Psalm 76 (75):8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Now they rest in slumber, oblivious to Your wrath, yet it is their very slumber that stirs Your anger. What they fail to grasp in their sleep, they shall eventually witness in the end. For the righteous Judge of both the living and the dead will arise. Who will dare to oppose You in that moment of Your fury? In this present time, they freely express their opinions, challenge God, and scoff at Christians, asking who Christ is or what kind of folly it is to believe in the unseen while shunning the pleasures they behold. You sleep and snore, slandering God for as long as you can. How long, O Lord, will evildoers boast and speak with arrogance? But when is it that no one responds, no one speaks, unless they turn against themselves?

You are awe-inspiring, and who can stand against You? For as Isaiah states, if You choose to ‘close’ a person, who has the power to open? (Isaiah 22:22)

When did God’s anger manifest? It happened when the people called out to Aaron in the desert, demanding, ‘Create gods for us to worship. We do not know what has become of this Moses who led us out of Egypt’ (Ex. 32:1). You delivered them from Egypt, yet they consistently turned away from You.

You are awe-inspiring, and who can stand against You? Who can withstand You and evade the consequences You impose? Therefore, Your anger. You could have reprimanded the sinful upon hearing their blasphemies, yet You showed forbearance, anticipating a transformation.

You are awe-inspiring, and who can stand against You? From that moment, Your anger is evident. The Lord declares that You are formidable in strength: and who can resist You? At that time, when the Assyrians insulted You, Your wrath was kindled against them, and You desired their destruction; yet, as Theodoret explains, You permitted them to turn away from their sin, as Your nature of goodness and compassion demands. Alternatively, the phrase "from that time" may indicate: in times past or long ago. Origen interprets the phrase to mean that God's retribution does not commence immediately; rather, it awaits the moment of reckoning after sin is committed, leading to a time when the consequences for sins are meted out, often years later, at which point judgment will occur. Therefore, it is wise to seek to mitigate God's wrath through righteous deeds and to turn from anger through acts of repentance, which pave the way for forgiveness.

The Holy Prophet acknowledges God’s majesty and, reflecting on the judgment that came upon the Assyrians, expresses awe at His might, encouraging us to similarly marvel and hold reverence. He proclaims, "Thou art fearful, and who shall stand against Thee when Thou art incensed?" The phrase "Thy wrath is from henceforth" communicates that the intensity of Thy displeasure will be awakened.

Ultimately, in Christ, the Fulfillment of all good gifts, who is celebrated in songs of gratitude and eternally exalted. This Psalm was inspired by the Holy Spirit and revealed to David, then passed to Asaph, the leader of the singers, to announce a prophetic message of joy to the Israelites about the impending victory over Sennacherib, king of Assyria, symbolizing the triumph of the Holy Church against all her adversaries, granted by God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is important to note that the Holy Spirit has woven together the tenets of Christian faith with Jewish history, providing comfort to the Jew who receives these words in a basic sense, while also bringing joy to the Christian who comprehends their deeper significance.