CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Psalms 68
Chapter 68 of 150
Chapter Overview
What happens in Psalms 68
A psalm of David — a grand victory hymn celebrating God as a warrior who marches before his people. It traces God's journey from Sinai to Zion and calls all kingdoms to praise him.
Scripture
Psalms 68
God Rises and Enemies Scatter
Study note
When God rises, his enemies scatter like smoke. But the righteous rejoice. God is a father to orphans and a defender of widows. He sets the lonely in families.
1 When God rises to act, his enemies scatter in every direction. Those who hate him run for their lives. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
2 The way smoke gets blown away by the wind — that is how you blow them away. The way wax melts near a flame — that is how the wicked disappear before God. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But those who do right are full of gladness. They celebrate right in God's presence, overflowing with joy. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
4 Sing to God! Play music in praise of his name. Build a highway for the one who rides across the skies — his name is the Lord. Celebrate wildly before him! Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
5 From his holy home, God is a father to children who have no father and a champion for widows. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
6 God takes lonely people and puts them in families. He leads prisoners out into freedom and prosperity. But those who rebel end up stuck in a scorched, barren land. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
God Marches Through the Wilderness
Study note
God marched through the wilderness and the earth shook at Sinai. He sent abundant rain and cared for his people. Kings and their armies fled, and even those who rested among the sheepfolds shared the spoil.
7 God, when you marched out ahead of your people, when you walked through the wilderness — Selah — O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:
8 the earth itself trembled and the sky poured down rain in the presence of God — the God of Sinai, the God of Israel. The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You sent generous rain, God. When your land was exhausted, you brought it back to life. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
10 Your people made their home there. Out of your goodness, God, you maintained the poor. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word, and an enormous crowd of women spread the news: The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.
12 "Kings and their armies are running — they are running away!" And the women back home divided up everything that was left behind. Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
13 Even as you rest among the sheep pens, there are wings of a dove covered in silver and feathers gleaming with greenish gold. Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in that land, it was like snow falling on the dark slopes of Mount Zalmon. When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.
God Chooses Zion
Study note
Though other mountains are tall, God chose Mount Zion for his home. The chariots of God are tens of thousands. The Lord has ascended on high, leading captives and receiving gifts.
15 Mount Bashan is a towering mountain — a mountain with many rugged peaks. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.
16 Why do you stare with jealousy, you mountains with your many peaks, at the mountain God chose to make his home? The Lord will live there forever. Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
17 God's chariots number in the tens of thousands — thousands upon thousands. The Lord is there among them, just as he was at Sinai, in his sanctuary. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
18 You went up to the heights, bringing captives with you. You received gifts from people — even from those who fought against you — so that the Lord God might make his dwelling there. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Praise the God of Salvation
Study note
Praise the Lord daily — he carries our burdens. Our God is a God of salvation. God will crush the heads of his enemies.
19 All praise to the Lord — day after day he carries what weighs us down. God is the one who saves us. Selah. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
20 Our God is a God who saves. The Lord God holds the keys to escape from death. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.
21 God will certainly crush the skulls of his enemies — the heads of those who keep marching along in their sin. But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said, "I will bring them back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the bottom of the sea," The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:
23 "so that your feet will wade through blood, so that the tongues of your dogs will get their share from your enemies." That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.
The Procession into the Sanctuary
Study note
The people see God's procession into the sanctuary — singers in front, musicians behind. The tribes of Israel are represented. God is asked to show his strength from his temple.
24 They have watched your grand procession, God — the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary. They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
25 The singers went first, then the musicians, surrounded by young women playing tambourines. The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.
26 Praise God in the great gathering! Praise the Lord, all who come from the wellspring of Israel! Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.
27 Little Benjamin leads the way. The princes of Judah follow with their crowd. Then come the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali. There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
28 Your God has ordered your strength into action. Demonstrate your power, God, just like you have done for us before. Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.
29 Because of your temple standing in Jerusalem, kings will come carrying gifts for you. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.
30 Rebuke the wild beast hiding among the reeds — that herd of bulls surrounded by the calves of the nations. Stomp on those who lust for silver. Scatter every nation that loves to fight. Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.
31 Leaders will come from Egypt. Ethiopia will eagerly reach out its hands toward God. Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
All Kingdoms, Praise God
Study note
All kingdoms of the earth are called to sing praises to God who rides across the ancient heavens and sends out his mighty voice. God is awesome from his sanctuary and gives strength to his people.
32 Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God! Pour out songs of praise to the Lord — Selah — Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:
33 to the one who rides through the ancient heavens above. Listen — he speaks with a thundering, mighty voice. To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.
34 Acknowledge God's strength. His majesty shines over Israel, and his power fills the skies. Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.
35 God, you are awe-inspiring from your sanctuary. The God of Israel pours out power and strength to his people. Praise God! O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
Key Themes
Themes in Psalms 68
God as a warrior who fights for his peopleA father to the fatherlessGod's victorious procession from Sinai to ZionGifts given to people through conquest
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Psalms Psalm 68:18 Ephesians 4:8
Paul quotes this verse and applies it to Christ's ascension, saying that when he ascended on high, he gave gifts to people — the spiritual gifts poured out on the church.
Apply This Today
Living Psalms 68
God is described as a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows. He sets the lonely in families. If you feel alone or overlooked, know that this is the God who fights for you. He has a tender heart for the vulnerable. You are not forgotten — you are championed by the Most High.
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