A Psalm for Sunday; Psalms 3:4-8: don't be afraid

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Psalm 69 comments

 

Psalm 69:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.» Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. 2  I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. 3  I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. 4  They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. 5  O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. 6  Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel. 7  Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. 8  I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. 9  For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. 10  When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. 11  I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them. 12  They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

 

This is a Psalm, a prayer for deliverance in one of the times that David was in great peril. We can imagine King Saul pursuing him or even his son Absalom’s rebellion. This is a cry of desperation and despair, of someone who knows their only hope is in God.

 

It is also a prophecy of Christ. See how verse 4 is referred to in John 15:25.

 

John 15:25  But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

 

For verse 8 consider this;

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

John 7:5  For neither did his brethren believe in him.

 

And see how verse 9 is used in John 2:17.

 

John 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

 

Christ’s ordeal by His rejection by His Jewish brethren and His betrayal by them is evident in this passage. But, of course, verses like 5 bring us back to the context of David himself.

 

I would also refer this passage to our own predicament if we are being accused of something in our innocence. A claim made against you by someone can often have no way of being refuted as just an accusation carries enough weight to drag you down and even if a person who accuses you announces they were wrong or lied you have still been accused and that is what most people will remember. In times where a Christian is assaulted and has no defensible means of support against an accusation they can only trust in God to straighten it out. This part of the Psalm lays out the plea and the distress.

 

Psalm 69:13 ¶  But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14  Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15  Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16  Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 17  And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 18  Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies. 19  Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee. 20  Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. 21  They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

 

David prayed regularly and was disciplined about it.

 

Psalm 55:17  Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

 

He pleads with God to deliver him from the mire like quicksand in which he is held fast, as we can experience. Think about this for verse 14;

 

Psalm 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

 

Imagine Jeremiah thrown into the pit in Jeremiah, chapter 38.

 

For verse 15 I am reminded of Jonah in chapter 2 of that book.

 

The sentiment in verse 16 is expressed elsewhere in Psalms.

 

Psalm 36:7  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

 

Psalm 63:3 ¶  Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

 

Psalm 109:21 ¶  But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.

 

Can you hear yourself praying this? You need help, deliverance, and yet there is no one to help you. You call unto God for mercy and for the help only He can provide.

 

Also, do you see how this references Christ’s suffering.

 

Matthew 27:34  They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

 

We can see the torment of Christ’s sufferings in this passage although we must always remember where such typology breaks down, as I’ve noted before. We can also easily see our own torment. If you have ever stood alone accused and with no one willing to help you, you can understand how this passage can apply to you. Every alcoholic and drug addict and any Christian addicted to anything knows what it means to stand alone and plead to God for mercy and help from the situation in which they are sinking.

 

Psalm 69:22 ¶  Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23  Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. 24  Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. 25  Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. 26  For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. 27  Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. 28  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. 29  But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

 

Paul refers to the first verse in this passage.

 

Romans 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

 

That which should have been for the benefit of David’s enemies, he prays that it go against them. By Paul’s allusion to the verse we see that trap is a recompence by word substitution as I have previously explained. The Holy Spirit uses this method in quoting Old Testament verses in the New to show us the intent of the passage.

 

Paul follows on with an allusion or free reference to the next verse.

 

Romans 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

 

See how the Holy Spirit directs us through fluid meanings as a contrast with bow down their back always and make their loins continually to shake.

 

For verse 24 see a similar sentiment in Psalms.

 

Psalms 79:6 ¶  Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

 

Verse 25 can be also applied to Judas, the betrayer of Christ.

 

Acts 1:20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

 

From verse 26 we can see a reference to the Messiah, the torment of the Lord Jesus Christ. For 27 note this verse in a future Psalm

 

Psalms 81:12  So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

I should think that prophetically the book of the living and the book of life are synonymous in a clear double-reference to the end times with the immediate context being David wanting his enemies to die. In Revelation 3:5 Christ promises not to blot a person’s name out of the Book of Life. All human beings’ names are in the book when their soul was created but based on God’s foreknowledge and if we reject Him our name is removed.

