The Meaning of Psalms 76:8 Explained

Psalms 76:8

KJV: Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,

YLT: From heaven Thou hast sounded judgment, Earth hath feared, and hath been still,

Darby: Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from the heavens; the earth feared, and was still,

ASV: Thou didst cause sentence to be heard from heaven; The earth feared, and was still,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou didst cause judgment  to be heard  from heaven;  the earth  feared,  and was still, 

What does Psalms 76:8 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 76:8 mean?

from heaven You caused to be heard judgment the earth feared and was still
מִ֭שָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמַ֣עְתָּ דִּ֑ין אֶ֖רֶץ יָֽרְאָ֣ה וְשָׁקָֽטָה

מִ֭שָּׁמַיִם  from  heaven 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
הִשְׁמַ֣עְתָּ  You  caused  to  be  heard 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
דִּ֑ין  judgment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דִּין 
Sense: judgment.
אֶ֖רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יָֽרְאָ֣ה  feared 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
וְשָׁקָֽטָה  and  was  still 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁקַט  
Sense: to be quiet, be tranquil, be at peace, be quiet, rest, lie still, be undisturbed.