(2) Salem.—The LXX. and Vulgate translate “his place was in peace,” and possibly the poet may use the word Salem with the thought in his mind of the peace won by God for Judah, or, again, it may be only a poet’s preference for an ancient over a modern name; but the identification of the Salem of Genesis 14:18 with Jerusalem is too doubtful to allow much weight to this view. (See the whole question discussed in Sir G. Grove’s article on “Salem,” in Smith’s Bibl. Dict.)

Tabernacle . . . dwelling-place.—These renderings quite obliterate the image, which is that of a beast of prey crouching ready for its spring. Translate,

“In Salem is his covert,

And his lair in Sion.”

and for these meanings of the Hebrew words sokh and meônah comp. Psalm 10:9; Jeremiah 25:38; Psalm 104:22; Amos 3:4.

76:1-6 Happy people are those who have their land filled with the knowledge of God! happy persons that have their hearts filled with that knowledge! It is the glory and happiness of a people to have God among them by his ordinances. Wherein the enemies of the church deal proudly, it will appear that God is above them. See the power of God's rebukes. With pleasure may Christians apply this to the advantages bestowed by the Redeemer.In Salem also - This was the ancient name for Jerusalem, and is evidently so used here. It continued to be given to the town until the time of David, when it was called "Jerusalem." See the notes at Isaiah 1:1. The word properly means "peace," and is so rendered here by the Septuagint, εいぷしろん̓νにゅー εいぷしろんιいおた̓ρろーηいーた́νにゅーηいーたͅ οおみくろん̔ τたうοおみくろん́πος αあるふぁυうぷしろん́τοῦ en eirēnē ho topos autou - "his place is in peace." There may have been an allusion here to that ancient signification of the name, as being more poetical, and as suggesting the fact that God had restored peace to the city and nation when invaded.

Is his tabernacle - The tent, or sacred place where he is worshipped. Salem or Jerusalem was made the place of public worship, and the ark removed there by David, 2 Samuel 6:17.

And his dwelling-place in Zion - That is, on Mount Zion - the portion of Jerusalem in which David built his own palace, and which he made the place of public worship. This remained so until the temple was built on Mount Moriah; see the notes at Psalm 2:6; compare Psalm 9:11; Psalm 48:12; Psalm 65:1.

2. Salem—(Ge 14:18) is Jerusalem. In Salem; in Jerusalem, which was anciently called Salem, Genesis 14:18 Hebrews 7:1.

Zion; largely so called, as it includes Moriah, an adjoining hill, or another branch of the same hill.

In Salem also is his tabernacle,.... That is, in Jerusalem, as the Targum expresses it, where the tabernacle of Moses and the ark of the covenant were, and afterwards the temple of Solomon, which the Targum here calls the house of the sanctuary; and may be interpreted of the human nature of Christ, the true tabernacle which God pitched, and not man, in which the divine word when he was made flesh dwelt or tabernacled among the Jews at Jerusalem, and in other parts of Judea, Hebrews 8:2. Salem or Jerusalem often signifies the church of God in Gospel times, in the midst of which Christ resides, and where he grants his gracious presence, Hebrews 12:22 and in the New Jerusalem the tabernacle of God will be with men, and he will dwell among them, Revelation 21:2. The Septuagint translate the word, and render it, "in peace", as in Hebrews 7:2, the God of peace dwells among those that live in peace, 2 Corinthians 13:11,

and his dwelling place in Zion; where the ark was brought by David, and the temple was built by Solomon, into which, as rebuilt by Zerubbabel, Christ came, and here he preached; a figure of the church, which is his habitation.

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

(b) Which later was called Jerusalem.