Psalm 68

This Song of David exalts God for choosing Jerusalem as the place of His dwelling with Israel.  While David did not build the temple God revealed to David His choice of Zion.  David built a temporary place for the Ark of the Covenant, organized the Levites to properly lead Israel in worship and collected many of the building materials for the work carried out by Solomon.  

This Psalm is also about “strength”: the strength of God who strengthens Israel.  If you have time, read Psalm 68 with a list of cross-references.  David makes many references to passages in the Law, both teaching and narrative passages.  Let me mention a couple that help give some context to this Song as one that acknowledges God’s help for Israel.

·        68:1 is an exact quote of Num. 10:35.  These are the words prayed in the wilderness when the Lord would lead His people on.  The cloud would move and the people set out, the procession being led by the priests with the Ark.

·        68:4 is not an exact quote of Deut. 33:26(-29) but must have been in David’s heart.  These words of Moses were expressed after he had blessed each of the tribes of Israel.  They speak of God as Israel’s help.  There is none like Him.  The same theme concludes this Song in 68:34-35.

The exaltation of Mt. Moriah (Zion) is portrayed in contrast to two other mountains.  Mt. Sinai was magnificent when God was present there (v7-10).  Snowy Mt. Hermon (Zalmon in v14; the mountain of Bashan in v15) was indeed a mighty mountain with several peaks but was not the mountain God chose (v11-16).  68:16 says it clearly: “Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?  This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in; yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.”

There is a challenging issue in Psalm 68:18 and its quote by Paul in Eph. 4:8.  Paul changes the thought of Christ “receiving gifts” (as in Ps. 68) to “giving gifts to men.”  Thoughtful study of both passages makes sense.  The New Testament often takes Old Testament passages and makes Jesus the fulfillment of references to God or the LORD (e.g. Ps. 102:25>Heb. 1:10; Isa. 6>John 12:41).  In 68:18 David describes God ascending to the Holy Place, a victorious King leading captives and receiving spoil.  In Eph. 4:8 Christ ascends to the Holy Place in the heavenlies and from His spoil gives gifts (the men of 4:11) to His Church.

For believers today this Psalm is a strong encouragement.  Like Israel, our strength depends on a vital relationship with God.  For Israel it was a trip to the temple; for us it is abiding in Christ, practicing the presence of God.  We can bless our Lord, Israel’s Lord, for daily loading us with benefits, for being the God of salvation and for being the Lord to Whom belong escapes from death (68:19-20).  Blessed be God who is more awesome than His holy places, who gives strength and power to His people (68:35).