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Psalm 76 · a question people ask

Where is Salem?

In the text

The psalm sets it beside Zion: "His tabernacle is also in Salem. His dwelling place in Zion" (76:2), and says no more about it. The Hebrew Bible has the name in one other verse: "Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High" (Genesis 14:18). Psalm 76 doesn't mention Melchizedek, and Genesis 14 doesn't mention Zion. In the New Testament the name comes only where Hebrews speaks of that same Melchizedek, "king of Salem" (Hebrews 7:1), and the notes on Genesis 14 cover those verses. These notes set the verses side by side and say no more than they say.

The verses

“His tabernacle is also in Salem. His dwelling place in Zion.”
Psalm 76:2 · World English Bible
“Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.”
Genesis 14:18 · World English Bible
“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”,”
Hebrews 7:1-2 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 76

Psalm 76: In Judah, God is known

Two of the psalm's words for where God dwells (Psalm 76:2) are words other verses use of a lion's lair, and Deuteronomy 33:27 uses one of them of God himself. The valiant men "slept their last sleep" (Psalm 76:5) with the verb of Psalm 121:4, where the one who keeps Israel never slumbers. And God arose to judgment "to save all the afflicted ones of the earth" (Psalm 76:9).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions