Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 68

Let God arise. —A reminiscence of the battlecry raised as the ark was advanced at the head of the tribes (Numbers 10:35). For interesting historical associations with this verse, see Gibbon (chapter 58), and Carlyle, Cromwell’s Letters and Speeches (Volume II, 185).

Smoke. — The figure of the vanishing smoke has occurred before ; for that of the melting wax, see Psalms 97:5. Both figures are too obvious to need reference to the cloud and fire of the ancient encampment.

Sing praises ... —Better, play on the harp.

Extol him that rides upon the heavens. —Rather, cast up a highway for him that rides on the steppes. (Compare to Isaiah 40:3, of which this is apparently an echo.) The poet’s voice is the herald’s who precedes the army of God to order the removal of all obstructions, and the formation of cairns to mark the road. Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 62:10, are passages alluding to the same custom.

The translation, “upon the heavens,” rests on a rabbinical interpretation of ‘arabôth.

By derivation it means “a dry sandy region,” a “steppe.” The singular of the noun forms with the article a proper name designating the Jordan valley. (In the poetical books, however, any wild tract of country is called ‘Arabah —Isaiah 35:1; Isaiah 35:6.) The plural often designates particular parts of this region, as the plains of Moab or Jericho (2 Kings 25:4–5). Such a restricted sense is quite in keeping with the allusions to the early history which make up so much of the psalm.

By his name JAH. —Better, his name is Jah. This abbreviated form of Jehovah is first found in Exodus 15:2. No doubt the verse is a fragment of a song as old as the Exodus.

It may be noticed here that the dependence of this psalm on older songs is nowhere more conspicuous than in the very various use of the Divine names, Elohim, Adonai, El, Shaddai, Jehovah, Jah.

The Septuagint and Vulgate prefix to this verse, “They shall be troubled by the face of Him who is,” etc., which seems to indicate that the abrupt introduction of this description of God is due to some loss in the text.

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows. —These epithets of God seem to have become at a very early period almost proverbial.

Solitary ... —This might refer to the childless , but it is better, in connection with the next clause, to think of the exiles scattered and dispersed, who are brought home by the Divine arm.

With chains. —The Hebrew word is peculiar to this passage and is derived by the Rabbis from a root meaning to bind. Modern scholars give “to prosper” as the meaning of the root and render, he bringeth the captives into prosperity.

But. —Literally, only.

Rebellious. —As in Psalm 66:7; stubborn, refractory.

In a dry land. —Or, desert.

It is natural, remembering the connection between the imagery of Psalm 68:4 and parts of the great prophet of the Return, to refer its expressions to those who were left behind in Babylon when the restoration took place.

(7–10) We come now to the first of three unmistakable historic retrospects—the rescue from Egypt, the conquest of Canaan, and the establishment of Jerusalem as the political and religious capital. In these patriotic recollections, the poet is naturally inspired by the strains of former odes of victory and freedom. The music especially of Deborah’s mighty song (Judges 5), which, directly or indirectly, colored so much of later Hebrew poetry (Habakkuk 3), is in his ears throughout.

Wentest forth ... didst march. —The parallel clauses, as well as the words employed, have, in their sound and sequence, a martial tread. The latter word, “didst march,” is peculiar to Judges 5, Habakkuk 3, and this psalm.

Even Sinai itself. —Better, this Sinai. (See Note, Judges 5:5, where the clause completing the parallelism, omitted here, is retained and shows us that the predicate to be supplied here is melted.)

“The mountain melted from before Jehovah,
This Sinai from before Jehovah, God of Israel.”

The demonstrative “this Sinai” appears more natural if we suppose the verse, even in Deborah’s song, to be an echo or fragment of some older pieces contemporary with the Exodus itself. Such fragments of ancient poetry actually survive in some of the historical books—e.g.,Numbers 21:17–18; Exodus 15:1–19.