Psalm 68
Psalm 68, The Victorious Procession of God to Zion
Introduction
Psalm 68 is titled, To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song. This title matters and must be included because it identifies the psalm as a Davidic composition intended for public worship. It was given to the Chief Musician, which means it was placed into the worship life of Israel, not merely preserved as private poetry. It is both A Psalm and A Song, meaning it is doctrinal, devotional, musical, and congregational. The people of God were to sing this psalm because it celebrates the victorious movement of God on behalf of His people.
Most commentators connect Psalm 68 with the bringing of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6. That historical setting fits the language of the psalm because Psalm 68 speaks of God arising, His enemies being scattered, His procession being seen, His presence entering the sanctuary, and His triumph over the enemies of His people. When David brought the ark to Jerusalem, he was not merely moving a religious object. He was recognizing the covenant presence of God among His people and celebrating the Lord’s victory, faithfulness, and kingship.
2 Samuel 6:12, 13, 14, 15, “And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David danced before the LORD with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.”
Psalm 68 celebrates not only the ark entering Jerusalem, but the faithfulness of God in giving Israel victory over her enemies and making Jerusalem secure enough to receive the ark. The ark represented the throne presence of the Lord among His covenant people. To bring the ark into Jerusalem was to declare that the Lord Himself was the true King of Israel, and that David’s throne was subordinate to God’s throne.
George Horne noted that this psalm was assigned to Pentecost, or Whitsunday, in the Anglican liturgy because Psalm 68 describes gifts given upon ascension and is quoted in Ephesians 4. This connection is important because Psalm 68:18 becomes a major New Testament text concerning the ascension of Christ and His giving of gifts to the church. Therefore, while Psalm 68 must first be read in its Old Testament context, it also has a clear Christ centered fulfillment in the victory, ascension, and gifting ministry of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:8, “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”
This psalm is also recognized as one of the more difficult psalms in the Psalter. Its Hebrew, imagery, historical references, and poetic movements are complex. Adam Clarke wrote that he did not know how to undertake a comment on this psalm and called it the most difficult in the whole Psalter. That difficulty should not cause the reader to avoid the psalm. Instead, it should make the reader approach it carefully, reverently, and with attention to its sequence. Psalm 68 is deep, but its main theme is clear, God triumphs over His enemies, rescues His people, dwells among them, receives worship, and will be praised by the kingdoms of the earth.
From a Baptist and literal hermeneutic, Psalm 68 should first be interpreted in its historical and grammatical setting. David is celebrating the victorious presence of God with Israel, especially in connection with the ark and Jerusalem. Yet the psalm also contains prophetic and typological truths that point forward to Christ. The victorious procession of God to Zion finds its ultimate fulfillment in the victorious work of Jesus Christ, His resurrection, His ascension, His triumph over spiritual enemies, His giving of gifts to the church, and His future kingdom reign.
Psalm 68 is therefore a psalm of triumph, worship, warfare, compassion, kingdom expectation, and final praise. It begins with God arising and His enemies scattering. It moves through His care for the fatherless, widows, solitary, and bound. It remembers His presence with Israel in the wilderness. It celebrates His victories over kings. It proclaims His chosen dwelling in Zion. It looks to His ascension and triumph. It praises Him for salvation, rescue, and daily sustaining grace. It remembers the procession into the sanctuary. It anticipates future submission of the nations. It ends by calling all kingdoms of the earth to sing praises to the God of Israel.
A. The God of Triumph
Psalm 68:1, 2, 3
Psalm 68:1, “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.”
Psalm 68:2, “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.”
Psalm 68:3, “But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.”
Psalm 68 begins with a declaration of divine victory. “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered” deliberately echoes the language of Numbers 10:35. When Israel moved from Mount Sinai toward the Promised Land, the ark of the covenant went before them, and Moses spoke these words as the ark set forward. David now uses that same language as the ark comes to Jerusalem. This makes a strong historical and theological connection between the wilderness march under Moses and the establishment of God’s worship in Jerusalem under David.
Numbers 10:35, “And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.”
