Psalms 68:22

The Lord said The Psalmist either quotes some ancient promise, like that of Numbers 21:34, or proclaims a fresh message from God with the authority and in the language of a prophet: The Lord saith. But what is the object of the verb I will bring again? (1) If with A.V. we supply my people, the meaning will be that God will bring the Israelites back to their own land from all the places in which they have been scattered, in order that they may witness a complete and final triumph over their enemies (cp. Micah 4:11-13). This is the interpretation of the Targ., and Delitzsch quotes from the Talmud a touching story which shews that it was current in early times. When, after the destruction of Jerusalem, a number of young and noble captives were being conveyed by ship to Rome, where a fate worse than death awaited them, they all flung themselves from the ship into the sea, trusting to the promise of these words. (2) But the context makes it more natural to supply, as R.V., them, i.e. the enemies spoken of in Psalms 68:21; Psalms 68:23. Though they hide themselves in the rock fastnesses of Bashan, nay in the very depths of the sea, they shall not escape, but be brought back to suffer a righteous vengeance. Cp. Amos 9:2-3, where Jehovah warns the sinful Israelites that no hidingplace will avail to shelter them from judgement. Bashan may be mentioned with allusion to Og, the depths of the sea with allusion to Pharaoh (Exodus 15:4 ff.).