Psalms 68
Chuck Smith on Psalms 68
Verse by verse, the C2000, 1979 to 1985 and C3000, 1985 to 1999 series. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
C2000 · 1979 to 1985
Chapter introduction
Psalm 68:
Verses 1–2
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God (68:1-2).
So, sort of a thing against the enemies of God. "Let them be scattered, let them flee as smoke sort of just disappears, is driven by the wind, so drive them. As wax melts before the fire, so let them perish in the presence of God."
Verse 3
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice (68:3).
All right, righteous, be glad. Rejoice before God. In fact, exceedingly rejoice.
Verse 4
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name, YAH, and rejoice before him (68:4).
The Yah, the I am. And of course, in the name you have then Yashua, Yahoshaphat, so many different contractions with the Yah, but to us the important one is Yashua, which is the Hebrew for Jesus. "Extol Him by His name, Yah, and rejoice before Him."
Verses 5–16
A father of the fatherless, a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he brings out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. O God, when you went forth before your people, when you did march through the wilderness; the earth shook, the heavens dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself moved at the presence of God, and the God of Israel. Thou, O God, did send a plentiful rain, whereby you did confirm your inheritance, when it was weary. Your congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hath prepared of thy goodness for the poor. The LORD gave his word: and great was the company of those that published it. Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil. And though you have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. When the Almighty scattered kings, and it was white as snow in Salmon. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; and the high hill is as the hill of Bashan. Why leap ye, ye high hills? This is the hill which God desired to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever (68:5-16).
In other words, he sees the other hills of sort of being jealous and all because God has chosen really the hill of Zion to dwell in. "Why leap ye high hills?" You know, "We're so high, it should be us, and all."
Verses 17–18
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the LORD is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high (68:17-18),
Now we have here a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ quoted by Paul in the fourth chapter of the book of Ephesians. "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 may dwell among them." Paul in quoting this said, "He who has ascended is the same one who first of all descended into the lower parts of the earth. And when He ascended, He led the captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. And to some apostles, and to some prophets, and to some evangelists, and to some pastor teachers, for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the building up of the body of Christ. Until we all come into the unity of faith, complete man, the knowledge of the Son of God, the measure, the stature, the fullness, the image of Christ." And so, Paul quotes this, "He has ascended on high; He led captivity captive." But to lead captivity captive, He went first of all in the lower parts of the earth to free those that were captive.
You see, prior to the death of Jesus Christ those Old Testament saints could not enter in to the glory of heaven. It was necessary that their sins be put away, something that the sacrifices of the Old Testament could not do. It was impossible that their sins could be put away by the blood of bulls or goats. All of the Old Testament sacrifices only were pointing to the better way that God would provide when He sent His only begotten Son to be a lamb offering, sin offering, a sacrifice for our sins. "So we are redeemed, not with corruptible things such as silver and gold from our vain empty life, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ who was slain as a lamb without spot or without blemish" (I Peter 1:18-19). So because the blood of bulls and goats could not put away sin but only speak of the better sacrifice which was to come, their sins were covered, and they, when they died, were held by death in the grave, in Sheol or in Hades, in hell.
But hell, prior to the death of Christ, was separated into two compartments. One compartment was of suffering for the unbelievers; the other was a compartment of comfort by Abraham for those who were trusting in the promises of God and in the fulfillment of God's promise. Now these Old Testament men of faith all died in faith not having received the promise, but seeing it afar off they held onto it and they claimed that they were just strangers and pilgrims here. And they were just looking for a city which hath foundation, whose maker and builder is God.
Now when Jesus died, He descended into hell. He who has ascended is the one who first of all descended into the lower parts of the earth. And when He ascended, it is then that He led captivity captive. In the book of Isaiah, chapter 61, the prophecy concerning Christ, it said, "He is going to set at liberty those that are bound and open the prison doors to those that are bound." Set at liberty those that are chained, open the prison doors to those that are bound. Those that were bound by death, waiting with Abraham for the promise of God. When Jesus died He descended into hell and He preached to those souls that were in prison. The glorious fulfillment of God's promise. The redemptive program is complete. The blood has been shed, whereby your sins are now put away once and for all. And now with their sins put away, they can ascend into the heavenly scene. So when He ascended, He led the captives from their captivity. And then He gave gifts unto men. That is, within the church, He gave gifted men as apostles, as prophets, as evangelists, as pastor teachers, for the perfecting of the saints. So, Paul quotes this in Ephesians 4, and of course, it just ties together a whole group of scriptures. Luke, the sixteenth chapter; Acts, chapter 2; and Ephesians, chapter 4; and the reference there in Peter where He went and preached to those souls in prison; and Isaiah 61. So you can look those up and find them tied together.