The idea is simple but powerful. God’s people need God to go before them. The road ahead is too dangerous without Him. Israel needed the Lord before them in the wilderness, and David knew Israel still needed the Lord before them in the land. The presence of God is the security of the people of God. Their confidence is not in human strength, military skill, numbers, or political stability. Their confidence is in the God who arises for His people.
The phrase “let his enemies be scattered” shows that no enemy can stand when God moves in power. The enemies of God may appear organized, powerful, proud, and terrifying, but when God arises, they scatter. This includes human enemies, national enemies, spiritual enemies, and ultimately every power that opposes the Lord and His anointed.
The words “let them also that hate him flee before him” remind the reader that rebellion against God is not neutral. Those who oppose God hate Him. Scripture does not treat rebellion as mere intellectual disagreement. At its root, sin is moral hostility against God. When God arises in judgment, those who hate Him cannot stand before Him.
The imagery of verse 2 intensifies the point. “As smoke is driven away, so drive them away.” Smoke can appear thick and impressive for a moment, but it has no substance when driven by the wind. So it is with the enemies of God. They may look formidable, but before the Lord they vanish.
The second image is even stronger. “As wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.” Wax may be hard when it is away from the flame, but when brought near the fire it loses all resistance. The wicked may be proud, arrogant, and defiant while they are not yet confronted by the immediate presence of God, but before His holiness and wrath they melt. Their strength is exposed as weakness.
This also connects with the New Testament doctrine of spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6 repeatedly tells believers to stand against spiritual opposition, but Psalm 68 shows the opposite condition of the wicked. They do not stand before God. They are driven away like smoke and melt like wax.
Ephesians 6:10, 11, 12, 13, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.”
The believer stands only because he stands in the strength of the Lord. The wicked melt because they stand against the Lord. There is no neutrality before God.
Verse 3 gives the contrast. “But let the righteous be glad.” The same event that brings terror to the wicked brings joy to the righteous. God’s arising is disaster for His enemies, but salvation for His people. The righteous rejoice because God’s victory means justice, deliverance, vindication, and the triumph of truth.
The phrase “let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice” shows that righteous joy is not restrained by fear of man. The righteous rejoice before God because God Himself is their joy. Their gladness is not merely that enemies fall, but that God reigns, God saves, God protects, God vindicates, and God is present with His people.
This also points forward to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Christ arose, His enemies were scattered. Sin, death, Satan, and hell were defeated by His finished work. The risen Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the God who arises in victory. The believer’s victory is not found in himself, but in union with the resurrected Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:55, 56, 57, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Psalm 68:4, 5, 6
Psalm 68:4, “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.”
Psalm 68:5, “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.”
Psalm 68:6, “God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”
Because God triumphs, His people are commanded to sing. “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name.” This is more than poetic repetition. To sing praises to His name means to worship God according to His revealed character. The name of God represents who He is. Worship must be grounded in knowledge of God, not vague religious feeling. God’s people are to praise Him as He has revealed Himself.
The command “extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH” presents God as the majestic divine warrior and sovereign King. To extol Him is to lift Him up in praise. The imagery of riding upon the heavens or clouds emphasizes His supremacy over creation and His victory over all powers. In the ancient world, false gods such as Baal were claimed by pagans to ride the clouds, but David assigns that glory to the Lord alone. The God of Israel is not one deity among many. He alone rides in triumph over heaven and earth.
The name JAH is a shortened form of Jehovah, or Yahweh. It points to the self existent covenant God, the Lord who revealed Himself to Moses and who keeps covenant with His people. The use of this name makes the praise personal and covenantal. Israel is not praising an unknown force. Israel is praising the Lord who revealed Himself, redeemed them, led them, and dwelt among them.
Exodus 3:13, 14, “And Moses said unto God, Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you.”
Verse 5 shows that God’s greatness is not only displayed in battlefield victory, but also in tender compassion. “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” The Lord is majestic enough to ride upon the heavens, yet merciful enough to care for the most vulnerable. This is the balance Scripture gives. God is high, holy, transcendent, and sovereign, but He is not distant or indifferent.
