Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 68:16

"Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell [in it] for ever." — Psalms 68:16 (ASV)

Why leap ye? —The verb occurs only here, but is explained by Delitzsch, by comparison with an Arabic root, to express the attitude of a beast crouching down for a spring on its prey; a fine image: the jealous hills lying, like panthers, ready to spring on the passing Israelites. Or does the old feeling of jealousy of the tribes on the other side of Jordan still show itself lurking in this verse? Browning has an image somewhat similar:

“Those two hills on the right
Crouched like two bulls.”

Others make the meaning simply “to look enviously on.” The older versions have caught the sense, “Why watch with suspicion?” We may translate the verse, Why, mountains of many peaks, do you glare at the mountain which God has desired for a residence? Yes, Jehovah will dwell there forever.