For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song. 

 

David wrote this song for the music director of the Levites. This song was to be performed at the Levitical feasts of Israel.

 

68:1 God springs into action! His enemies scatter; his adversaries run from him. 

 

The enemies of God are the members of the satanic world system. These enemies wish to destroy Israel. When these enemies attack, then God springs into action. This causes the enemies of Israel to scatter and run away from Him,

 

68:2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away. As wax melts before fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God. 

 

God blows away the enemies of Israel just as wind blows away smoke. God’s burning fire melts the enemies of Israel just as fire melts wax.

 

68:3 But the godly are happy; they rejoice before God and are overcome with joy. 

 

The godly are those who study and apply Bible doctrine. Even under persecution, they are happy. They rejoice, because they are saved and they are serving God. They have enough Bible doctrine to understand that God is in control.

 

68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides on the clouds! For the Lord is his name! Rejoice before him! 

 

The psalmist asked the congregation to sing praises to the character of God. The congregation is to exalt God above all things. 

 

Notice that God rides above the clouds. God is omnipresent, so He can be everywhere at once. He can sit on His heavenly throne, ride the cherubim, and live inside every believer all at one time. 

 

The name of God is Jehovah, meaning the covenant-keeping promise-keeping God. He is the One who made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is not like man. God keeps His promises. This is why God is not through with Israel yet. He must fulfill His promises to Israel. All people should rejoice in the character of God, because He keeps His promises.

 

68:5 He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows. God rules from his holy palace. 

 

The orphans have God as their father. The widows have God as their husband. God rules from His holy place, which is the third heaven. God is omnipresent. He can sit in His throne room in heaven, but still be everywhere at once.

 

68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. But sinful rebels live in the desert. 

 

God takes care of those who have been kicked out of their homes by evil capitalists. He frees prisoners who were sentenced by unjust judges. Sinful rebels are those who reject the Word of God. God leaves them to live in the desert.

 

It is important to note that Israel was living under the conditional Mosaic Law. They were to receive material prosperity or unprosperity for their obedience or disobedience to the Mosaic Law. The modern church is under a different dispensation, although there are still some applications of the Mosaic Law which the church needs to consider. The Mosaic Law reveals the mind of God, so it should be studied.

 

68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle, when you march through the desert, (Selah) 68:8 the earth shakes, yes, the heavens pour down rain before God, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 

 

When God leads Israel through battle, then the earth shakes and the heavens pour down rain. The God of Israel will use natural forces to aid His chosen people.

 

68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people. When they are tired, you sustain them, 68:10 for you live among them. You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God. 

 

Israel was under the conditional Mosaic Law. They lived in a dry geography. They had to completely rely on rain to come from God. They received rain when they obeyed the Mosaic Covenant. They received drought when they violated the Law.

 

68:11 The Lord speaks; many, many women spread the good news. 

 

When Jehovah speaks, then many women spread the good news. Often, a nation is judged by the character of the women. Men will always fall first, but the nation will survive if the women are strong in Bible doctrine. However, when the woman falls morally, then the nations fall morally.

 

68:12 Kings leading armies run away—they run away! The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot. 

 

When Joshua and his army entered into the Promised Land, then the Canaanite kings ran away. The women divided up the plunder among themselves. They also sang and danced after military victories.

 

68:13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver and with glittering gold. 

 

The dove refers to the people of Israel. Those who lie down among the sheepfolds were those Israelites who refused to fight. As they were lying down in the sheepfold, then the people of Israel gathered silver and gold as plunder.

 

68:14 When the sovereign judge scatters kings, let it snow on Zalmon! 

 

Zalmon was a mountain in Israel near Shechem. God may have caused snow to fall from this mountain, which prompted Israel’s military victory in Canaan.

 

68:15 The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain; the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks. 

 

The mountain of Bashan was a large mountain range of Hermon.

 

68:16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain where God has decided to live? Indeed the Lord will live there permanently! 