The fatherless need protection, provision, identity, and care. God is a father to them. Widows need defense, justice, and support. God is their judge, meaning their defender and vindicator. Unlike earthly rulers who often surround themselves with the wealthy and powerful, the Lord displays His glory by caring for the weak, the needy, and the abandoned.
This truth agrees with the New Testament description of pure religion.
James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
James does not teach salvation by works, but he does teach that true faith produces concern for those whom God Himself defends. A people who worship the God of Psalm 68 should reflect His compassion toward the fatherless and widows.
Verse 6 continues this theme. “God setteth the solitary in families.” God sees the lonely, the isolated, the abandoned, and those without natural support. He provides family connections for them, especially among His covenant people. This has strong application for the church. The local church should be a household of faith where the solitary are received, known, strengthened, and cared for.
The phrase “he bringeth out those which are bound with chains” shows God as deliverer. He brings prisoners and the oppressed out of bondage. In Israel’s history this recalls the Exodus, where God brought His people out of slavery in Egypt. It also points to spiritual deliverance, where God rescues sinners from bondage to sin, Satan, and death.
John 8:34, 35, 36, “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed.”
The final line gives the warning, “but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.” God is merciful to the fatherless, widows, solitary, and bound, but rebellion brings barrenness. A dry land pictures desolation, judgment, and lack of blessing. God’s compassion must never be twisted into the idea that rebellion has no consequence. The Lord delivers the humble and needy, but the rebellious remain in dryness unless they repent.
B. God Wins the Battle for His People
Psalm 68:7, 8, 9, 10
Psalm 68:7, “O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:”
Psalm 68:8, “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.”
Psalm 68:9, “Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.”
Psalm 68:10, “Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.”
David now remembers God’s presence with Israel in the wilderness. “O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people” continues the theme introduced at the beginning of the psalm. The Lord went before Israel. He did not remain distant. He led them. He guarded them. He provided for them. He showed His power in their midst.
The phrase “when thou didst march through the wilderness” is important because Israel’s time in the wilderness was not meaningless wandering. From man’s viewpoint, it may have looked like wandering, but from God’s viewpoint, He was leading His people according to His purpose. The wilderness years included discipline, testing, judgment, provision, and preparation, but they were never outside the sovereign government of God.
The verse ends with Selah, calling the reader to pause and consider the Lord who marches before His people. God is not a passive observer of His people’s journey. He goes before them, and that truth deserves meditation.
Verse 8 describes the power of God’s presence. “The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God.” Creation itself responds to the presence of the Lord. The earth shakes because the Creator is near. The heavens drop rain because He commands provision. The God of Israel is not weak, silent, or inactive.
The mention of Sinai is especially significant. “Even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.” Sinai was the mountain where God revealed His law and displayed His glory with thunder, lightning, smoke, fire, and trembling. The mountain itself shook before Him.
Exodus 19:16, 17, 18, “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace and the whole mount quaked greatly.”
David also echoes the Song of Deborah, which remembered the Lord marching for His people.
Judges 5:4, 5, “LORD when thou wentest out of Seir when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom the earth trembled and the heavens dropped the clouds also dropped water. The mountains melted from before the LORD even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.”
Verse 9 moves from power to provision. “Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain.” The Lord did not merely terrify His enemies. He nourished His people. Whether this refers to provision in the wilderness or the blessing of rain in Canaan, the theological point is clear, God supplies His inheritance when it is weary.
The phrase “whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary” shows God strengthening His people in weakness. Israel became weary, but God did not abandon His inheritance. He confirmed, sustained, and renewed them. The Lord knows when His people are weary, and He provides according to His goodness.
Verse 10 says, “Thy congregation hath dwelt therein.” God gave His people a dwelling place. He led them through the wilderness and provided for them in the land. The congregation of Israel lived because God prepared a place for them.
The final line says, “thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.” God’s provision flows from His goodness. He prepares for the poor, the needy, and those who cannot sustain themselves. This again shows the compassion of God. The Lord of battle is also the provider for the poor.
