Psalms 76:3
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
There broke he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
American King James Version (AKJV)
There broke he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
American Standard Version (ASV)
There he brake the arrows of the bow; The shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah
Basic English Translation (BBE)
There were the arrows of the bow broken, there he put an end to body-cover, sword, and fight. (Selah.)
Webster's Revision
There he broke the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.
World English Bible
There he broke the flaming arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah.
English Revised Version (ERV)
There he brake the arrows of the bow; the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah
Clarke's Psalms 76:3 Bible Commentary
There brake he the arrows of the bow - רשפי 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 phalaricae; and we find them mentioned by Virgil, Aen. 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, etc. It was called phalarica from the towers called phalae 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.
Barnes's Psalms 76:3 Bible Commentary
There brake he the arrows of the bow - That is, in Salem, or near Salem. The language is such as would be used in reference to invaders, or to armies that came up to storm the city. The occasion is unknown; but the meaning is, that God drove the invading army back, and showed his power in defending the city. The phrase "the arrows of the bow," is literally, "the lightnings of the bow," the word rendered "arrows" meaning properly "flame;" and then, "lightning." The idea is, that the arrows sped from the bow with the rapidity of lightning.
The shield - Used for defense in war. See Psalm 5:12; Psalm 33:20; compare the notes at Ephesians 6:16.
And the sword - That is, he disarmed his enemies, or made them as powerless as if their swords were broken.
And the battle - He broke the force of the battle; the strength of the armies drawn up for conflict.
Wesley's Psalms 76:3 Bible Commentary
76:3 There - At Jerusalem. Sword - Both offensive and defensive weapons. Battle - All the power of the army, which was put in battle - array.