◄ Psalm 76:11 ►
Make and fulfill your vows to the LORD your God; let all the neighboring lands bring tribute to Him who is to be feared.
Study Bible
Make and fulfill your vows to the LORD your God;
In ancient Israel, making vows to God was a serious commitment, often made in times of distress or as an expression of gratitude. The emphasis on fulfilling vows underscores the importance of integrity and faithfulness in one's relationship with God. This reflects the covenantal relationship between God and His people, where obedience and faithfulness are paramount. The call to make and fulfill vows is a reminder of the Israelites' covenant obligations, as seen in Deuteronomy 23:21-23, where vows are not to be delayed or neglected. This phrase also echoes the wisdom literature, such as Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, which warns against making rash vows. In a broader sense, it points to the ultimate fulfillment of vows in Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the law and the prophets.

let all the neighboring lands bring tribute to Him
This phrase reflects the historical context of Israel as a nation surrounded by other peoples and kingdoms. Tribute was a common practice in the ancient Near East, where vassal states would bring gifts or payments to a dominant power as a sign of submission or alliance. Here, the psalmist envisions a time when surrounding nations recognize the sovereignty of the LORD and honor Him. This can be seen as a prophetic vision of the messianic kingdom, where all nations acknowledge God's rule, as prophesied in Isaiah 2:2-4 and Zechariah 14:16. It also foreshadows the Great Commission, where the gospel is to be preached to all nations, bringing them into submission to Christ.

who is to be feared.
The fear of the LORD is a central theme in the wisdom literature, particularly in Proverbs, where it is described as the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). This fear is not merely terror but a profound reverence and awe for God's holiness, power, and justice. In the context of Psalm 76, it highlights God's might in delivering His people and defeating their enemies, as seen in the historical backdrop of God's deliverance of Jerusalem from Assyrian forces (2 Kings 19:35-37). This fear is also a recognition of God's ultimate authority and judgment, which is a recurring theme throughout the Psalms and the prophetic writings. In the New Testament, this reverence is deepened through the revelation of Jesus Christ, who embodies the fullness of God's power and love, calling believers to live in holy fear and obedience (Philippians 2:12-13).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who is to be revered and worshiped. He is the central figure to whom vows are made and fulfilled.

2. Neighboring Lands
These are the nations surrounding Israel, which are called to recognize the sovereignty and power of the LORD by bringing tribute.

3. Vows
These are solemn promises or commitments made to God, often in response to His deliverance or blessings.

4. Tribute
A form of offering or gift brought to honor and acknowledge the authority of a ruler, in this case, the LORD.

5. The One who is to be feared
This refers to God, emphasizing His awe-inspiring power and majesty that commands respect and reverence.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Vows
Making vows to God is a serious commitment that should not be taken lightly. It reflects our dedication and response to His faithfulness.

Fulfillment of Promises
Fulfilling our vows is an act of obedience and worship. It demonstrates our integrity and trust in God's provision and sovereignty.

Reverence for God
Recognizing God as "the One who is to be feared" calls us to live in awe and respect of His power and holiness. Our lives should reflect this reverence in our actions and decisions.

Witness to the Nations
The call for neighboring lands to bring tribute signifies the universal recognition of God's authority. Our lives should be a testimony to others of God's greatness and sovereignty.

Practical Worship
Worship is not just about words but involves tangible actions, such as fulfilling vows and bringing offerings, that honor God and acknowledge His lordship.
Bible Study Questions
1. What are some vows or commitments you have made to God, and how can you ensure you fulfill them?

2. How does understanding God as "the One who is to be feared" influence your daily life and decisions?

3. In what ways can you be a witness to those around you of God's sovereignty and power?

4. How can the concept of bringing tribute to God be applied in your personal worship and service?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's deliverance or blessing. How did you respond, and what commitments did you make to Him as a result?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
This passage discusses the importance of fulfilling vows made to God, highlighting the seriousness of making promises to the Almighty.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23
These verses provide instructions on making and fulfilling vows, emphasizing that vows to God should not be delayed or neglected.

Hebrews 12:28-29
This New Testament passage speaks of worshiping God with reverence and awe, connecting to the idea of God being "the One who is to be feared."
Sermons
Following Up Our VowsR. Tuck Psalm 76:11
A Psalm of TriumphC. Short Psalm 76:1-12
Glorious Aspects of the Divine CharacterA. K. H. Boyd, D. D.Psalm 76:1-12
The Triumphs of GodS. Conway Psalm 76:1-12
People
Asaph, Jacob, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Bring, Complete, Feared, Fearful, Fulfill, Gifts, Lands, Neighboring, Neighbors, Offerings, Ought, Pay, Perform, Presents, Round, Surrounding, Vow, Vows
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 76:11

     5325   gifts
     5741   vows
     7402   offerings
     8452   neighbours, duty to

