Psalms 68:1

PSALM 68

GOD'S TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION

SUPERSCRIPTION: FOR THE CHIEF MUSICIAN;

A PSALM OF DAVID; A SONG.

Many scholars have commented on the difficulty of this psalm; many of the passages have apparently been damaged in transition; and practically all versions rely somewhat heavily on emendations in order to provide a readable translation in English. A number of passages may be understood in several different ways.

Despite these difficulties, however, the psalm is often extolled in superlative terms:

"This is one of the most magnificent songs of triumph in the entire Old Testament. Its dramatic comment upon a memorable event, its wide perspective of thought and speech, its spirit of invincible faith in God, and its presentation of the historic past and the envisaged future, combine to make it an outstanding portion of the Psalter."[1]

"This is one of the grandest of the Psalms."[2]

"This rushing cataract of a psalm is one of the most boisterous and exhilarating in the Psalter."[3]

"This psalm is one of triumphant praise and jubilation, the crown and gem of the Second Book."[4]

"The Psalm is worthy of David, `the sweet singer of Israel.' The language, the impressive descriptions, the fresh powerful tone of the poetry, the lyric emotion that pervades the ode, are all worthy of David, and of him alone among known Hebrew composers of hymns."[5]

Some question the Davidic authorship; but in the absence of any authoritative word to the contrary, we are content with the assignment in the superscription.

Regarding the occasion, although this is considered uncertain by some, the comment of Kidner makes sense to us.

David's procession with the ark, "from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with rejoicing" (2 Samuel 6:12), may have been the occasion for which this psalm was composed. It opens with an echo of the words with which the ark set out on all its journeys (Numbers 10:35), and finds its climax in God's ascent of the "high mount" which he has chosen for his dwelling.[6]

In addition to the facts Kidner cited, we shall observe other portions of the psalm which also fit into the idea of a procession to Jerusalem. However, far more is intended by this "procession" than the bringing of the ark into the city of David. In this psalm it seems to have epitomized in some significant manner the procession of God through history; and, for this reason, we have entitled the psalm "God's Triumphal Procession," as did Baigent.[7]

Several different proposals for divisions of this psalm have been made, but we like the one by Anthony Ash, which paragraphs only a few verses at a time, giving us eleven divisions in all.[8]

Psalms 68:1-3

PRAYER FOR GOD TO SCATTER HIS ENEMIES WHICH WILL CAUSE THE RIGHTEOUS TO REJOICE

"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 melteth before the fire,

So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God:

Yea, let them rejoice with gladness."

"As smoke ... as wax ..." (Psalms 68:2). The implication here is that the enemies of God are of no more significance than a column of smoke driven away by the wind, or a little wax, melted and destroyed by the fire.

There is also in these verses the inherent principle that the ultimate happiness of the righteous depends upon God's triumph over his enemies.