Psalm 68:11, 12, 13, 14
Psalm 68:11, “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.”
Psalm 68:12, “Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.”
Psalm 68:13, “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.”
Psalm 68:14, “When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.”
David now proclaims God’s victory over kings and armies. “The Lord gave the word” means that the victory announcement originates with God. The Lord speaks, and His victory is proclaimed. God’s word creates reality, declares truth, and sends messengers to publish His triumph.
The phrase “great was the company of those that published it” points to a large company proclaiming the good news of victory. In the Hebrew, the company is feminine, which fits the ancient practice of women celebrating and announcing victory after battle. When the men returned from war, women often went out with songs of triumph.
This is significant because Scripture repeatedly shows women as witnesses to God’s victory. In the New Testament, women were the first witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were not placed in doctrinal authority over the church, but they were entrusted to announce the news of Christ’s resurrection.
Matthew 28:1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, “In the end of the sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. And the angel answered and said unto the women Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here for he is risen as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him lo I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples word.”
Luke 24:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, “Now upon the first day of the week very early in the morning they came unto the sepulchre bringing the spices which they had prepared and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass as they were much perplexed thereabout behold two men stood by them in shining garments. And as they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth they said unto them Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee Saying The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words And returned from the sepulchre and told all these things unto the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and other women that were with them which told these things unto the apostles.”
This must be held together with the New Testament’s teaching on church order. Women may and should proclaim the good news of Christ, testify, teach in appropriate settings, instruct children and younger women, serve faithfully, and bear witness to the gospel. At the same time, the pastoral office and authoritative doctrinal governance of the gathered church are reserved for qualified men.
1 Timothy 2:12, 13, 14, “But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed then Eve. And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”
Verse 12 gives the content of the victory announcement. “Kings of armies did flee apace.” Mighty kings and their armies fled quickly before the Lord. The victory was so complete that “she that tarried at home divided the spoil.” Even those who did not directly fight shared in the benefits of the victory.
This has a powerful gospel application. Jesus Christ fought the decisive battle for salvation. Believers receive the spoil of His victory, though they did not win the battle themselves. Christ conquered sin, death, Satan, and judgment, and His people receive forgiveness, justification, adoption, eternal life, spiritual gifts, and future glory.
Verse 13 is difficult, but its general meaning is that God’s people, though coming from humble or lowly circumstances, are beautified by the victory God gives. “Though ye have lien among the pots” pictures humiliation, poverty, or low condition. Yet they become “as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.” God’s victory transforms the condition of His people. The lowly are adorned with blessing.
This fits the gospel pattern. God takes sinners from ruin and shame and clothes them with righteousness in Christ.
Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
Verse 14 says, “When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.” Salmon, or Zalmon, is likely connected with a mountain near Shechem, possibly Mount Ebal. The exact meaning of the snow imagery is difficult. It may refer to the brightness of victory after dark trouble, the battlefield covered with spoils, weapons, garments, bones, or possibly a comparison to falling snow. The details are not certain, but the central point remains clear, the Almighty scattered kings. God defeated powerful enemies and turned the battlefield into testimony.
Psalm 68:15, 16, 17, 18
Psalm 68:15, “The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.”
Psalm 68:16, “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.”
Psalm 68:17, “The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place.”
Psalm 68:18, “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.”
David now speaks of victory on the mountains. Bashan was an impressive region north of Israel, associated with high and majestic mountains. In comparison, Zion was not naturally impressive. It was a relatively modest hill. Yet God chose Zion as the place where He desired to dwell.
Verse 15 says, “The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.” Bashan could be described as a mountain of God in the sense of grandeur and strength. It was impressive by earthly standards.
Verse 16 asks, “Why leap ye, ye high hills?” The picture is of the high mountains looking with envy or agitation toward Zion. God chose Zion, not because it was the most naturally impressive mountain, but because of His sovereign purpose. This is consistent with how God often works. He chooses what appears weak, small, and unimpressive to confound what appears strong.