Exodus 32:32  Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin — ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Philippians 4:3  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Revelation 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Revelation 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

When we are saved we are said to be sealed and the Holy Spirit is given to us as a deposit, earnest money, so to speak.

2Corinthians 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Ephesians 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

So, it is consistent to believe that God’s Book of Life contains all our names and when we die physically the name is either left there or taken out based on what we have done regarding Christ…

Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

If that is not the case then your salvation is not sure, that is, if you can have your name put in and then taken out.

For verse 29 consider;

 

 Psalms 40:17  But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

 

Psalms 109:22  For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

 

Remember for us what we are told in the New Testament.

¹ Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Psalm 69:30 ¶  I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31  This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. 32  The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. 33  For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. 34  Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. 35  For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. 36  The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

 

Psalm 28:7  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

 

We should all have this praise that David speaks of and be thankful always.

 

1Thessalonians 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

God is more pleased with a thankful heart than he is with animal sacrifices. In fact, every thing that flows from a thankful heart is more pleasing to God.

 

Micah 6:6 ¶  Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7  Will the LORD be

pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

 

The humble, the meek, and the lowly will rejoice as those who submit to His will.

 

Psalm 25:9  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

 

Being humble here is linked to poverty but we can also interpret it as being humble toward God.

 

1Peter 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

 

Every created thing praises God.

 

 

Psalm 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

 

Psalm 98:7  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 8  Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

 

Psalm 148:1 ¶  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 6  He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. 7 ¶  Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: 8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: 9  Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: 10  Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: 11  Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 12  Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: 13  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. 14  He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

 

Psalm 150:6  Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

 

A promise is made to bless the people of Israel. This can clearly be a prophecy of His millennial reign over the world from Jerusalem as well.

 

Psalm 102:16  When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. 17  He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. 18  This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

 

Psalm 22:30  A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

 

David’s prayer for deliverance from his enemies also appears to be fraught with prophetic references that perhaps David knew nothing about. The Holy Spirit guides the writers even when they are unwitting secretaries.

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2Samuel, chapter 5, comments

 

2Samuel 5:1 ¶  Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2  Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. 3  So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. 4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5  In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

 

David now is the undisputed king over all Israel. Archbishop Ussher, in his The Annals of the World calculated this to be in 1048BC. This was brought about by much drama, which we have seen, since the day Samuel anointed David king.

 

1Samuel 16:1 ¶  And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons…13  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

 

David will reign 40 years, part over just Judah, but then the rest of the time over all of Israel.

 

2Samuel 5:6 ¶  And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. 7  Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. 8  And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. 9  So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. 10  And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

 

Here David takes Jerusalem from the Jebusites and it was called the city of David and Zion, which specifically was what the strong hold or fortress was called. Millo was also a name of the fortification or perhaps the moat around it but Zion began to be associated with the entire city.

 

Joshua 15:63  As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

 

Judges 1:21 ¶  And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

 

Judges 19:10  But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him. 11  And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

 

1Kings 8:1  Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

 

Understand, though, that where David came from is also referred to as the city of David as it was his place of birth.

 

1Samuel 16:1 ¶  And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

 

Luke 2:4  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

 

God was with David as he grew stronger and stronger.

 

2Samuel 5:11 ¶  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. 12  And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. 13  And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 14  And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 15  Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16  And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

 

Here is a hint where David starts to go a little off the rails. This shepherd boy has learned a great deal about the world and what it means to be a king. He receives tribute from heathen kings and takes more wives and concubines. David is established by God as king over God’s heritage but acts like the kings around him in some regards. Keep this in mind.

 

1Samuel 8:5  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations…20  That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

 

The Israelites wanted a king like the kings around them and their king acts in many ways like the kings in the lands around him.

 

Deuteronomy 17:17  Neither shall he [referring to a king over Israel} multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

 

David knows, though, that he is made king for the sake of Israel and God’s glory and will be said to be a man faithful to God. In spite of conforming to the world in which he reigns he will not betray God as other kings of Israel and Judah will in the matter or idolatry.

 

1Kings 14:8  And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;

 

1Kings 15:3  And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

 

Still, David has and will disobey God and we must learn that the seeds of our greatest failures are sown in our greatest successes.

