Psalm 68

1 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. (KJV)

Introduction of Psalm 68 verse 1-3.
May God arise

May his enemies be scattered

May his foes flee before him
May you blow them away as smoke is blown away by the wind

May the wicked perish before God as wax melts before the fire
May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God

May they be happy and joyful

Praises to God 4-6
Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds his name is the LORD and rejoice before him.  A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

History of God with his people verses 7-15.

When you went out before your people, O God, when you marched through the wasteland, Selah the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.  Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.  The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it: “Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder.  Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.”
When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.  The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan.

Future battle of the Lord. 16-33

Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever?  The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.  When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.  Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.  Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.  The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea, that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”  Your procession has come into view, O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.  In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the maidens playing tambourines.  Praise God in the great congregation; praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.  There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah’s princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.  Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.  Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts.  Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.  Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, Selah to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice. 

Our message to the world verses 34,35.

Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies.  You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

As you can see, I paraphrased this Psalm to help me get a better grasp of it meaning. 

Introduction of Psalm 68 verse 1-3

Praises to God 4-6

History of God with his people verses 7-15

Future battle of the Lord. 16-33

Our message to the world verses 34,35

This psalm reminds me of Paul’s ending message to the Ephesians.  In Ephesians 6:10-12 Paul writes “Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  The battle began for mankind in the garden of Eden and is still going on to this day.  Yes, Christ has paid the price for our redemption with His death and resurrection; however, we are still on the battlefield until the day of the great white throne judgment.  The battle will end when we are within in our new sanctuary the new heaven and the new earth.  Just remember that God is always present in the believer’s life even when we can’t feel his present.

When studying the writings of John in his gospel, his epistle, and the book of Revelation we can get a glimpse of the future for all believers.  In John fourteen Christ describes the future as a place of many dwellings as a place that he is going to prepare for us.  In Revelation chapters twenty-one and twenty-two this place is described as with a river of the water of life, clear as crystal with the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit each month.  There will be no more curse with no longer any night because the Lord God shall illumine this world.  No longer will there be death, mourning, crying, or pain.  The description of the new Jerusalem is a city that the walls are made of jasper and pure gold.  The foundation of the city’s wall is adorned with every kind of precious stone.  And nothing unclean will shall ever come into it.  This is the home of our future.

It is psalms like this and the future promises that the great men and women of faith looked toward in their journey on this earth.  In Hebrews 11:13, 16 “All these died in faith without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one.  Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”   So, as one of my favorite song verses that I have hidden in my heart states “turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”.  Are you storing your treasures stored up in heaven or here on earth?