1 Corinthians 1:27, 28, 29, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
The phrase “this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the LORD will dwell in it for ever” refers to Zion, Jerusalem, the place God chose for His worship and kingly presence. God’s election makes the difference. Zion’s importance came not from geography alone, but from God’s choosing. The Lord’s dwelling makes the place holy.
Verse 17 says, “The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of angels.” Ancient military strength was often measured in chariots, but Israel was commanded not to multiply horses and chariots like the nations.
Deuteronomy 17:16, “But he shall not multiply horses to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.”
Israel’s security was not in chariots, but in the Lord. God’s chariots are innumerable. His angelic hosts are beyond human calculation. The Lord is not outmatched by the military strength of nations.
The statement “the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place” connects Zion with Sinai. The God who revealed Himself in power at Sinai is the same God present in His holy place. His presence among His people is their strength.
Verse 18 is one of the most important verses in the psalm. “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.” In its Old Testament setting, this pictures God’s victorious ascent after battle. The conquering king ascends in triumph, leads captives in procession, receives tribute, and establishes His dwelling.
The phrase “thou hast led captivity captive” means that God conquered the powers that held others captive. Captivity itself is taken captive. The enemies who once enslaved are now defeated and paraded as conquered.
The apostle Paul quotes this verse in Ephesians 4 and applies it to the ascended Christ. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul preserves the meaning but states that Christ gave gifts unto men. In Psalm 68, the victorious king receives gifts. In Ephesians 4, the victorious Christ gives gifts to His church from the abundance of His triumph.
Ephesians 4:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, “Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things. And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
This is not a contradiction. The conquering king receives tribute and distributes gifts. Christ, having conquered through His death, resurrection, and ascension, gives gifts to His church. He gives gifted men and spiritual enablement for the building up of the body.
This verse also speaks of gifts “for the rebellious also that the LORD God might dwell among them.” Grace reaches rebels. God’s dwelling among sinners is an act of mercy. In Christ, former rebels are conquered by grace, reconciled to God, and made part of the dwelling place of God by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:21, 22, “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
C. Praise to the God Who Wins the Battle for His People
Psalm 68:19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Psalm 68:19, “Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation. Selah.”
Psalm 68:20, “He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.”
Psalm 68:21, “But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.”
Psalm 68:22, “The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:”
Psalm 68:23, “That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.”
After declaring God’s victory and ascension, David blesses the Lord. “Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits.” God’s care is daily. He does not bless His people once and then abandon them. Day by day He sustains, protects, provides, forgives, guides, strengthens, corrects, and keeps them. Some translations understand the sense as God daily bearing our burden, which is also a biblical truth. Either way, the point is that God is not distant from the daily life of His people.
The phrase “even the God of our salvation” identifies the Lord as the source of deliverance. Salvation belongs to God. He saves His people from enemies, from death, from judgment, and ultimately from sin through Christ. Every temporal deliverance points toward the greater salvation found in the Lord.
Verse 19 ends with Selah, calling for reflection. The believer should pause over the fact that God daily bears him up and is the God of his salvation.
Verse 20 says, “He that is our God is the God of salvation.” David makes it personal. This is not merely a doctrine about a saving God. He is our God. Covenant relationship matters. God belongs to His people by grace, and His people belong to Him.
The phrase “unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death” means escapes from death belong to Him. God holds life and death in His hand. He can deliver from death, preserve through danger, and raise the dead. The Lord has authority over the grave.
Deuteronomy 32:39, “See now that I even I am he and there is no god with me I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.”
Verse 21 shifts to judgment. “But God shall wound the head of his enemies.” This recalls the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head.
Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
The head wound speaks of decisive judgment. God will not merely inconvenience His enemies. He will crush them. This finds ultimate fulfillment in Christ’s victory over Satan.
Romans 16:20, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen.”
The phrase “the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses” describes the stubborn rebel who continues in sin. God’s judgment falls upon the one who persists in rebellion. The issue is not weakness confessed before God, but hardened continuation in trespass.
Verses 22 and 23 describe God bringing back enemies or bringing His people through distant places so that victory is complete. “I will bring again from Bashan I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea.” Whether the enemies flee to the heights of Bashan or the depths of the sea, they cannot escape God. God’s victory reaches high and low, mountain and sea.