Psalm 76:11-12

     8334   reverence, and God's nature

Library
Letter Xlviii to Magister Walter De Chaumont.
To Magister [75] Walter de Chaumont. He exhorts him to flee from the world, advising him to prefer the cause and the interests of his soul to those of parents. MY DEAR WALTER, I often grieve my heart about you whenever the most pleasant remembrance of you comes back to me, seeing how you consume in vain occupations the flower of your youth, the sharpness of your intellect, the store of your learning and skill, and also, what is more excellent in a Christian than all of these gifts, the pure and innocent …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Epistle cxxii. To Rechared, King of the visigoths .
To Rechared, King of the Visigoths [82] . Gregory to Rechared, &c. I cannot express in words, most excellent son, how much I am delighted with thy work and thy life. For on hearing of the power of a new miracle in our days, to wit that the whole nation of the Goths has through thy Excellency been brought over from the error of Arian heresy to the firmness of a right faith, one is disposed to exclaim with the prophet, This is the change wrought by the right hand of the Most High (Ps. lxxvi. 11 [83] …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Concerning Jonathan, one of the Sicarii, that Stirred up a Sedition in Cyrene, and was a False Accuser [Of the Innocent].
1. And now did the madness of the Sicarii, like a disease, reach as far as the cities of Cyrene; for one Jonathan, a vile person, and by trade a weaver, came thither and prevailed with no small number of the poorer sort to give ear to him; he also led them into the desert, upon promising them that he would show them signs and apparitions. And as for the other Jews of Cyrene, he concealed his knavery from them, and put tricks upon them; but those of the greatest dignity among them informed Catullus, …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Jerusalem
The first name of this city was Shalem, Genesis 14:18, Psalm 76:2, and it is still retained in the writing, however it is read Jerushalaim. "The name of that place is Jehovah-jireh. Abraham called the place Jireh; Shem called it Shalem. Saith God, If I shall call it Jireh, it will displease Shem the Just; if I shall call it Shalem, it will displease Abraham the Just. I will therefore put that name upon it which was put upon it by both, Jireh, Shalem,--Jerusalem."--"We do not, therefore, put Jod between …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Beginning at Jerusalem
The whole verse runs thus: "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." The words were spoken by Christ, after he rose from the dead, and they are here rehearsed after an historical manner, but do contain in them a formal commission, with a special clause therein. The commission is, as you see, for the preaching of the gospel, and is very distinctly inserted in the holy record by Matthew and Mark. "Go teach all nations," …
John Bunyan—Jerusalem Sinner Saved

The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
OR, GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN; BEING A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS, SHOWING THAT JESUS CHRIST WOULD HAVE MERCY IN THE FIRST PLACE OFFERED TO THE BIGGEST SINNERS. THE THIRD EDITION, IN WHICH IS ADDED, AN ANSWER TO THOSE GRAND OBJECTIONS THAT LIE IN THE WAY OF THE THEM THAT WOULD BELIEVE: FOR THE COMFORT OF THEM THAT FEAR THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. BY JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. London: Printed for Elizabeth Smith, at the Hand and Bible, on London Bridge, 1691. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Question Lxxxii of Devotion
I. Is Devotion a Special Kind of Act? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Meaning of the Term "Devotion" S. Augustine, Confessions, XIII. viii. 2 II. Is Devotion an Act of the Virtue of Religion? III. Is Contemplation, that is Meditation, the Cause of Devotion? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Causes of Devotion " " On the Devotion of Women IV. Is Joy an Effect of Devotion? Cardinal Cajetan, On Melancholy S. Augustine, Confessions, II. x. I Is Devotion a Special Kind of Act? It is by our acts that we merit. But …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

The Harbinger
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD , make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. T he general style of the prophecies is poetical. The inimitable simplicity which characterizes every …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, K ING OF K INGS AND L ORD OF L ORDS T he description of the administration and glory of the Redeemer's Kingdom, in defiance of all opposition, concludes the second part of Messiah Oratorio. Three different passages from the book of Revelation are selected to form a grand chorus, of which Handel's title in this verse is the close --a title which has been sometimes vainly usurped by proud worms of this earth. Eastern monarchs, in particular, …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Question Lxxxi of the virtue of Religion
I. Does the Virtue of Religion Direct a Man To God Alone? S. Augustine, sermon, cccxxxiv. 3 " on Psalm lxxvi. 32 sermon, cccxi. 14-15 II. Is Religion a Virtue? III. Is Religion One Virtue? IV. Is Religion a Special Virtue Distinct From Others? V. Is Religion One of the Theological Virtues? VI. Is Religion To Be Preferred To the Other Moral Virtues? VII. Has Religion, Or Latria, Any External Acts? S. Augustine, of Care for the Dead, V. VIII. Is Religion the Same As Sanctity? Cardinal Cajetan, …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Letter Xlv (Circa A. D. 1120) to a Youth Named Fulk, who Afterwards was Archdeacon of Langres
To a Youth Named Fulk, Who Afterwards Was Archdeacon of Langres He gravely warns Fulk, a Canon Regular, whom an uncle had by persuasions and promises drawn back to the world, to obey God and be faithful to Him rather than to his uncle. To the honourable young man Fulk, Brother Bernard, a sinner, wishes such joy in youth as in old age he will not regret. 1. I do not wonder at your surprise; I should wonder if you were not suprised [sic] that I should write to you, a countryman to a citizen, a monk …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Power of God
The next attribute is God's power. Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.' In this chapter is a magnificent description of God's power. Lo, he is strong.' The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong.' The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both. …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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