 

When God chose to live on Mount Zion (Jerusalem) forever, then this decision made the other mountains jealous.

 

68:17 God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor. 

 

When God came down to place His throne in Jerusalem, then thousands of angelic chariots accompanied Him.

 

68:18 You ascend on high, you have taken many captives. You receive tribute from men, including even sinful rebels. Indeed the Lord God lives there! 

 

God lives in the high ground. He has taken many captives from Satan’s kingdom into His heavenly refuge. He receives tribute from all men good and evil, even if they do not recognize it. 

 

68:19 The Lord deserves praise! Day after day he carries our burden, the God who delivers us. (Selah) 

 

Jehovah deserves praise, because He is continually carrying the burden of Israel. David asked the congregation to meditate and think about this Bible doctrine.

 

68:20 Our God is a God who delivers; the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death. 

 

The God of Israel is not like the lifeless demonic idols of the pagans. Jehovah delivers Israel, because He is sovereign over all of history. The Gentile nations of the satanic world system would like to exterminate Israel, but God rescues them from certain death.

 

68:21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies, the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion. 

 

God strikes down those who rebel against Him.

 

68:22 The Lord says, “I will retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 68:23 so that your feet may stomp in their blood, and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.” 

 

Jehovah is not a very seeker-friendly God. He will help Israel become victorious over her enemies. The Israelite army will stomp their feet in the blood of their enemies. Dogs will eat the corpses of Israel’s enemies.

 

68:24 They see your processions, O God— the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor. 

 

The enemies of God will see the victorious processions of the Israelite army.

 

68:25 Singers walk in front; musicians follow playing their stringed instruments, in the midst of young women playing tambourines. 

 

When Israel begins her victorious ascension, then the singers will lead. They will be followed by the band and the dancing women with tambourines.

 

68:26 In your large assemblies praise God, the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel! 

 

Jehovah will be worshiped in the large assemblies of Israel. The large assemblies of Israel were usually large, outdoor family barbecues where Jehovah was worshiped with sacrifice, music, and dance. The animal sacrifices pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

68:27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler, and the princes of Judah in their robes, along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali. 

 

All of the tribes of Israel will worship Jehovah at these large assemblies.

 

68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful. O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power, 68:29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem! Kings bring tribute to you. 

 

God has decreed that Israel will once again become powerful. Israel will become “the head of the nations” during the Millennial Kingdom. The psalmist asked God to use His omnipotent power and move on behalf of Israel.

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, the temple of Jerusalem will be rebuilt. The Messiah will reign in Jerusalem. The kings of the earth will bring tribute to the Messiah.

 

68:30 Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds, and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls! They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute. God scatters the nations that like to do battle. 

 

During the Great Tribulation, God will make war against the hostile nations who assemble against Him. During the Millennial Kingdom, these same nations will humbly submit to the Messiah and offer Him gold and silver. Those nations who battle against Jehovah will be scattered. 

 

68:31 They come with red cloth from Egypt, Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God. 

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, Egypt and Ethiopia will offer tribute to the Messiah.

 

68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God! Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah) 68:33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times! Look! He thunders loudly.

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, all of the nations of the earth will sing praises to God. The psalmist asked his congregation to meditate and think about this Biblical doctrine.

 

The God of today is the same God who created the universe and brought Israel into their land. He rides through the sky on the cherubim. He thunders loudly.

 

68:34 Acknowledge God’s power, his sovereignty over Israel, and the power he reveals in the skies! 

 

The psalmist commands the congregation to acknowledge God’s power. They were to acknowledge that God possessed sovereign control over all of Israel. The power of God is divine, because it comes from heaven.

 

68:35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength. God deserves praise!

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, God will emerge from his temple in Jerusalem and be awe-inspiring. Israel will be the most powerful nation of the world, because God will fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant. God deserves praise, because He will accomplish all of His promises.