“At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.”
The psalmist invokes the God of Jacob (a patriarchal reference that ties present salvation to ancient covenantal promises) and declares that "both horse and rider have sunk into sleep." This verse employs the image of sleep as a euphemism for death, suggesting that God's victory is so complete and so swift that the enemy combatants lose all consciousness and power. The reference to both horses and riders emphasizes the totality of the defeat: not just warriors but their instruments of war, indeed the entire martial apparatus, are rendered inactive. In the liturgical context, this language would have resonated with Israel's memory of divine deliverance at the Sea of Reeds (Exodus 14-15), where pharaonic armies were similarly overwhelmed.
Church Fathers on Psalms 76:6
1. The Jews are wont to glory in this Psalm which we have sung, saying, “Known in Judæa is God, in Israel great is the name of Him:” and to revile the Gentiles to whom God is not known, and to say that to themselves alone God is known; seeing that the Prophet says, “Known in Judæa is God.” In other places therefore He is unknown. But God is known in very deed in Judæa, if they understand what is Judæa. For indeed God is not known except in Judæa. Behold even we say this, that…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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