Psalms 68:4

4 Sing ye to God, say ye psalm to his name; make ye [a] way to him, that ascendeth on the going down, the Lord is name of him. Make ye fully joy in his sight, (his) enemies shall be troubled from the face of him, (Sing ye to God, sing ye a song to his name; make ye a way for him, who rideth over the plains of the desert/who rideth upon the clouds, yea, the Lord is his name. Make ye full out joy, or rejoice, before him, but his enemies shall be troubled before him,)

Psalms 68:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 68:4

Sing unto God
Manifest in the flesh, risen from the dead, ascended on high, set down at the right hand of his divine Father; having exerted his great strength in their redemption; and therefore should sing the song of redeeming love, with grace and melody in their hearts, unto him;

sing praises to his name:
to the honour of his name Jesus, a Saviour, because of the great work of salvation wrought out by him; give him all the praise and glory of it, which due unto his name;

extol him that rideth upon heavens:
having ascended above them, and being higher than they, and so is exalted above all blessing and praise; and uses his power and greatness for the help of his people: see ( Deuteronomy 33:26 ) . Some choose to render the words, "prepare the way" ^F17, as John the Baptist is said to do before him, ( Isaiah 11:3 ) ; "for him that rideth through the deserts", or "fields" ^F18; as he did through the fields of Judea on an ass; and through the nations of the world, in the ministry of the word, carried thither by his apostles; whereby places, comparable to deserts for their barrenness and unfruitfulness, became like the garden of the Lord: or rather, "that rideth in the west"; it being at the west end of the tabernacle and temple, where the cherubim were, on which Jehovah rode, they being his chariot;

by his name JAH;
or Jehovah; which being a name incommunicable to creatures, and given to Christ, shows him to be the most High; a self-existent Being, the immutable and everlasting "I AM"; which is, and was, and is to come; from whom all creatures receive their being, and are continued in it; and who is also Jehovah our righteousness; and by, in, and because of this name, is he to be extolled and magnified;

and rejoice before him; (See Gill on Psalms 68:3).

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (wlo) "elevate viam lapidibus", Vatablus; "parata viam", Gejerus; "make an highway", Ainsworth.
F18 (twbdeb) "per deserta", Hieron. Theodoret. Bugenhagius, aliique in Michaelis; "in campestribus", Piscator, Cocceius; "in campis, vel per campos", Gussetius, p. 641. "in the deserts", Ainsworth.

Psalms 68:4 In-Context

2 As smoke faileth, fail they; as wax floateth (away) from the face of fire, so perish [the] sinners from the face of God. (Like smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish; like wax melteth in the fire, so let the sinners perish in the presence of God.)

3 And just men eat, and make they fully joy in the sight of God; and delight they in gladness. (But the righteous be glad, and make full out joy, or rejoice, before God; yea, delight they, and be glad.)

4 Sing ye to God, say ye psalm to his name; make ye [a] way to him, that ascendeth on the going down, the Lord is name of him. Make ye fully joy in his sight, (his) enemies shall be troubled from the face of him, (Sing ye to God, sing ye a song to his name; make ye a way for him, who rideth over the plains of the desert/who rideth upon the clouds, yea, the Lord is his name. Make ye full out joy, or rejoice, before him, but his enemies shall be troubled before him,)

5 which is the father of fatherless and motherless children; and the judge of widows (who is the father of the fatherless and the motherless; and the judge of widows). God is in his holy place;

6 God that maketh men of one will to dwell in the house. Which leadeth out by strength them that be bound; in like manner them that make sharp, that dwell in sepulchres. (yea, God who helpeth people to come and live in a house with others. And who leadeth out those who be bound into freedom; but they who rebel shall live in a dry land.)