Psalms68
New American Standard
1 May God arise, may His enemies be scattered, And may those who hate Him flee from His presence.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; As wax melts before a fire, So the wicked will perish before God.
3 But the righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God; Yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Exalt Him who rides through the deserts, Whose name is the Lord, and be jubilant before Him.
5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy dwelling.
6 God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious live in parched lands.
7 God, when You went forth before Your people, When You marched through the desert, Selah
8 The earth quaked; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You made plentiful rain fall, God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.
10 Your creatures settled in it; In Your kindness You provided for the poor, God.
11 The Lord gives the command; The women who proclaim good news are a great army:
12 “Kings of armies flee, they flee, And she who remains at home will divide the spoils!”
13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds, You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And its pinions with glistening gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings there, It was snowing in Zalmon.
15 The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of God; The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.
16 Why do you look with envy, you mountains of many peaks, At the mountain God has desired as His dwelling? Indeed, the Lord will dwell there forever.
17 The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
18 You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; You have received gifts among people, Even among the rebellious as well, that the Lord God may dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. Selah
20 God is to us a God of salvation; And to God the Lord belong ways of escape from death.
21 God certainly will shatter the heads of His enemies, The hairy head of one who goes about in his guilt.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 So that your foot may shatter them in blood, And the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen Your procession, God, The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 The singers went on, the musicians after them, In the midst of the young women beating tambourines.
26 Bless God in the congregations, Even the Lord, you who are of the fountain of Israel.
27 Benjamin, the youngest, is there, ruling them, The leaders of Judah in their company, The leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.
28 Your God has commanded your strength; Show Yourself strong, God, You who acted in our behalf.
29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem Kings will bring gifts to You.
30 Rebuke the animals in the reeds, The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, Trampling the pieces of silver; He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.
31 Messengers will come from Egypt; Cush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, Sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 To Him who rides upon the highest heavens, which are from ancient times; Behold, He speaks with His voice, a mighty voice.
34 Ascribe strength to God; His majesty is over Israel, And His strength is in the skies.
35 God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
Study
Psalms 68Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 68. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: A prayer—The greatness and goodness of God. (1–6). The wonderful works God wrought for his people. (7–14). The presence of God in his church. (15–21). The victories of Christ. (22–28). Enlargement of the church. (29–31). The glory and grace of God. (32–35).
vv1-6
None ever hardened his heart against God, and prospered. God is the joy of his people, then let them rejoice when they come before him. He who derives his being from none, but gives being to all, is engaged by promise and covenant to bless his people. He is to be praised as a God of mercy and tender compassion. He ever careth for the afflicted and oppressed: repenting sinners, who are helpless and exposed more than any fatherless children, are admitted into his family, and share all their blessings.
vv7-14
Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies. If God bring his people into a wilderness, he will be sure to go before them in it, and to bring them out of it. He provided for them, both in the wilderness and in Canaan. The daily manna seems here meant. And it looks to the spiritual provision for God's Israel. The Spirit of grace and the gospel of grace are the plentiful rain, with which God confirms his inheritance, and from which their fruit is found. Christ shall come as showers that water the earth. The account of Israel's victories is to be applied to the victories over death and hell, by the exalted Redeemer, for those that are his. Israel in Egypt among the kilns appeared wretched, but possessed of Canaan, during the reigns of David and Solomon, appeared glorious. Thus the slaves of Satan, when converted to Christ, when justified and sanctified by him, look honourable. When they reach heaven, all remains of their sinful state disappear, they shall be as the wings of the dove, covered with silver, and her feathers as gold. Full salvation will render those white as snow, who were vile and loathsome through the guilt and defilement of sin.
vv15-21
The ascension of Christ must here be meant, and thereto it is applied, Eph 4:8. He received as the purchase of his death, the gifts needful for the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of believers. These he continually bestows, even on rebellious men, that the Lord God might dwell among them, as their Friend and Father. He gave gifts to men. Having received power to give eternal life, the Lord Jesus bestows it on as many as were given him, Joh 17:2. Christ came to a rebellious world, not to condemn it, but that through him it might be saved. The glory of Zion's King is, that he is a Saviour and Benefactor to all his willing people, and a consuming fire to all that persist in rebellion against him. So many, so weighty are the gifts of God's bounty, that he may be truly said to load us with them. He will not put us off with present things for a portion, but will be the God of our salvation. The Lord Jesus has authority and power to rescue his people from the dominion of death, by taking away the sting of it from them when they die, and giving them complete victory over it when they rise again. The crown of the head, the chief pride and glory of the enemy, shall be smitten; Christ shall crush the head of the serpent.
Key Words
נָצַח: properly, to glitter from afar, i.e. to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); to be permanent
מִזְמוֹר: properly, instrumental music; by implication, a poem set to notes
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
שִׁיר: a song; abstractly, singing
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
קוּם: to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
אֹיֵב: hating; an adversary
פּוּץ: to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse)
שָׂנֵא: to hate (personally)
נוּס: to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver)
Cross References
Psalms 68David begins the Psalm by quoting Moses' prayer when the Ark of the Covenant set forward.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Paul explicitly quotes verse 18 to describe Christ's triumphant ascension and distribution of gifts.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Deborah's song shares the exact poetic structure and description of God marching through the wilderness.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Describes the historical shaking of Sinai at the presence of the Lord during the giving of Law.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The command to 'extol him' translates to casting up/preparing a highway for God in the desert.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The company of women publishing victory echoes Miriam and the women with timbrels after the Red Sea.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Associates the Lord's holy presence among thousands of angels with His arrival at Mount Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Corresponds to Christ wounding/striking through the head (or hairy scalp) of his enemies.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Uses the same vivid poetic figure of wax melting to show the collapse of strength before God.
Supported by JFB
Confirms Zion as the specific hill God has chosen and desired to dwell in forever.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Records the actual historical event of David bringing the Ark (God's goings) to the sanctuary.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Connects blessing the Lord 'from the fountain of Israel' with Moses' blessing on Israel's fountain.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels God riding upon the heavens in His excellency and sending forth His mighty voice.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic description of God marching from Teman and Paran, mirroring His march through the wilderness.
Supported by JFB
The historical account of God going 'before thy people' in the pillar of cloud and fire.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Relates the submission and bringing of silver/presents to the kings submitting to God's anointed Son.
Supported by Matthew Poole