 

2Samuel 5:17 ¶  But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. 18  The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19  And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 20  And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. 21  And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. 22  And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23  And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 24  And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. 25  And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

 

With the civil war at an end the Philistines want to stop David before his kingship hardly even begins. God affirms that they will lose to David. After defeating them handily the first time they attack a second time and here God directs David to outflank them and go behind them.

 

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Psalm 68 comments

 

Psalm 68:1 ¶  «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.

 These are words used by Moses when the ark moved forward.

 

Numbers 10:35  And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

 

Commentators like Gill noted that this was penned when David and his army brought the ark to the house of Abinadab.

 

2Samuel 6:1 ¶  Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2  And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. 3  And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. 4  And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5  And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

The first two verses of this Psalm are about God enacting retribution upon those who hate Him, who hold Him in contempt, and how powerless they are against Him. There are Psalms that show this thinking but the following verses popped out at me.

 

Proverbs 20:8  A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

 

And see this for the end of history.

 

2Thessalonians 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

 

Even the greatest wickedness cannot stand before God if He does not permit it to do so. But those who are his should rejoice and sing praises to His name. Here is an abbreviated version of God’s name as JAH, a contraction of Jehovah, God’s name, with JAH translated as LORD, all capitals elsewhere Just as Jehovah is capitalized elsewhere as LORD, all caps, 6510 times as LORD, four as God, and four as Jehovah according to Strong’s. Jehovah, the LORD, all capitals, whom Strong’s translates as, “the existing one,” is greater than all spiritual beings and all things real or imagined by men and women.

 

Jehovah is a transliteration of a Hebrew word of which we are not sure of the pronunciation. There is disagreement over vowel points and how the word was originally pronounced. Modernists will use Yahweh as there was no J sound as we use it in either Hebrew or early English, or so I have read. However, the word Jehovah has come down to us as the English version of God’s name. Since we believe in the Holy Spirit’s hand in creating this Bible we accept Jehovah as reasonable without trying to quibble over a pronunciation that the so-called scholars cannot agree on and even if they could it would not help us understand the Bible.

 

God is a father to the fatherless.

 

Psalm 27:10  When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

 

Psalm 146:9  The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

 

God will enact justice for the poor and the oppressed. Sometimes it happens in this life and sometimes recompense will be handed out in the future.

 

Ezekiel 34:16  I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

 

God is merciful to those who are suffering at the hands of others but He is also merciful to the repentant sinners who have had a change of heart. I want to read Psalm 107, an amazing Psalm.

 

Psalm 107:1 ¶  O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 

And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4  They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to

dwell in. 5  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7  And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

 

    10 ¶  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16  For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

 

    17 ¶  Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18  Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. 20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with

rejoicing.

 

    23 ¶  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

 

    33 ¶  He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34  A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35  He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. 36  And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; 37  And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. 38  He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39  Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40  He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. 41  Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42  The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 43  Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

 

Psalm 68:7 ¶  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.

 

God led the Israelites out of Egypt.

 

Exodus 13:20  And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21  And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

 

Mount Sinai was a place of a tremendous appearance by God to the Israelites.

 

Exodus 19:18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

 

God blessed the Promised Land for them.

 

Deuteronomy 11:14  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

 

He blessed this congregation of ex-slaves, His people.

 

Deuteronomy 32:13  He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 14  Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.

 

The Lord gave the word, His written word to Moses, and many, many Israelites kept it through generations. One known group even had rules about copying that if they made a mistake on a piece of parchment or a scroll the entire page must be destroyed and they would have to start over. But the Lord also gave the word of His gospel and millions of Christians have paid it forward in countless manuscripts and books. But back to the Israelites they drove out the Canaanites from the land that God had promised them. Kings were terrified and many fell by the sword.

 

Numbers 31:8  And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. 9  And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.

 

We can also think of this as the spoils taken from Satan for God by the Christian witness, as some commentators attest. Though the Israelites lives had been bitter in their slavery God lifted them up and made them beautiful in His eyes.

 

Exodus 1:14  And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

 

So, the Christian is clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

 

Romans 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Revelation 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

 

Finally, there is a reference to a snow-covered mountain or hill called Salmon where God caused kings to flee. This is information we might not be given elsewhere and is incidental to David’s praise and plea. John Gill referred to Revelation and the destruction of the kings of the earth.

