# Psalm 68 đź“–: God Rises and Leads in Triumph
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[[-Psalm Overview]] | [[Psalm 67]] | [[Psalm 69]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
## For the music director, by David, a psalm, a song.
[[#Verse 01.]]Â God springs into action.
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries run from him.
[[#Verse 02.]]Â As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.
As wax melts before fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
[[#Verse 03.]] But the godly are happy;
they rejoice before God
and are overcome with joy.
[[#Verse 04.]]Â Sing to God! Sing praises to his name.
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds.
For the Lord is his name.
Rejoice before him.
[[#Verse 05.]]Â He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows.
God rules from his holy dwelling place.
[[#Verse 06.]]Â God settles in their own homes those who have been deserted;
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.
But sinful rebels live in the desert.
[[#Verse 07.]]Â O God, when you lead your people into battle,
when you march through the wastelands, (Selah)
[[#Verse 08.]]Â the earth shakes.
Yes, the heavens pour down rain
before God, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
[[#Verse 09.]] O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people.
When they are tired, you sustain them,
[[#Verse 10.]]Â for you live among them.
You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
[[#Verse 11.]]Â The Lord speaks;
many, many women spread the good news.
[[#Verse 12.]] Kings leading armies run away—they run away!
The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.
[[#Verse 13.]] When you lie down among the sheepfolds,
the wings of the dove are covered with silver
and with glittering gold.
[[#Verse 14.]] When the Sovereign One scatters kings,
let it snow on Zalmon.
[[#Verse 15.]] The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain;
the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.
[[#Verse 16.]] Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live?
Indeed the Lord will live there permanently.
[[#Verse 17.]]Â God has countless chariots;
they number in the thousands.
The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.
[[#Verse 18.]]Â You ascend on high;
you have taken many captives.
You receive tribute from men,
including even sinful rebels.
Indeed, the Lord God lives there.
[[#Verse 19.]]Â The Lord deserves praise.
Day after day he carries our burden,
the God who delivers us. (Selah)
[[#Verse 20.]]Â Our God is a God who delivers;
the Lord, the Sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.
[[#Verse 21.]]Â Indeed, God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.
[[#Verse 22.]]Â The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
[[#Verse 23.]] so that your feet may stomp in their blood,
and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”
[[#Verse 24.]] They see your processions, O God—
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.
[[#Verse 25.]]Â Singers walk in front;
musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,
in the midst of young women playing tambourines.
[[#Verse 26.]]Â In your large assemblies praise God,
the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel.
[[#Verse 27.]]Â There is little Benjamin, their ruler,
and the princes of Judah in their robes,
along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
[[#Verse 28.]]Â God has decreed that you will be powerful.
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power.
[[#Verse 29.]]Â Because of your temple in Jerusalem,
kings bring tribute to you.
[[#Verse 30.]] Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds,
and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls.
They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute.
God scatters the nations that like to do battle.
[[#Verse 31.]] They come with red cloth from Egypt.
Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.
[[#Verse 32.]]Â O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)
[[#Verse 33.]]Â to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times.
Look! He thunders loudly.
[[#Verse 34.]] Acknowledge God’s power,
his sovereignty over Israel,
and the power he reveals in the skies.
[[#Verse 35.]]Â You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple.
It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise!
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Psalm 68 is considered one of the most difficult psalms in Hebrew, with many rare words.
2. It opens with words similar to Moses' prayer when the ark set out (Numbers 10:35).
3. God is described as riding on the clouds (68:4), a title Canaanite texts gave to Baal, here claimed for the true God.
4. The short form of God's name, *Yah*, appears in 68:4.
5. The psalm retells God's journey from Sinai to Zion (68:7-18).
6. Mount Bashan, with its many peaks, is pictured as jealous of Mount Zion, God's chosen mountain (68:15-16).
7. Paul quotes 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8, saying Christ ascended and gave gifts to people.
8. The tribes of Benjamin, Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali appear in a procession (68:27).
9. Egypt is called "the wild beast of the reeds" (68:30), likely a picture of the crocodile or hippopotamus of the Nile.
10. Cush, often linked with ancient Ethiopia, stretches out its hands to God (68:31), and Acts 8:27 records an Ethiopian official coming to faith.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the victorious King who ascended on high and gave gifts to His people. Paul applies 68:18 to Jesus' ascension and His gifts to the church (Ephesians 4:8-12).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. God is called a father to orphans and a defender of widows (68:5). How can your life reflect God's care for the vulnerable?
2. God daily carries our burdens (68:19). What burden do you need to let God carry today?
3. Kings and nations are pictured bringing gifts to God (68:29-32). How does this point to the gospel spreading to all peoples?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 5: God in His holy dwelling is a father to orphans and a defender of widows.
- đź“– verse 18: God ascends on high, leading captives and receiving gifts.
- đź“– verse 19: Praise the Lord, who carries our burden day after day.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Ephesians 04#Verse 07.|Ephesians 4:7-12]] - Christ ascends and gives gifts.
- đź”— [[Numbers 10#Verse 35.|Numbers 10:35]] - Rise up, O Lord, and scatter Your enemies.
- đź”— [[James 01#Verse 27.|James 1:27]] - Care for orphans and widows.
- đź”— [[Acts 08#Verse 26.|Acts 8:26-39]] - The Ethiopian official believes.
- đź”— [[Deuteronomy 10#Verse 18.|Deuteronomy 10:18]] - God defends the orphan and widow.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Psalm 68 - SOAP|Our Spiritual Family]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes