Psalms 68:30

Rebuke, to wit, really; humble and chastise those that will not bring presents to thee, as the kings did, Psalms 68:29, till they see their error and submit themselves, as it here follows. The company; so this word signifies here above, Psalms 68:11 2 Samuel 23:11 Psalms 74:19. Or, the beast, or wild beast, as this word is elsewhere used, i.e. the beasts; the singular being put for the plural: so the sense is the same. Spear-men, Heb. of the reed, i.e. that use spears or arrows; which may be called reeds, either because in length and form they resemble reeds, or because anciently they were made of reeds. And this sense seems favoured by the last words of this verse, in which he explains this and the other metaphors of warriors. Or the reed may be taken properly; and by the beast of the reed he may understand the king of Egypt, who then was a very potent and a most idolatrous king, and a great and old enemy to the true religion, and to the people of Israel, whom therefore he desires God to rebuke and humble, that he may acknowledge the true God, which is foretold that he shall do, Psalms 68:31. As for this enigmatical designation of this king, that is agreeable enough both to the usage of the prophets in such cases, and to the rules of prudence; and upon the same account the prophet Jeremiah, threatening destruction against Babylon, calls it enigmatically Sheshach, Jeremiah 25:26, Jeremiah 51:41, and St. Paul calls Nero the lion, 2 Timothy 4:17. But then this one king, being eminent in his kind, is by a usual synecdoche put for all of them which were enemies to God's people. Bulls; by which he doubtless understands men of war, as the following words expound it; the great, and potent, and fierce, and furious adversaries of God, and of his church, as this word is used, Psalms 22:12 Isaiah 34:7. And consequently the calves must be their people or soldiers depending upon them, and joining with them in these acts of hostility against thine Israel. Submit himself with pieces of silver: this he adds as a limitation of his request; Rebuke them, O Lord, not to utter destruction, but only till they be humbled and submit themselves, and in token thereof bring pieces of silver for presents, as was foretold, Psalms 68:29. For submit himself, it is in the Hebrew cast himself down, or offer himself to be trod upon. But because this supplement may seem too large, and not necessary, the words are and may be rendered otherwise, that tread upon, or walk proudly in or with, fragments or pieces of silver, wherewith eminent captains used to adorn themselves and their very horses. And so this belongs to the bulls and calves, whose pride, and wealth, and power is described in this manner. Scatter thou, Heb. he hath scattered, i.e. he will certainly scatter, according to the prophetical style. So this may contain an answer, or his assurance of an answer, to his prayer: I prayed, Rebuke the company, &c., and God hath heard my prayer, and I doubt not will rebuke or scatter them. That delight in war; that without any necessity or provocation, and merely out of a love to mischief and spoil, make war upon others, and upon us particularly. Now that thou hast given thy people rest, and settled the ark in its place, O Lord, rebuke all our malicious and bloody enemies, and give us assured peace, that we may worship the Lord without disturbance. And withal David may seem to utter this for his own vindication. It is true, O Lord, I have been a man of war, and therefore have lost the honour of building the temple, and am now forced to lodge the ark in a mean tabernacle, which I have erected for it; but this thou knowest, that I have not undertaken any of my wars out of wantonness, or ambition, or love to war and mischief, but only by constraint and necessity, for the just defence of myself and of thy people; and therefore do not lay my wars to my charge.