Verse 19
Blessed be the LORD, who daily loads us with benefits (68:19),
I love that! Oh, blessed be the Lord, who daily just loads me down with the benefits of being His servant. Benefits of walking with Him. Oh, what benefits are mine in Christ Jesus.
Verses 19–20
even the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the LORD belongs the issues of death (68:19-20).
Our times are actually in God's hands. It's appointed unto man once to die, and unto God the Lord belong the issues of death.
Verses 21–25
But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such as those that go on still in his trespasses. The LORD said, I will bring again from Bashan, and I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea: That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of your enemies, and the tongue of the dogs in the same. They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. The singers went before, the players on the instruments (68:21-25)
And now here he is describing the worship of God in the sanctuary. "You've seen the going of God in the sanctuary," and now he is going to describe a little bit. First of all, in the procession the singers are in the front. Following them are those players of instruments--the symbols, the trumpets and all.
Verses 25–26
Followed after them
were the young girls playing on their timbrels. Bless ye God in the congregations, even the LORD, from the fountain of Israel (68:25-26).
So he sees now, and of course, you know, we've come to sort of a stilted form of the worship of God. We gather together. We sit in pews. We sit in rows. We are regimented and all. And we come and we have sort of a lecture on the Word of God, but I am sure that there is an area for a diversity in our worship. You know, where they were entering in, even. Singers were in the front as they were entering singing praises unto God, followed by the band playing their instruments, followed by the drill team, the young damsels with their timbrels, as they were playing on the timbrels unto the Lord.
When you go to Jerusalem on Friday evening at the beginning of Sabbath, we always like to spend one Friday evening at the Western Wall, as the people gather to worship the Lord on the Sabbath day. And really the excitement of the evening is when these young Jewish boys come down from the school. And they come down about four across, several rows of them, their arms over each other, and they come down chanting and dancing. Sort of a little dance step and all, their arms around each other, and they are chanting. And of course, this is the highlight of the evening when these kids come on down to worship the Lord there by the Western Wall. And they do this little dance step coming in. And as they get down by the wall, they start then their songs and their chants as they sort of get in a circle, and they start dancing around the circle various dances and all unto the Lord. And then after about a half hour of this kind of worship and praise, then they put their arms around each other and dance back up the hill, chanting and singing their praises unto God, as they go back up the hill. And it is a very moving, touching sight. And I think that this is exciting. I think that there is a place for a more of a demonstrative worship unto God. You know, we are coming into the sanctuary to worship Him. Oh, it should be an exciting experience.
"Enter into His presence with thanksgiving, enter into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him and bless His name" (Psalm 100:4). You see people gathering, and they are honking their horns, "Get out of my way! I'm going to church today." And by the time we get here, we really need it. Rather than coming in with a joyful heart, a heart that is overflowing with praises unto God in anticipation of worshipping Him.
Verses 27–29
Now he looks at the congregation that's assembled and,
There is little Benjamin with their ruler [the small tribe of Benjamin over there and there they are in their place with their ruler], and there are the princes of Judah and their council, and there are the princes of Zebulun, and there over there are the princes of Naphtali. Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which you have wrought for us. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring their presents unto thee (68:27-29).
This, of course, is again looking forward to the Kingdom Age, when the kings of the earth come and offer their presents unto Christ.
Verses 30–35
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. Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands unto God. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth [the glorious Kingdom Age]; O sing praises unto the Lord: To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the clouds. O God, thou art awesome out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God (68:30-35).
So the glorious worship of God in the Kingdom Age; it is going to be exciting. The singers coming in, the instruments, the girls with their timbrels and all, and the congregation as they rise to worship the Lord.
C3000 · 1985 to 1999
Chapter introduction
Let’s turn to the sixty-eighth psalm. This sixty-eighth psalm has been blotted as one of the most beautiful and victorious of all the psalms. From a literary standpoint it is unexcelled. It has been a psalm that has brought inspiration to many people of God throughout the ages. It is said that as the Savonarola and the monks were being led to the fires in the piazza of Florence that they were chanting this psalm together of the ultimate triumph of our Lord. So it begins with a call for God’s triumph.
Verse 1
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him (68:1).
It seems many times in history that God in his patience and in his longsuffering allows evil to triumph. As we look around and we see the conditions of a sin dominated world there is so often this cry from our heart, “O God arise, let your enemies be scattered Lord, let those that hate you flee. Lord do something, don’t just sit there. Get things going”. I think that when we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” that there are times when there is a real urgency to that prayer as we see the problems within the world for which we live and we see the conditions by which we are surrounded. O how we long for that ultimate triumph of God.
