Psalms 68

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Psalm 68 is a processional hymn celebrating God's march from Sinai to Zion. It opens with the words spoken whenever the ark set out, "God arises, His enemies are scattered," and follows him as he rides on the clouds, defends widows and orphans, settles the lonely in families, marches through the wilderness with rain and earthquake, scatters kings like snow on Zalmon, chooses Zion over the many-peaked mountains of Bashan, and ascends on high leading captives and receiving gifts. The procession itself appears in verses 24 to 27, singers first, then musicians, then girls with tambourines, with the tribes of Benjamin, Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali. The psalm ends by calling the kingdoms of the earth to sing to the God who rides the ancient heavens and gives strength to his people.

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Psalm 68 is a parade, and it is best read as one, with the noise turned up. It begins with the words Moses shouted every time the ark of the covenant was lifted to move through the wilderness, God arises and his enemies scatter, and then it follows God on the march. He rides on the clouds, a title Israel's neighbors gave to their storm god and this psalm takes for the LORD. Before he does anything else he is named as the father of orphans and the defender of widows, the God who puts lonely people into families and walks prisoners out into the open. Then the psalm remembers the road: the earth shaking at Sinai, rain pouring on the desert, the flock settling into the land, kings fleeing so fast that the women at home divide the loot, snow on a black mountain. Bashan, with its many peaks, looks on jealously as God chooses a small hill called Zion for his home, and arrives there with ten thousand chariots, leading captives and receiving tribute, a verse Paul would later turn around to describe Christ ascending and giving gifts. In the middle of the triumph is a line for ordinary days: blessed be the Lord, who carries our burden every day. Then the procession itself comes into view, singers in front, musicians behind, girls with tambourines between, Benjamin and Judah and Zebulun and Naphtali in their places, all heading into the sanctuary. The psalm ends by inviting Egypt and Cush and every kingdom on earth to join the singing, because the God of Israel, awesome in his sanctuary, gives strength to his people.

Pasajes clave

Numbers 10:35-36 Ephesians 4:7-10

Historical and literary context

The psalm is attributed to David and probably accompanied a festival procession bringing the ark into Jerusalem or commemorating that event, described in 2 Samuel 6. Its opening line is the formula of Numbers 10:35, and its language of Sinai, rain, and the march through the wasteland recalls the exodus and the Song of Deborah in Judges 5. "Rider on the clouds" was a title of the Canaanite storm god Baal, claimed here for the LORD. Bashan, east of the Sea of Galilee, was famous for its mountains and bulls; Zalmon was a hill near Shechem. The psalm is among the hardest in the Psalter to translate, with several words found nowhere else, and scholars disagree about its unity. Paul quotes verse 18, with a changed verb, in Ephesians 4.

How the chapter unfolds

Verses 1 to 3 are the opening formula and the contrast between the wicked and the righteous. Verses 4 to 6 praise the rider on the clouds as father of the fatherless and defender of widows. Verses 7 to 10 recall the march through the wilderness and the rain on Sinai and on the land. Verses 11 to 14 celebrate the scattering of kings and the plunder shared at home. Verses 15 to 18 contrast Bashan with Zion and describe God's ascent with captives and gifts. Verses 19 to 23 bless the God who bears burdens daily and promise the crushing of enemies. Verses 24 to 27 describe the procession. Verses 28 to 31 pray for God's strength and foresee tribute from Egypt and Cush. Verses 32 to 35 call the kingdoms of the earth to praise.

Why this chapter matters

Verse 5, "A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation," and verse 6, "God settles the lonely in families," are among the most quoted verses about God's care for the vulnerable, and verse 19, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden," is a favorite line of daily devotion. Verse 18, "You have ascended on high; You have led captives away," became through Ephesians 4 a text for Christ's ascension and is read on Ascension Day. The opening line was the battle cry of the Huguenots and Cromwell's armies. The psalm's picture of God marching before his people through the wilderness has shaped Christian hymns of pilgrimage.

Interpretive tension to watch

Paul quotes verse 18 as "gave gifts to men" where the Hebrew says "received gifts from men," following an interpretive tradition also found in the Aramaic Targum, and the difference has occupied commentators since the Reformation. The psalm's violence, feet dipped in the blood of enemies and dogs' tongues sharing it, sits beside its tenderness toward orphans and widows, and readers must decide how a God who is both belongs in one hymn. Several verses are so obscure that translations diverge widely, especially 13 and 14 with the silver dove and the snow on Zalmon. Whether the psalm is one composition or a collection of older fragments remains open.

Preguntas para este capítulo

The God who scatters kings is in the same breath a father of orphans and a defender of widows. What does it mean that his power is aimed there first?
"God settles the lonely in families." Where have you seen that happen, and what part does a congregation play in it?
The psalm describes a procession of singers, musicians, and dancing girls. What would it look like for your community to celebrate God's victories that publicly?

Study with context

Use this as a chapter guide, then press deeper into the text itself. The goal is to slow down observation, notice structure, and ask better questions before jumping to conclusions.

Añadir a notas

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm [or] Song of David. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. 2 As smoke is driven away, [so] drive [them] away: as wax melteth before the fire, [so] let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. 4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him. 5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, [is] God in his holy habitation. 6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry [land]. 7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: 8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: [even] Sinai itself [was moved] at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. 10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor. 11 The Lord gave the word: great [was] the company of those that published [it]. 12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil. 13 Though ye have lien among the pots, [yet shall ye be as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. 14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was [white] as snow in Salmon. 15 The hill of God [is as] the hill of Bashan; an high hill [as] the hill of Bashan. 16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? [this is] the hill [which] God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell [in it] for ever. 17 The chariots of God [are] twenty thousand, [even] thousands of angels: the Lord [is] among them, [as in] Sinai, in the holy [place]. 18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, [for] the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [among them]. 19 Blessed [be] the Lord, [who] daily loadeth us [with benefits, even] the God of our salvation. Selah. 20 [He that is] our God [is] the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord [belong] the issues from death. 21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, [and] the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses. 22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring [my people] again from the depths of the sea: 23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of [thine] enemies, [and] the tongue of thy dogs in the same. 24 They have seen thy goings, O God; [even] the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. 25 The singers went before, the players on instruments [followed] after; among [them were] the damsels playing with timbrels. 26 Bless ye God in the congregations, [even] the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. 27 There [is] little Benjamin [with] their ruler, the princes of Judah [and] their council, the princes of Zebulun, [and] the princes of Naphtali. 28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. 29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee. 30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, [till every one] submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people [that] delight in war. 31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God. 32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: 33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, [which were] of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, [and that] a mighty voice. 34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency [is] over Israel, and his strength [is] in the clouds. 35 O God, [thou art] terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel [is] he that giveth strength and power unto [his] people. Blessed [be] God.

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