The imagery of verse 23 is severe. “That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.” This is battlefield language. It describes complete victory over enemies. Modern readers may find the imagery harsh, but Scripture does not soften the reality of divine judgment. God’s enemies will not finally escape. His people will be vindicated. Evil will be defeated.
Psalm 68:24, 25, 26, 27
Psalm 68:24, “They have seen thy goings, O God even the goings of my God my King in the sanctuary.”
Psalm 68:25, “The singers went before the players on instruments followed after among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.”
Psalm 68:26, “Bless ye God in the congregations even the Lord from the fountain of Israel.”
Psalm 68:27, “There is little Benjamin with their ruler the princes of Judah and their council the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.”
David now describes the procession of the ark. “They have seen thy goings, O God even the goings of my God my King in the sanctuary.” This was not merely David’s parade. It was the procession of God. The ark represented the throne presence of the invisible King. As the ark entered Jerusalem, the people saw a visible testimony of God’s covenant presence among them.
The phrase “my God my King” is deeply important. David was king of Israel, but he knew there was a greater King. David’s throne was subordinate to God’s throne. True leadership under God recognizes that all authority is delegated and accountable.
Verse 25 gives the worship order. “The singers went before the players on instruments followed after among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.” The procession included singers, instrumentalists, and women playing timbrels. This was public, joyful, ordered worship. God’s victory called forth music, song, and congregational praise.
Verse 26 commands, “Bless ye God in the congregations.” God is to be blessed publicly among His gathered people. Private worship is necessary, but it does not replace gathered worship. The congregation has a duty to bless the Lord together.
The phrase “even the Lord from the fountain of Israel” points to the Lord as the source of Israel’s life, covenant, worship, and blessing. The people did not generate their own spiritual life. Their fountain was the Lord Himself.
Verse 27 names tribes involved in the procession. “There is little Benjamin with their ruler the princes of Judah and their council the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.” Benjamin is called little, likely because it was the youngest tribe and because it had been greatly reduced during the period of the judges. Yet Benjamin is given a place in the procession.
This is gracious and significant because Saul, David’s predecessor and enemy, came from Benjamin. Many kings would have marginalized or dishonored Benjamin because of Saul’s house. David, however, includes them in the worship procession. This reflects wisdom, mercy, and national unity under God.
Judah is also present, the tribe of David and the royal line. Zebulun and Naphtali are northern tribes, showing that the worship of God involves the whole people, not merely one region. The mention of these tribes is selective, but it represents the unity of Israel in the worship of the Lord.
Psalm 68:28, 29, 30, 31
Psalm 68:28, “Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.”
Psalm 68:29, “Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.”
Psalm 68:30, “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.”
Psalm 68:31, “Princes shall come out of Egypt Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.”
David now prays with confidence for future victories. “Thy God hath commanded thy strength.” Israel’s strength was not self generated. God commanded it. Whatever strength the people possessed came from the Lord.
The prayer “strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us” shows that David knew past victory needed future preservation. God had done great things, but David asked God to strengthen what He had already worked. This is a wise prayer. God’s people should not merely remember past victories, they should pray that God would secure, deepen, and extend His work.
Verse 29 says, “Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.” In David’s day, the permanent temple had not yet been built, but Jerusalem had become the chosen place of God’s worship, and the temple was anticipated. The verse looks forward to nations bringing tribute to the Lord at Jerusalem.
This has a future kingdom dimension. From a premillennial and literal hermeneutic, this looks ultimately to the reign of Messiah, when the nations will acknowledge the rule of the Lord and come in submission. There is a present gospel fulfillment in the spread of Christianity among the nations, but the full earthly fulfillment awaits the kingdom reign of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 2:2, 3, “And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
Verse 30 asks God to rebuke hostile powers. “Rebuke the company of spearmen the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the people.” The beasts, bulls, and calves represent strong, aggressive, oppressive nations and rulers. They are violent, proud, and threatening. David asks God to restrain and humble them.
