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Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

Psalms 68:12-25

Their Mighty Deliverer

Psalms 68:12

The processional march still continues. Presently Mount Zion comes in sight, and the neighboring hills are depicted as eying it enviously for its selection in preference to themselves. In Psalms 68:17 the glad throng begins to climb the sacred slopes of Zion, amid still more triumphant strains; and in Psalms 68:19, etc., the gates of the sanctuary stand wide open to welcome the festal crowds.

How great the contrast between the blackened appearance of a smoky caldron, and the lustrous sheen of a bird's pinions as they flash in the sunlight! Psalms 68:13. Yet that is the contrast between what we were, and what we now are. Zalmon, Psalms 68:14 -perhaps a reference to the wooded hill near Shechem, mentioned in Judges 9:48. The hostile kings were scattered as snowflakes are driven before the wind and melt in the sun. The hill Bashan, Psalms 68:15, is a snow-clad summit, but Zion is greater, since God is there. In the triumphant words of Psalms 68:18, the singer quotes Judges 5:12, and they are applied in Ephesians 4:8 to our Lord's ascension. Note the r.v. rendering of Psalms 68:19 -that the Lord daily beareth our burdens. Singers, minstrels, and girls with timbrels, Psalms 68:25 -all have a share in the Church's joy.

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See also Psalms 68:12-25 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 68:12. _KINGS OF ARMIES DID FLEE_] _Jabin_ and the kings of the Canaanites, who united their forces to overwhelm the Israelites. _AND SHE_] Deborah the prophetess, a _woman_ accustomed t...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    KINGS OF ARMIES DID FLEE APACE - Margin, as in Hebrew, did flee, did flee. This is the Hebrew mode of expressing that which is emphatic or superlative. It is by simply repeating the word. The idea is,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 68 The Great Redemption Accomplished _ 1. The introduction (Psalms 68:1)_ 2. The proclamation of His Name and of ‘His acts (Psalms 68:4) 3. A historic review ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    LXVIII. A SONG OF TRIUMPH. The most difficult of all the Pss. In some places the text is so corrupt that it defies any attempt at emendation, and the VSS give little, if any, help. The historical allu...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    KINGS, &C. Verses Psa 12:13, are the words of the women. DID FLEE APACE. The rendering of the Figure of speech _Epizeuxis._ Hebrew "did flee, did flee". Compare Judges 5:19; Judges 7:25. awless. Hebr...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    After this general introduction the Psalmist proceeds to review the past history of Israel in proof of God's victorious power and of His gracious love towards His people....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    With a few graphic strokes the poet recalls the victories by which Canaan was won and retained. He refers to the times of the Judges as well as to the original conquest under Joshua....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Kings of hosts do flee, do flee, And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil. Psalms 68:12. contain allusions to the Song of Deborah and possibly to similar poems which have not been preserved...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    KINGS OF ARMIES DID FLEE APACE— In the original it is, _fled away, fled away;_ the reduplication of the words denoting their hasty flight and utter dissipation. The kings who commanded the armies whic...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 68 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Glimpses of Jehovah's Visible Reign over Israel and the Nations. ANALYSIS (See Headlines insetted in text.) (Lm.) By DavidPsalm Song. (DIVISION ITHE KING: HIS PROWESS...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THE LORD GAVE THE WORD: GREAT WAS THE COMPANY OF THOSE THAT PUBLISHED IT._ -God's doings for His people from the time of their entrance into Canaan until the setting up of the sanctuary in Zion. Ve...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This is one of the grandest of the Pss., but its origin and date are involved in much obscurity. It contains expressions borrowed from the Blessing of Moses (Deuteronomy 33) and the Song of Deborah (J...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Another echo of Deborah's Song (Judges 5:30). The kings are the kings of Canaan subdued by Joshua....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (11-14) These verses refer to the conquest of Canaan, the long history of which is, however, here crowded into one supreme and crowning moment: a word from God, and all was done....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    KINGS OF ARMIES DID FLEE APACE. — Better, _Kings of armies flee, flee._ This and the two next verses wear the air of being a fragment of those ancient battle-songs sung by the women after the defeat o...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 68:13]_ מַלְכֵ֣י צְ֭בָאֹות יִדֹּד֣וּן יִדֹּד֑וּן וּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 68:1 THIS superb hymn is unsurpassed, if not unequalled, in grandeur, lyric fire, and sustained rush of triumphant praise. It celebrates a victory; but it is the victory of the God who enters a...