Psalm 76:2

In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Salem.—The LXX. and Vulgate translate “his place was in peace,” and possibly the poet may use the word Salem with the thought in his mind of the peace won by God for Judah, or, again, it may be only a poet’s preference for an ancient over a modern name; but the identification of the Salem of Genesis 14:18 with Jerusalem is too doubtful to allow much weight to this view. (See the whole question discussed in Sir G. Grove’s article on “Salem,” in Smith’s Bibl. Dict.)

Tabernacle . . . dwelling-place.—These renderings quite obliterate the image, which is that of a beast of prey crouching ready for its spring. Translate,

“In Salem is his covert,

And his lair in Sion.”

and for these meanings of the Hebrew words sokh and meônah comp. Psalm 10:9; Jeremiah 25:38; Psalm 104:22; Amos 3:4.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

76:1-6 Happy people are those who have their land filled with the knowledge of God! happy persons that have their hearts filled with that knowledge! It is the glory and happiness of a people to have God among them by his ordinances. Wherein the enemies of the church deal proudly, it will appear that God is above them. See the power of God's rebukes. With pleasure may Christians apply this to the advantages bestowed by the Redeemer.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In Salem also - This was the ancient name for Jerusalem, and is evidently so used here. It continued to be given to the town until the time of David, when it was called "Jerusalem." See the notes at Isaiah 1:1. The word properly means "peace," and is so rendered here by the Septuagint, ἐν εἰρήνῃ ὁ τόπος αύτοῦ en eirēnē ho topos autou - "his place is in peace." There may have been an allusion here to that ancient signification of the name, as being more poetical, and as suggesting the fact that God had restored peace to the city and nation when invaded.

Is his tabernacle - The tent, or sacred place where he is worshipped. Salem or Jerusalem was made the place of public worship, and the ark removed there by David, 2 Samuel 6:17.

And his dwelling-place in Zion - That is, on Mount Zion - the portion of Jerusalem in which David built his own palace, and which he made the place of public worship. This remained so until the temple was built on Mount Moriah; see the notes at Psalm 2:6; compare Psalm 9:11; Psalm 48:12; Psalm 65:1.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. Salem—(Ge 14:18) is Jerusalem.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

In Salem; in Jerusalem, which was anciently called Salem, Genesis 14:18 Hebrews 7:1.

Zion; largely so called, as it includes Moriah, an adjoining hill, or another branch of the same hill.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

In Salem also is his tabernacle,.... That is, in Jerusalem, as the Targum expresses it, where the tabernacle of Moses and the ark of the covenant were, and afterwards the temple of Solomon, which the Targum here calls the house of the sanctuary; and may be interpreted of the human nature of Christ, the true tabernacle which God pitched, and not man, in which the divine word when he was made flesh dwelt or tabernacled among the Jews at Jerusalem, and in other parts of Judea, Hebrews 8:2. Salem or Jerusalem often signifies the church of God in Gospel times, in the midst of which Christ resides, and where he grants his gracious presence, Hebrews 12:22 and in the New Jerusalem the tabernacle of God will be with men, and he will dwell among them, Revelation 21:2. The Septuagint translate the word, and render it, "in peace", as in Hebrews 7:2, the God of peace dwells among those that live in peace, 2 Corinthians 13:11,

and his dwelling place in Zion; where the ark was brought by David, and the temple was built by Solomon, into which, as rebuilt by Zerubbabel, Christ came, and here he preached; a figure of the church, which is his habitation.

Geneva Study Bible

In {b} Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

(b) Which later was called Jerusalem.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. And he hath set his pavilion in Salem,

And his habitation in Zion.

For the words pavilion and habitation applied to the Temple see Psalm 27:5; Psalm 68:5. The words may however mean the covert and lair of a lion (Psalm 10:9; Psalm 104:22; Amos 3:4); and it is possible that the Psalmist intends to describe God as the lion of Judah, who has issued forth from His lair, and seized His prey. Cp. Psalm 76:4, and the simile in Isaiah 31:4.

Salem is either an old name for Jerusalem (Genesis 14:18), or a poetical abbreviation. The name means ‘unharmed,’ ‘at peace,’ and it is doubtless used with allusion to the recent escape of Zion from destruction (Isaiah 33:20).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - In Salem; i.e. Jerusalem. "Salem" was probably a shortened form of the full and complete name, like "Peer" for "Baalpeor," "Maachah" for "Aram-Maa-chah," "El Kuds" for "Beit-el-Kuds," and the like. (So Professor Cheyne.) "Salem" is the peaceful place, the place where God's presence breathed peace and tranquillity. It is only used here and in Genesis 14:11. Is his tabernacle; literally, his tent (comp. Psalm 15:1; Psalm 27:5, 6; Psalm 61:4). The temple is meant, as even Professor Cheyne sees. It took the place of the original "tabernacle," and was modelled upon it. And his dwelling place in Zion; or, "his lair" (comp. Psalm 104:22). Psalm 76:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In all Israel, and more especially in Judah, is Elohim known (here, according to Psalm 76:2, participle, whereas in Psalm 9:17 it is the finite verb), inasmuch as He has made Himself known (cf. דּעוּ, Isaiah 33:13). His Name is great in Israel, inasmuch as He has proved Himself to be a great One and is praised as a great One. In Judah more especially, for in Jerusalem, and that upon Zion, the citadel with the primeval gates (Psalm 24:7), He has His dwelling-place upon earth within the borders of Israel. שׁלם is the ancient name of Jerusalem; for the Salem of Melchizedek is one and the same city with the Jerusalem of Adonizedek, Joshua 10:1. In this primeval Salem God has סוּכּו, His tabernacle ( equals שׂכּו, Lamentations 2:6, equals סכּתו, as in Psalm 27:5), there מעונתו, His dwelling-place, - a word elsewhere used of the lair of the lion (Psalm 104:22, Amos 3:4); cf. on the choice of words, Isaiah 31:9. The future of the result ויהי is an expression of the fact which is evident from God's being known in Judah and His Name great in Israel. Psalm 76:4 tells what it is by which He has made Himself known and glorified His Name. שׁמּה, thitherwards, in that same place (as in fact the accusative, in general, is used both in answer to the question where? and whither?), is only a fuller form for שׁם, as in Isaiah 22:18; Isaiah 65:9; 2 Kings 23:8, and frequently; Arab. ta̱mma (tu̱mma) and תּמּן (from תּמּה) confirm the accusative value of the ah. רשׁפי־קשׁת (with Phe raphatum, cf. on the other hand, Sol 8:6)

(Note: The pointing is here just as inconsistent as in ילדוּת, and on the contrary מרדּוּת.))

are the arrows swift as lightning that go forth (Job 41:20-28) from the bow; side by side with these, two other weapons are also mentioned, and finally everything that pertains to war is gathered up in the word מלחמה (cf. Hosea 2:18). God has broken in pieces the weapons of the worldly power directed against Judah, and therewith this power itself (Isaiah 14:25), and consequently (in accordance with the prediction Hosea 1:7, and Isaiah 10, 14, Isaiah 17:1-14, 29, Isaiah 31:1-9, 33, 37, and more particularly Psalm 31:8) has rescued His people by direct interposition, without their doing anything in the matter.