Psalm 68:24-34

24 God, those who worship you come marching into view. My God and King, those who follow you have entered the sacred tent.

25 The singers are walking in front. Next come those who play the music. Young women playing tambourines are with them.

26 The leaders sing, "Praise God among all those who worship him. Praise the LORD in the community of Israel."

27 The little tribe of Benjamin leads the worshipers. Next comes the great crowd of Judah's princes. Then come the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

28 God, show us your power. Show us your strength. God, do as you have done before.

29 Do it from your temple at Jerusalem, where kings will bring you gifts.

30 Give a strong warning to Egypt, that beast among the tall grass. Warn the leaders of the nations, who are like bulls among the calves. May they bow down before you with gifts of silver. Scatter the nations who like to make war.

31 Messengers will come from Egypt. The people of Cush will be quick to bring gifts to you.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praise to the Lord. "Selah"

33 He rides in the age-old skies above. He thunders with his mighty voice.

34 Tell how powerful God is. He rules as king over Israel. The skies show how powerful he is.

Psalm 68:24-34 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.