 

David’s praise of God continues.

 

Psalm 68:15 ¶  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.

 

Remember in 1Samuel 10:5 something referenced as the hill of God is referenced as a place where a Philistine fort was?

 

1Samuel 10:5  After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines:

 

Gill wrote that some say the hill of God was the place where the Ark was brought, to the house of Abinadab.

 

1Samuel 7:1 ¶  And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 2  And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

 

It is likened to another hill, the hill of Bashan, with both being prominent hills. Gill and others refer to this as the Church in typology. We will dwell with Him and He with us, for ever.

 

The chariots are referred to as angels of God, remembering Elijah’s departing.

 

2Kings 2:11  And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12  And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

 

But apart from prophecy David is still proclaiming God’s glory and His victory over his enemies. He has delivered His people. Paul links this with Christian doctrine and the actions of Christ toward us with regard to God’s grace, His unmerited favor in delivering us from damnation.

 

Ephesians 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

 

God is in control of what happens after we die and our deliverance from the second death, in a lake of unquenchable fire. He is the God of our salvation. But He also is the doom of those who go on and persist in their rebellion against Him.

 

Psalm 68:22 ¶  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.

 

In verse 22 God is said to repeat His miracle of returning His people from the depths of the Red Sea, if you remember Exodus. He will perform another miracle as when He delivered His people from Og the king of Bashan, in Numbers 21:33-35. Perhaps this is reference to end times events like Revelation 20:13 with the sea giving up its dead or God returning His people to the Promised Land as in Isaiah 43:5-7 even perhaps referring to the translation of the Church or the resurrection of the dead in Christ.

 

For verse 23 see the prophecies found in Isaiah and Revelation.

 

Isaiah 63:1 ¶  Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2  Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4  For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5  And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6  And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

 

Revelation 14:19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

 

Verse 24 can be a prophecy of Christ walking with His disciples in the Temple but in context John Gill reported that the Targum, a spoken translation of the Hebrew Bible also called the Tanakh, said this is the divine majesty leading the Hebrews out of the sea.

 

Then, in verse 25, some commentators likened this to the Apostles, disciples, and Christ’s ministers of the word going before to preach the Gospel with damsels likened to primitive churches while the context is said by many to refer to musicians and singers going before an army. The Targum notes this as Moses and Aaron singing at the Red Sea with damsels and Miriam playing the instruments.

 

For verse 26 this cross-reference stands out.

 

Psalm 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

 

Then we have a reference to the tribes of Israel and a plea for God’s strength to be given to them to establish them. The temple that has not been built yet is referred to and then a prophecy of some future time when other nations shall appeal to God and we know from history that Ethiopia was one of the first countries that called itself Christian. In the 4^th century, the 300s AD, King Ezana of the kingdom of Aksum adopted Christianity as the state religion.

 

Much of the latter parts of this passage contains a great deal of symbolism with writers talking about bulls representing heathen countries and calves representing foolish people ruled by the Antichrist. So, it would be easy to get off in the weeds in this complex Psalm and a Bible Study on just this Psalm could go on for many pages.

 

I think in context though we can understand David talking about Israel’s history and future and that prophetically we can see Christ in this as well as the end of all history in Revelation. What are your thoughts about this Psalm so far?

 

Psalm 68:32 ¶  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.

 

In the previous Psalm we had this;

 

Psalm 67:3  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 4  O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. 5  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

 

God’s voice is mighty inasmuch as He spake the physical universe into existence. Think of Psalm 29.

 

Psalm 29:1 ¶  «A Psalm of David.» Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 3  The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. 4  The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5  The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6  He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7  The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. 8  The voice of the LORD shaketh

the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9  The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. 10  The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. 11  The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

 

God’s mighty voice has reached millions for Christ and they are His. His judgment will terrify a lost world. And yet there will come a time when all of heaven and earth will sing praises to God with reverence to Christ. In the end there will be a multitude of voices praising God.

 

Revelation 19:5 ¶  And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.