Psalm 68:1-10

1 For the leader. A psalm of David. A song: Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from his presence.

2 Drive them away as smoke is driven away; like wax melting in the presence of a fire, let the wicked perish in the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous rejoice and be glad in God's presence; yes, let them exult and rejoice.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; extol him who rides on the clouds by his name, Yah; and be glad in his presence.

5 God in his holy dwelling, is a father to orphans and defender of widows.

6 God gives homes to those who are alone and leads prisoners out into prosperity. But rebels must live in a parched wasteland.

7 God, when you went out at the head of your people, when you marched out through the wilderness, (Selah)

8 the earth quaked, and rain poured from the sky, at the presence of God. Even Sinai [shook] at the presence of God, the God of Isra'el.

9 You rained down showers in plenty, God; when your heritage was weary, you restored it.

10 Your flock settled in it; in your goodness, God, you provided for the poor.

Psalm 68:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm [or] Song of David. The Targum makes the argument of this psalm to be the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt, and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai; in which it is followed by many of the Jewish interpreters: but Aben Ezra rejects such an interpretation of it, and thinks that David composed it, concerning the war he had with the uncircumcised nations, the Philistines and others, 2 Samuel 8:1, &c. And so the title of the Syriac version begins, "a psalm of David, when the kings prepared themselves to fight against him:" and Kimchi says it was composed on account of Sennacherib's army coming against Jerusalem, in the times of Hezekiah, and so delivered by David, under a spirit of prophecy concerning that affair; though he owns that some of their writers interpret it of the war of Gog and Magog, in the times of the Messiah they yet expect. But they are much nearer the truth, who take it that it was written on occasion of the ark being brought to the city of David; seeing it begins with much the same words that Moses used when the ark set forward in his times, Numbers 10:35; and the bringing of which was attended with great joy and gladness, 2 Samuel 6:14; such as the righteous are called upon to express in this psalm, Psalm 68:3. And this being a type of Christ, and of his ascending the holy hill of God, may be allowed of; for certain it is that this psalm treats of the coming of Christ, and of blessings by him, and of victory over his enemies; and particularly of his ascension to heaven, as most evidently appears from Ephesians 4:8; and from prophecies in it, concerning the calling of the Gentiles. Wherefore the latter part of the Syriac inscription of it is very pertinent; "also a prophecy concerning the dispensation of the Messiah, and concerning the calling of the Gentiles to the faith." Jarchi interprets Psalm 68:31 of the Messiah.