He goes on in a very figurative way talking about those who hate God, the enemies of God.
Verse 2
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: (68:2).
Smoke that is carried away by the wind and sort of dissolves in the air, Lord let them be carried away.
as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God (68:2).
When God does move, these powerful forces of evil will just dissolve. We look at the powerful forces of evil and we see how they are entrenched, it seems like evil triumphs and has the upper hand and yet what are they before God?
Verses 3–4
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to him name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him (68:3-4).
They’re rejoicing because of God’s ultimate triumph in that day, sing unto God, sing praises, rejoice and extol him by his name JAH. We have here one of the names of God, we know the YAWEH, this JAH is the contraction of the YAWEH. It’s a name that signifies the “becoming one” the “I am” and the JAH is used in conjunction with other Hebrew words to describe what he is. The name of Jesus is the Hebrew is Joshua; this first JAH and Shewa is salvation so it is “I am salvation”. The JAH is used in many of the Old Testament names and of course we have it in the “Hallelujah” the praise to JAH the name of God, he rides through the heavens by his name JAH.
Verse 5
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation (68:5).
The God of the underdog, the God of the oppressed, the God of the poor and the needy, the God of the orphans, the God of the bereaved widow.
God setteth the solitary in families(8:6).
Those who are alone God brings together into the family, the family of God.
Verse 6
he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land (68:6).
God delivers his people. Now we will move into God’s deliverance of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. He will speak now in the next portion of the psalm of God bringing the people through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
Verses 7–8
O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; 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 (68:7-8).
The cloud came down and covered Mount Sinai as Moses went up into the cloud. The mountain was moved at the presence of God.
Verse 9
Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary (68:9).
The interesting thing as God was leading the children of Israel through the wilderness there was the cloud by day and the fiery pillar by night. The cloud by day is a glorious provision of God through that hot wilderness. The cloud provided a cover, as shelter, for the people as well as for the reminding consciousness for them of the presence of God with them. god refreshed the people when they were weary.
Verses 10–11
Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of they goodness for the poor. The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it (68:10-11).
God gave his word there on Mount Sinai and the word spread among the people. Actually the word of God was something that was really prized by the people. The name of God was prized by the people.
The love of God filled their hearts. In fact, later on God said to Israel, “Where is the love of your espousal when I brought you out into the wilderness and you were so in love with me that you wrote on the walls the holiness unto the Lord”. Have you ever seen a person who is in love how they sort of scribble on their notebooks and draw hearts and couple their names with the one that they love? There is that beauty and excitement of Love. God said, “ I remember when it was that way. When you were so excited about my love” for God had delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. At first their experience in the wilderness with God was just a beautiful marvelous thing as they wrote all over the place, holiness unto the Lord and praises unto the Lord. A good kind of a graffiti filled the camp of Israel.
Verse 12
Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil (68:12).
God gave victory to the Israelites over their enemies and women who stayed at home divided the spoil. God gave to them the spoil of their enemies.
Verses 13–14
Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon (68:13-14).
Salmon is a mountain near Shechem. Occasionally it gets snow but the snow melts very quickly of Mount Salmon. So the Almighty scattered the kings in it and it was as the snow in Salmon. That is, the kings sort of melted away.
Verses 15–16
The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hell as the hill of Bashan. Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it forever (68:15-16).
It’s talking about the fact that God’s chosen Mount Zion for his dwelling place. It’s in a sense saying ye mountains of Bashan which are the higher mountains in the area of Naphtali that bordered Lebanon. They are higher and more lofty than Mount Zion. Mount Zion isn’t really much of a mountain its sort of a little hill and it isn’t much of that even. Yet God has chosen Mount Zion, so it’s sort of chiding. He didn’t choose the mountains of Bashan. “Why did you leap?” (68:16) is said in frustration. Why didn’t you choose us Lord as your dwelling place? He has chosen Zion.
Verse 17
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: (68:17).
The Hebrew there is thousands times thousands or millions of angels. We read in Revelation of ten thousand times ten thousand, a hundred million angels. So the chariots of God are twenty thousand.
even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place (68:17).
Now the psalmist, as so often in the case of David because he was a prophet, began to laps into prophecy. These next scriptures are actually prophetic of Jesus Christ. Paul quotes them in Ephesians four as referring to Jesus Christ.
Verse 18
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; (68:18).
In Isaiah sixty-one the prophecy concerning Jesus Christ declares
“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good tidings to the meek. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound”.
