Psalms 68:16

16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, At the mountain which God has 1desired for His abode? Surely 2the LORD will dwell there forever.

Psalms 68:16 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 68:16

Why leap ye, ye high hills?
&c.] Meaning the kingdoms of this world that lift up themselves above, and look with contempt upon the interest, kingdom, and church of Christ; lie in wait for it, leap upon it, insult over it, and endeavour to crush and extirpate it; but all in vain; these high hills and mountains are nothing before Zerubbabel King of saints; his church is built on a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it; the little stone cut out of the mountain without hands will become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth, and break in pieces and consume the kingdoms of it: the word (dur) , in, the Arabic language, signifies "to lie in wait", as Jarchi from R. Moses Hadarsan observes; and to look out, and leap upon the prey; so R. Hai in Ben Melech says, it has the signification of looking, observing, hoping, or waiting, in the Arable language F11;

[this is] the hill [which] God desireth to dwell in;
as in ( Psalms 132:13 ) ; the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; the essential Word, the Messiah: his desire was towards his church and people, in eternity, in time, and now is; he has chosen and desired them for his habitation, and in the midst of them he delights to be, ( Revelation 1:13 ) ;

yea, the Lord will dwell [in it] for ever:
he dwells in his church now by his gracious presence; he will dwell in the New Jerusalem church state personally for the space of a thousand years; and after that he will dwell with and among his people to all eternity; see ( Psalms 132:14 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 "Ratzad, insidiatus fuit, uti praedae leo", Golius, col. 991. Castel. col. 3633.

Psalms 68:16 In-Context

14 When the Almighty scattered the kings there, It was snowing in Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, At the mountain which God has desired for His abode? Surely 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 men, Even among the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Deuteronomy 12:5; Psalms 87:1, 2; Psalms 132:13
  • 2. Psalms 132:14
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