The Meaning of Psalms 76:2 Explained

Psalms 76:2

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

YLT: And His tabernacle is in Salem, And His habitation in Zion.

Darby: And in Salem is his tent, and his dwelling-place in Zion.

ASV: In Salem also is his tabernacle, And his dwelling-place in Zion.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 76:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 76:1-12 - "the Wrath Of Man Shall Praise Thee"
In Psalms 76:2, tabernacle may be rendered "covert," and dwelling-place, "lair." God is compared to the lion, that dreaded monarch of beasts, who finds his home in a den, into which no inferior animal may intrude. Even the hunter's bows and arrows are broken in pursuit of him. As the mountains yielded prey to the young lion, so the hills around Jerusalem, where Sennacherib had pitched his camp, would be full of Assyrian spoil for the armies of the Lion of Judah. The stout-hearted captains of Assyria would there sleep their last sleep, Psalms 76:5.
Some of the meek of the earth may read these lines, Psalms 76:9. They do not avenge themselves. Weak and helpless, they turn their eyes to God, who cannot fail them. When He speaks His sentence of acquittal, no voice will be raised to dispute it. For when He arises in judgment He will save all the meek of the earth. There is a "thus far and no farther" to the wrath of man. God will not allow it to go beyond certain limits, and it is remarkable how He is able to make man's wrath to subserve His purposes. Bring God the gift, of your love. Fear not, ye humble souls, but let your enemies be in fear! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 76

1  A declaration of God's majesty in the church
11  An exhortation to serve him reverently

What do the individual words in Psalms 76:2 mean?

And is in Salem His tabernacle and His dwelling place in Zion
וַיְהִ֣י בְשָׁלֵ֣ם סֻכּ֑וֹ וּמְע֖וֹנָת֣וֹ בְצִיּֽוֹן

וַיְהִ֣י  And  is 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְשָׁלֵ֣ם  in  Salem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: the place of which Melchizedek was king.
סֻכּ֑וֹ  His  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: סׄךְ  
Sense: thicket, lair, covert, booth.
וּמְע֖וֹנָת֣וֹ  and  His  dwelling  place 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מְעֹנָה  
Sense: dwelling, habitation, refuge.
בְצִיּֽוֹן  in  Zion 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.