When Jesus began his public ministry he came into the synagogue of Nazareth and they handed him the scroll of Isaiah. He opened this scroll and he read this passage of scripture to them and then he sat down and said, “This day has the scripture been fulfilled in your eyes”. What was he to do? Preach the good tidings to the meek, bind up the broken hearted and to proclaim liberty to the captive. Notice, verse eighteen again, “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive [the captives from captivity] and you have received gifts for men” (68:18).
Before the death of Jesus Christ it was impossible for the Old Testament saints to enter into that perfected state because it was impossible that the blood of goats could put away their sins. The sacrifices of the goats and the lambs were all anticipatory. They looked forward to the sacrifice that God would provide in Jesus Christ. They served to cover the sins, they could not put away the sins. We are redeemed from our vain manner of living not with the blood of goats, silver or gold but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ who was slain as a lamb without spot or blemish. Thus all of those who died up until the time of Christ went into the grave which in the Hebrew was Sheol and in the Greek it was Hades.
In Luke chapter sixteen Jesus tells us that Hades was divided into two compartments. He tells the story of a certain rich man who faired sumptuously everyday and of a poor man that was brought daily and laid at his gate begging for bread or hoping for the bread that would fall from the rich man’s table. In those days when they ate they didn’t use utensils. They didn’t have plates and knives, forks, spoons and napkins. The food was usually in bowls and consisted of soups and sauces in bowls and maybe the lamb or the beef out there on the table. You would just take and pull off the meat with your hands and eat it with your hands. You would take the bread and pull the bread off from the loaf and dip it in the sauces and soups. You still do that in eating over there today. I love the sauces and the bread and this business of dipping in the sauces, great stuff.
Naturally, eating that way your hands would get pretty greasy and there’s no napkins. At the end of the meal you would take the bread and pull it off and you’d wipe your fingers and hands off with the bread. That bread you would just toss aside. That’s the bread for the little dogs. The woman said “the children eat the bread that fall from the master table” or the little dogs and puppies eat the bread that would fall. That’s what Lazarus was waiting for. He was a poor man filled with soars lying there eating the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table.
However, Lazarus died. He was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died. In Hades, in hell, he lifted up his eyes Being in torment he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus being comforted in Abraham’s bosom. He cried and said, “Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus to me that he might take and dip his finger in water and touch my tongue for I am tormented in this heat”. Abraham said, “Son remember that you in your lifetime had the good things and Lazarus the evil. Now he is comforted while you’re tormented. Moreover, besides this, there is a gulf that is fixed between these two places so it is impossible for those that are here to come over there or those that are their to come over here”. He spoke then of the two places and this impassable gulf between the two.
In Hebrews chapter eleven speaking of Abraham and the Old Testament saints it said, “These all died in faith not having received the promise”. They saw it afar off. They believed that God would send his sacrifice that would take away sins and they believed in the promise of God. They died in faith not having received it. God having reserved some better thing for us that they, apart from us, could not come into the perfected state. That is apart from the work of Jesus Christ they could not come into the perfected state.
In a sense, they were in a prison. They were being held captive by death. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me” those in the past, “though they were dead yet shall they live. He who lives and believes in me shall never die”. These are going to be delivered from their captivity so that when Jesus died his spirit went into Hades, to the place of Abraham’s bosom. There he proclaimed to them the finished work of the cross. When he rose from the dead he led the captives from their captivity. This psalm was fulfilled.
In Matthew twenty-seven we read that the graves of many of the saints were open and they were seen walking in the streets of Jerusalem after his resurrection from the dead. In the second chapter of the book of Acts, as Peter is preaching his message concerning Jesus Christ, he speaks about him being crucified and buried and how that he descended into hell. He declared that it was not possible that he could be held by it. He quoted the psalm that said, “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither will you allow the holy one to see corruption”. Peter affirmed “this same Jesus hath God raised from the dead, he did not leave him hell”.
“He who has ascended” that is Jesus who has ascended into heaven. Paul tells us in Ephesians four, is the same one who first of all descended into the lower parts of the earth. But when he ascended he led the captives from their captivity and he gave gifts unto men. “To some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor, teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry.” One further scripture in Peter where he declares that Jesus, when he died, went and preached to those souls that were in prison but he came to set them free from the prison, to loose the captives and he led them from their captivity.
So an interesting prophecy concerning Jesus Christ buried here in this psalm of exalt and praise unto God for his victory and for his triumph. Of course the tremendous triumph of Jesus over the grave, over death and hell.
Thou has ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; (68:18).
Paul quotes this in Ephesians four.
Verses 18–19
yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, (68:18-19).
Verse 19
I love it. I’ve got that one underlined. I think of how the Lord loads on his benefits daily. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits” (68:19). O my how God has just loaded his blessings on our lives. How we praise him for all of these blessings and these benefits.