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This psalm sings the praise of the God of deliverances. It opens with a song of pure praise (verses Psa 68:1-6). This is then justified by a review of God's past dealings with His people (verses Psa 6...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Kings of armies did flee apace: and (i) she that tarried at home divided the spoil. (i) The prayer was so great, that not only the soldiers, but the women also had part of it....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Hair-cloth. The sacred humanity, which being torn, let out the price of our redemption. (St. Augustine) (Menochius) --- I mourned for my country, &c. (Calmet) --- Christ was clothed in derision, with...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    If we read these triumphs in a spiritual sense, with reference to the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the subject will be infinitely heightened above that of the mere history. The Lord indeed gav...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 68 follows on these psalms, being the celebration of the introduction of Israel into the position spoken of in them. Still it has a complete and individual character of its own. It begins with...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    KINGS OF ARMIES DID FLEE APACE,.... Or "they fled, they fled" y; or "they flee, they flee". This is either the subject matter of the word "published", the words of the publishers so saying; or the eff...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil. Ver. 12. _Kings of armies did flee apace_] Heb. did flee, did flee. Or, shall flee, shall flee; which one interpreteth...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Kings of armies_ The kings of the Midianites, of Canaan, and other nations, which came forth against the Israelites with numerous and powerful armies; _did flee apace_ Hebrew, ידדונ ידדונ, _jiddodun,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Kings of armies, hosts being mentioned in ironical contrast to Jehovah Sabaoth, DID FLEE APACE, in utter rout; AND SHE THAT TARRIED AT HOME, the woman in the tent, the mistress of the house, in this c...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    OF THE MESSIAH'S EXALTATION. To the chief musician, a psalm or song of David, the event which was the immediate cause for writing this powerful hymn, according to most commentators. being the placing...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    DID FLEE APACE: _ Heb._ did flee, did flee...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-14 Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies. If God bring his people into a wilderness, he will be sure to go before them in it, and to bring them out of it. He provided for them, both...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    KINGS OF ARMIES; the kings of Canaan and other nations which came forth against the Israelites, accompanied with great and numerous armies. THE SPOIL was so much, that there was enough, not only for t...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 68:12 Kings H4428 armies H6635 flee H5074 (H8799) flee H5074 (H8799) remains H5116 home H1004 divides...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    This was a Psalm sung, at the removing of the ark, when it was taken up to its resting-place on Mount Zion. All the tribes were gathered together, and, in full pomp, they marched along, bearing the sa...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Prayer against enemies and for God's people. All called upon to praise God for His greatness and goodness. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: The glory of Zion's King is that He is a Savi...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This psalm is the _Carmen seculare_ of the Hebrews, and far surpasses the _Te Deum_ of the christians. It has justly been eulogized in the whole succession of theological composition,. The song bursts...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness._ THE PROGRESS OF HUMANITY I. It commences with the Divinely terrible (Psalms 68:7). As a rule, if not...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 68:1. This is a celebration of God’s continued care and protection. It remembers how God led his people through the wilderness into their inheritance. The celebration does n...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 68:11 This section describes what happens WHEN THE ALMIGHTY SCATTERS Gentile KINGS on behalf of his people. The Lord brought great victories even when Israelites who were able wou...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION _Superscription_.—“_To the Chief Musician_.” See Introduction to Psalms 57. “_A Psalm or Song of David_.” See Introduction to Psalms 48. The Superscription does not mention the occasion...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THIS psalm is one of triumphant praise and jubilation, the crown and gem of the Second Book. Professor Cheyne calls it "a patriotic and religious ode of wondrous range and compass, and in t...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the pre...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 30:24; Exodus 14:25; Joshua 10:16; Joshua 10:42; Joshua 12:7;

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Kings — The kings of Canaan, and other nations who came forth against the Israelites, accompanied with great and numerous armies. The spoil — There was enough, not only for those who took it, but also...

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