David asked God to manifest His awesome power. The words he used recall Moses’ prayer whenever the cloudy pillar moved (Numbers 10:35). When God leads His people to fulfill His purposes, His enemies vanish as smoke and melt like hot wax. His people also rejoice greatly. read more
1. A prayer for God to scatter His enemies 68:1-6 read more
Psalms 68David reviewed God’s dealings with Israel to memorialize God’s faithfulness to His people (cf. Judges 5). He traced Israel’s history from the wilderness wanderings to his own capture of Jerusalem. As a mighty commander, God had led His oppressed people into the glorious future He had promised them. In the process He overcame many strong foes."The theme of this magnificent Psalm is the march of God to victory. It traces the establishment of His kingdom in the past; it looks forward to... read more
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 (Judges 5), and presents several parallels with the exilic prophecy of Isaiah 40-66. It may be assigned with some probability to the close of the exile, in which case it is to be regarded as a triumphant anticipation of God’s victory over His enemies in the restoration of His people from the... read more
(2) Smoke.—The figure of the vanishing smoke has occurred before (see Psalms 37:20); for that of the melting wax see Psalms 97:5. Both figures are too obvious to need reference to the cloud and fire of the ancient encampment. read more
The Book of Ruth Psalms 68:6 These words express in the shortest possible compass the main lesson of the book of Ruth. It is rather a matter for rejoicing that the lovely pastoral, in which Ruth the Moabitess is the principal figure, forms no part of the record of that anarchic and sanguinary era, so that we take it up as an independent whole, complete in itself. Coming to it, indeed, after the violence and disorder of which the book of Judges is full, is like passing from scenes of battle and... read more
Psalms 68:1-35THIS 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 as a conqueror into His sanctuary. To that entrance (Psalms 68:15-18) all the preceding part of the psalm leads up; and from it all the subsequent part flows down. The Exodus is recalled as the progress of a king at the head of his hosts, and old paeans re-echo. That dwelling of God in the... read more
Psalms 68:0 The Great Redemption Accomplished 1. The introduction (Psalms 68:1-3 ) 2. The proclamation of His Name and of ‘His acts (Psalms 68:4-6 ) 3. A historic review (Psalms 68:7-12 ) 4. Israel’s place of blessing and the Redeemer (Psalms 68:13-19 ) 5. His victory over the enemies (Psalms 68:20-23 ) 6. The great procession (Psalms 68:24-29 ) 7. The conversion of the nations and the kingdom (Psalms 68:30-35 ) This is one of the greatest Psalms. The Name of God is found in it... read more
Psalms 67:0 The first half dozen of these psalms form a group millennial and Messianic. The first is millennial. It is Israel who speaks; the psalm cannot be appreciated unless the word “us” in Psalms 67:1 is so applied. When God has mercy upon and blesses Israel in the latter days, His way and His saving health unto all nations (Psalms 67:2 ) will begin to be known. In other words, the present age is one of out-gathering, but the age to come (millennial) will be one of in-gathering. God is now... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Psalms 68:2
Psalms 68:2. As smoke is driven away— i.e. "As smoke is violently scattered and dispersed by the wind, so do thou shake and entirely disperse them with a force that they cannot resist." See Schultens in Proverbs 21:6. read more