Verses 19–21
even the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such and one as goeth on still in his trespasses (68:19-21).
It is thought that this perhaps was a reference to Absalom and his beautiful curly hair and he was going on in rebellion against his father and became an enemy of God going on in his trespasses.
Verses 22–23
The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea: That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same (68:22-23).
David perhaps when he had fled from Absalom the promise of “I will bring you back your foot will dip in the enemies, the dogs will lick the same”.
Verse 24
They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary (68:24).
Now he is describing the worship of the people. It must be wonderful and it must have been a wonderful thing to have national worship where the whole nation gathers to worship God. Think of what that would be, think of the glory of that kind of national worship where the nation congregates together to acknowledge God and to worship God. He describes this. Of course they did this three times a year. The people would gather in Jerusalem for the feast days three times a year to worship God there in the temple. There would be these processions, there would be this glorious congregating of the people before the Lord and the various means of worshiping and the dances and the women with their timbrels, the singing and tribes coming in as a group together. It must have been glorious.
It’s interesting even at the present time to go over in Jerusalem at the beginning of the Sabbath. They welcome the Sabbath day at the Western Wall. Hundreds of people gather there at the Western Wall on Friday evening as the sun is going down to welcome the Sabbath and to worship God. In the upper portion the Jewish section of Jerusalem, there is a Yeshiva, a school for young men aspiring to be rabbis. It’s always a fascinating site when they come down to the Western Wall. As they come down there are usually five or six abreast, their arms over each other and they come down singing the psalms, chanting and dancing. They have a little dance step as they come together. It’s a moving sight to see them come to worship this way. When they get down in the pavement in front of the pavement of the Western Wall then they begin their dances and singing unto the Lord. It is a very moving and touching sight.
Verse 25
The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after, among them were the damsels playing with timbrels (68:25).
Think of what it would be when the whole nation would gather to worship. The singers were going in the front and then the players with their instruments following. After them where the young girls playing their tambourines. Do you get the picture now? Here they come to worship the Lord. In the front are those that are coming singing the praises to God, those that with the instruments following behind them and then the girls with their tambourines. Sort of like the Rose Ball Parade, here they come to worship God.
Verses 26–27
Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. There is little Benjamin (68:26-27).
Benjamin was one of the smallest tribes of Israel but they’re the representatives from Benjamin.
Verse 27
with their ruler, (68:27).
The word with was added in and should not have been. He is referenced to Saul coming from the tribe of Benjamin, the first king to rule over Israel. Little Benjamin their ruler.
and the princes of Judah, and their council, (68:27).
Notice “and” is inserted
the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali (68:27).
Zebulun and Naphtali were two of the northern most tribes. They were powerful tribes and were in the fertile part of the land and thus they were prosperous tribes. Judah and Benjamin represented the southern most tribes as did Naphtali and Zebulun represent the northern most tribes.
Verses 28–29
Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring resents unto thee (68:28-29).
This again is going into prophecy. We know that in the kingdom age when Jesus is reigning on Mount Zion “then shall the kings of the earth gather together annually bringing their presents and laying them before him”.
When were over in Tonga last year to celebrate the king’s seventieth birthday, the various tribal groups of the Tonganese people, each one had their dances and their songs. The king was sitting in this little thatched raised area and we were near by in a thatched area watching as the various tribal groups from the different islands, one after another would come. The people, the women especially, singing. They have an interesting style of music which you’ve got to hear to appreciate and believe it. The men would be dancing doing their tribal dances which were usually declaring some war that they had gone through. They have their spears and do their dances and the rhythms. It was a very exciting thing.
Then the ladies would bring out the presents for the king for his seventieth birthday. They would bring out tappacloth that was eight feet wide and from here to the back wall as a present to the king. They were offering their presents at this time. This is sort of what’s going to be happening in Jerusalem when Jesus reigns over the earth and the kings of the earth will gather yearly in Jerusalem bringing to him the presents. What a sight that will be gathering there at the table.
Verses 30–32
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. Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lords; (68:30-32).
He’s talking about this glorious reign of God through Jesus Christ over the earth when the various nations would come and stretch out their hands to God.
Verses 33–35
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. Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. O God, thou art terrible [awesome] out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God (68:33-35).
David really was brought at this point to the peak. He begins with that glorious God who will triumph over all of his enemies. He goes back into their history, how that God was with the people, brought them out of the bondage, triumphed over their enemies, brought their enemies before them and even though they were driven out would bring them back. Of course he ends with this glorious reign of God when the whole earth acknowledges Jesus really as the king and as Lord and the praises unto him, “Blessed be God” (68:35) strength and power.