel, the same principle applies as with Judah: those who are not true Jews likewise do not represent true Israel. What does Israel signify? It means one who encounters God. And how did they encounter God? They walked amongst Him in the flesh, only to reject and kill Him. In Israel, His name is revered. Would you be recognized as an Israelite? Consider the person of whom the Lord said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit." If a true Israelite possesses no deceit, then a wicked and duplicitous person cannot claim that title. Hence, they cannot assert that God is with them and that His name is revered in Israel without demonstrating their authenticity as Israelites.

Alternatively, according to Athanasius and Eusebius, this psalm is titled "to the end" because it addresses the culmination of the world, namely, the impending judgment. Additionally, it is marked "in songs" since it serves as a hymn of gratitude to God for triumph over the Assyrians. As stated in the preface, we have touched on Asaph and the song. It bears the title "concerning the Assyrian" rather than "regarding the circumstances of Sennacherib." Furthermore, dear reader, take note that the Holy Spirit has intertwined truths of the Christian faith with Jewish history, offering comfort to the Jew who perceives these words in a literal sense, while simultaneously bringing joy to the Christian who comprehends their deeper significance.

It is important to note that the Holy Spirit has woven together the truths of Christian faith with the narratives of Jewish history, providing comfort to the Jew who perceives these words in a straightforward manner while also bringing joy to the Christian who interprets them with greater depth (Theodoret, Euthymius).