Psalms 68:15

15 What a mighty mountain is Bashan, a mountain of many peaks!

Psalms 68:15 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 68:15

The hill of God [is as] the hill of Bashan
The church is the hill of God, an excellent and supereminent one, and in which he dwells, as is said in ( Psalms 68:16 ) ; called an hill for its visibility, and especially as it will be in the latter day, when it will be established and exalted above the mountains and hills, the kingdoms of this world, ( Isaiah 2:2 ) ; this is compared to the hill of Bashan for fertility and fruitfulness; hence we read of the kine and bulls, the rams and lambs, and fatlings of Bashan, and of the oaks thereof, ( Deuteronomy 32:14 ) ( Psalms 22:12 ) ( Isaiah 2:13 ) ( Ezekiel 39:18 ) ( Amos 4:1 ) ; the ordinances of the church are green pastures, where his people become fat and flourishing, ( Psalms 23:2 ) ( Psalms 92:13 Psalms 92:14 ) ;

an high hill, [as] the hill of Bashan;
or "an hill of eminences" F8; it had several tops, or little hills that rose up from it; so the church of Christ, though but one hill or church in general, yet there are several little hills belong unto it, or particular congregational churches, of which it consists: for "a mountain abounding with cheese" {i}; which fed much cattle, and these produced much milk, of which large quantities of cheese were made, and so is expressive of the fruitfulness of it.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Mynnbg rh) "mons gibborum", Montanus; "vel eminentiarum", Gejerus; "monte frequente gibbis", Junius & Tremellius; "mons fastigiorum", Cocceius.
F9 "Mons qui caseis abundat", Tigurine version.

Psalms 68:15 In-Context

13 figures of doves covered with silver, whose wings glittered with fine gold. (Why did some of you stay among the sheep pens on the day of battle?)
14 When Almighty God scattered the kings on Mount Zalmon, he caused snow to fall there.
15 What a mighty mountain is Bashan, a mountain of many peaks!
16 Why from your mighty peaks do you look with scorn on the mountain on which God chose to live? The Lord will live there forever!
17 With his many thousands of mighty chariots the Lord comes from Sinai into the holy place.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.