Psalms 68

Ver. 2. That thy way &c.] The sense of the verse is, Deal so graciously with thy people Israel, that thereby the Gentiles may be allured to join themselves with them, and to embrace their religion. Bp. Patrick, Psale. — thy saving health! Thy salvation. Merrick.

Ver. 4. — JAH.] Or, Jehovah. Street. See the note on Exod. vi. 3.

— this is the hill ] Namely, Zion. Bp. Patrick.

Psalms 68:4

4. O let the nations &c.] A very sufficient cause, surely, is here assigned why the “nations” should “be glad, and sing for joy,” upon the erection of Messiah’s kingdom in the midst of them; namely, because He would “judge the people righteously;” breaking the yoke of the oppressor, and the iron rod of the prince of this world; becoming Himself an advocate in the cause of his church; introducing her into the glorious liberty of the children of God, whose service is perfect freedom; and with a sceptre, around which justice and mercy are wreathed together, “governing the nations upon earth.” Bp. Horne.

Psalms 68:6

6. God setteth the solitary &c.] God provides for those that are destitute, and settles them in comfortable habitations; He releases the miserable captives from slavery and oppression, but those who are obstinate and rebellious He punishes by want and scarcity. Bp. Patrick. Here is an allusion to the deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, and the destruction of the murmurers in the desert: which brings in with great ease the full subject of the exodus in the next verse. Bp. Louth. — in a dry land. In a barren wilderness. Merrick.

Psalms 68:7

7. — all the ends] The remotest inhabitants. Bp. Wilson. Let us with that affection and charity which becomes the servants of one Master, and the children of one Father, be indulgent to one another’s infirmities, and compassionate to one another’s weaknesses. This is the way to make “the earth yield her increase,” such an increase as God takes delight in, an increase of Christian conversation, of brotherly affection, of knowledge, of humility, of justice, and of charity, and of all those graces which will prevail with Him to shower down all temporal blessings in this world, and to afford an assurance of eternal in the world that is to come. Lord Clarendon. LET *God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee † before him. a Numb. 10. 33.

8. — when thou wentest forth before thy people.] In a pillar of a cloud by day, and a fire by night. Green.

Psalms 68:8

8. — the heavens also dropped] The clouds dropped down water. Green.

Psalms 68:9

9. Thou, O God, didst send &c.] Didst send plentiful An exhortation to praise God for his mercies, &c. confirm it. plentiful rain, whereby thou didst was weary.

Psalms 68:10

10. — hath dwelt therein. ] In thy inheritance.

Psalms 68:11

11. The Lord gave the word. ] That is, the joyful news. Bp. Lowth. — great was the company of those that published? The word for “those that published” is feminine in the original; and points out the women who with musick, songs, and dancing, celebrated the victories of the Israelites over their enemies, according to the custom of those times. See ver. 25; Exod. xv. 20; 1 Sam. xviii. 6. Parkhurst.

Psalms 68:12

12. — and she that tarried &c. ] The spoil was so great, that the women, who staid at home, had their shares in the division of it. Bp. Hall.

Psalms 68:13

13. Though ye have lien &c. ] That is, Though you were formerly obscure and oppressed slaves, tied down to the drudgery of brickmaking and pottery in Egypt, you shall now be as glorious as you then were contemptible. Dr. Delaney.

Psalms 68:14

14. When the Almighty &c. ] When the all-powerful God dispersed the hostile kings on your account, ye became as splendid and conspicuous as the bright snow on the top of the lofty hill of Salmon. Travell, and Old Translation.

Psalms 68:15

15. The hill of God &c. ] The hill of Zion where God has chosen to fix his sanctuary, though low and barren in comparison of the lofty hill of Bashan, is yet far superior to it in real eminence and dignity. Travell.

Psalms 68:16

16. Why leap ye, ye high hills? ] Bashan, and the mountains about it, are poetically represented as leaping for joy at Jehovah’s presence, and ambitious of his abode upon them; as if there was a rivalship among them which should be honoured with it. Green. Or rather, the rendering should be, Why look ye with envy on Zion? Bp. Horne. the LORD is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

Psalms 68:17

17. The chariots of God &c. ] Here is declared the majesty and magnificence of Jehovah’s appearance on mount Zion as a mighty Conqueror of the enemies of his people, riding upon the cherubim, as in a triumphal chariot, with all the hosts of heaven, as it were, in his retinue. Bp. Horne.

Psalms 68:18

18. Thou hast ascended &c. ] Thou, O God, hast now taken possession of thy holy mountain, and hast given us the victory over our enemies, whom by thy aid we have carried away captive in great numbers, and have distributed their spoils among the people, yea, even among those who have transgressed thy laws; and Thou, O Lord, shalt now have a fixed habitation in this sacred place. So shall Christ hereafter ascend up to heaven, and take possession of his glorious kingdom, having led captive his conquered enemies, sin and death; and there He shall receive those precious gifts and graces of the Spirit, which He shall bestow upon his followers, even upon such as had before violated his laws, and rebelled against Him: thus shall the Lord God dwell in their hearts, and make his abode with them, Eph. iv. 8. Travell.

Psalms 68:20

20. — the issues from death. ] This should be translated, agreeably to the version of the Seventy, “the passages to death,” the ways by which death goes out upon men to destroy them. Dr. Hammond, Bp. Lowth.

Psalms 68:22

22. The Lord said, &c. ] Jehovah had promised to repeat in Israel, by David, his glorious acts; to work as signal victories and deliverances for his people, as He had formerly done in the field of Bashan, and at the Red sea, when they saw their enemies dead at their feet. Bp. Horne.

Psalms 68:24

24. They have seen thy goings. ] Thy triumphal procession and solemn entry into the sanctuary. Abp. Secker, Green.