Psalms 68:30

30. Rebuke the company of spearmen Literally, Rebuke the wild beast of the reed, or cane-brake. This is commonly supposed to be an Egyptian phrase, the beast of the reed denoting the crocodile, and symbolizing the Egyptian tyrant. But it is more in harmony with both the connexion from Psalms 68:11, and the historic age of the psalm, to suppose the imagery to be purely Hebrew. The banks of the Jordan, especially north, in the valley of Huleh, (Waters of Merom,) abounded in thick cane-brakes, where the wild beasts from Lebanon found a covert, and the lion lurked for his prey. The lion or wild beast of the cane-brake, symbolizes a northern enemy, probably Syria.

The multitude of the bulls Literally, (preserving the figure,) The herd of the strong ones; but wild bulls are intended, which also frequented Huleh, Hermon, and Bashan. See on Psalms 22:12; Psalms 50:13; Isaiah 34:7; Jeremiah 50:11, where the same word is translated “bulls,” a fit emblem of powerful and pitiless kings who make war for conquest and plunder.

Calves of the people Either an emblem of “wild mercenary troops of all kinds of people,” (Furst,) or of young, wanton, and untamed princes, from whose power this deprecatory prayer pleads deliverance. See the figure, Jeremiah 31:18; Hosea 4:16; Psalms 29:6. Scatter thou the people, etc. Better, Thou hast scattered, or put to flight. The verb is in the past tense, not imperative; the deed is done, God has already given the victory. This is exegetical of the preceding imagery, and comprehends all; a large advance from “rebuke,” in the first member of the verse.