Psalms 76:12
He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.
Original Language Analysis
יִ֭בְצֹר
He shall cut off
H1219
יִ֭בְצֹר
He shall cut off
Strong's:
H1219
Word #:
1 of 6
to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e., inaccessible by height or fortification)
ר֣וּחַ
the spirit
H7307
ר֣וּחַ
the spirit
Strong's:
H7307
Word #:
2 of 6
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the
נְגִידִ֑ים
of princes
H5057
נְגִידִ֑ים
of princes
Strong's:
H5057
Word #:
3 of 6
a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military or religious; generally (abstractly, plural), honorable themes
Cross References
Zephaniah 3:6I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.Psalms 68:12Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.2 Chronicles 32:21And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.Isaiah 24:21And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.Psalms 47:2For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.Psalms 2:10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.Psalms 2:5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Historical Context
When Sennacherib surrounded Jerusalem in 701 BC, Hezekiah prayed, and God sent an angel who killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight (2 Kings 19:35). This psalm may commemorate that stunning deliverance, where the mightiest empire of the age was humiliated by YHWH.
Questions for Reflection
- Which contemporary rulers seem beyond divine accountability, and how does this verse speak to that?
- How should Christians relate to earthly authority, knowing God "cuts off" princes at will?
- What does it mean that God is "terrible" (awesome, fearful) to kings but merciful to his people?
Analysis & Commentary
He shall cut off the spirit of princes (יִבְצֹר רוּחַ נְגִידִים, yivtzor ruach negidim)—Batzar means cut off, clip, curtail; ruach is spirit, breath; negidim means princes, leaders, rulers. He is terrible to the kings of the earth (נוֹרָא לְמַלְכֵי־אָרֶץ, nora le-malkhei-aretz)—Nora means awesome, fearful, terrible; malkhei means kings.
Psalm 76 celebrates God's victory over enemies who attacked Jerusalem (likely Sennacherib's army in 2 Kings 19). God humbled the mighty with ease. Cut off the spirit means deflating pride, removing courage, or ending life itself. Human rulers—no matter how powerful—are utterly subject to divine sovereignty. Daniel 4:34-35 illustrates this with Nebuchadnezzar. Revelation 19:11-16 shows Christ as ultimate King who judges earthly kings.