The phrase “till every one submit himself with pieces of silver” looks to the submission of nations in tribute. The enemies of God and His people must be brought low.
The prayer “scatter thou the people that delight in war” is especially direct. Some peoples and rulers delight in war. They love violence, conquest, oppression, and bloodshed. David asks God to scatter them. This is a righteous prayer because those who delight in war destroy lives, destabilize nations, and oppose God’s order.
Verse 31 says, “Princes shall come out of Egypt Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.” Egypt and Ethiopia were ancient powers and often enemies or threats to Israel. Yet David foresees even these nations stretching out their hands to God. Old enemies will become worshippers. Great sinners can become servants of God. Nations once hostile to the Lord can be brought into submission and worship.
This anticipates the worldwide reach of God’s kingdom. The God of Israel will be acknowledged beyond Israel. The nations will not forever rage against Him.
Psalm 68:32, 33, 34, 35
Psalm 68:32, “Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:”
Psalm 68:33, “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.”
Psalm 68:34, “Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the clouds.”
Psalm 68:35, “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.”
The psalm closes with a call for all kingdoms of the earth to praise God. “Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth.” David has moved from Israel’s history to worldwide praise. The nations are invited to worship the Lord now willingly, rather than bow later as conquered enemies. This is consistent with the missionary pattern seen throughout the Psalms. The God of Israel is worthy of worship from all kingdoms.
The verse repeats, “O sing praises unto the Lord.” There cannot be too much singing to God when the praise is true. The world sins much against God, and the redeemed should sing much to God. The verse ends with Selah, calling for reflection upon the worldwide summons to praise.
Verse 33 returns to the image of divine majesty. “To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old.” God rides above the highest heavens. He is not confined to Israel, Zion, or the sanctuary. He is the eternal sovereign over all creation. The phrase “which were of old” points backward to ancient time and also carries the sense of the eternal sweep of God’s rule. The Lord reigns over time, creation, and history.
The phrase “lo he doth send out his voice and that a mighty voice” shows the power of God’s speech. God’s voice creates, commands, judges, comforts, and conquers. His voice is not weak. It is mighty.
Psalm 29:3, 4, “The voice of the LORD is upon the waters the God of glory thundereth the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.”
Verse 34 commands, “Ascribe ye strength unto God.” Men must recognize that strength belongs to God. Human strength is derivative, temporary, and dependent. Divine strength is original, eternal, and unlimited.
The phrase “his excellency is over Israel” means God’s majesty is displayed in His rule over Israel. He chose Israel, delivered Israel, gave covenant promises to Israel, preserved Israel, and revealed Himself through Israel. This does not mean God is only God over Israel, because the psalm calls all kingdoms to praise Him. It means Israel has a special covenant place in the display of His glory.
The statement “his strength is in the clouds” again lifts the eyes upward. God’s strength is heavenly, majestic, and exalted above earthly powers. Nations may trust in armies, but God’s strength is above them all.
Verse 35 concludes, “O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places.” Again, terrible means awesome, fear inspiring, and overwhelming in majesty. God is greater than His holy places. Zion, the sanctuary, the land, and the temple are holy because of Him, but He is not limited by them. He is more awesome than any place associated with His worship.
The final statement says, “the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people.” The God who rides upon the heavens also strengthens His people on earth. He is transcendent and near. He is majestic and merciful. He scatters enemies and sustains saints. He rules the kingdoms and helps His congregation.
The psalm ends with “Blessed be God.” This is the proper conclusion to a psalm filled with victory, worship, history, compassion, judgment, procession, ascension, and kingdom expectation. God gets the final praise. The victory belongs to Him. The strength comes from Him. The salvation is His. The glory returns to Him.
Psalm 68 has been loved by soldiers, reformers, persecuted believers, and those who understood spiritual conflict because it is a battle psalm. Yet the lasting victory is not found in any temporary earthly campaign. The final and eternal victory belongs to the Messiah. Jesus Christ has risen, ascended, led captivity captive, given gifts to His church, and will reign until every enemy is put under His feet.
1 Corinthians 15:24, 25, 26, “Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
