Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 68:11

"The Lord giveth the word: The women that publish the tidings are a great host." — Psalms 68:11 (ASV)

The Lord gave ... —Literally, The Lord gives a word. Of the women who bring the news, the host is great. The Hebrew for a word is poetical and used especially of a Divine utterance (Psalms 19:4; Psalms 77:8; Habakkuk 3:9).

Here, it might mean either the signal for the conflict or the announcement of victory. However, the custom of granting to bands of maidens the privilege of celebrating a triumph (Exodus 15:20–21; Judges 5:0; Judges 11:34; 1 Samuel 18:6; 2 Samuel 1:20)—a custom evidently alluded to here—favors the latter meaning.

By the “great company,” or host, we are apparently to think not of one large body of women celebrating any single, particular victory, but of successive and frequent reports of victory following rapidly one after another—

“Thick as tale
Came post with post.”

— Macbeth.

The Septuagint and Vulgate renderings have been the source of the erroneous view that this verse is prophetic of a numerous and successful Christian ministry: The Lord shall give the word to them that evangelise with great might.