Psalms 68:17

_THE HILL OF GOD IS AS THE HILL OF BASHAN; AN HIGH HILL AS THE HILL OF BASHAN._ -God has chosen Zion whereon to dwell forever, with His countless chariots, in spite of all the resistance of the pagan. This He has shown by the victory just given to His people; therefore, blessed be the Lord. Verse 15. THE HILL OF GOD (IS AS) THE HILL OF BASHAN; ALL HIGH HILL, (AS) THE HILL OF BASHAN. So Zion is called "the hill of the Lord," Psalms 24:3; but it is not likely that the greatness of Zion should be illustrated by the physical height of the hill of God-opposed Bashan, a representative of the world-hills. Rather, a hill of God (a Hebraism for a great hill), an high hill, (is) the hill of Bashan. But high as it is, mount Zion, being the habitation of God, is, in a moral point of view, infinitely higher ...

17._The chariots of God are twenty thousand thousands of angels. _(34) For the most part, we are apt to undervalue the Divine presence, and therefore David presents us with a description fitted to exalt our thoughts of it. Owing to our unbelieving hearts, the least danger which occurs in the world weighs more with us than the power of God. We tremble under the slightest trials; for we forget or cherish low views of his omnipotence. To preserve us from this error, David directs us to the countless myriads of angels which are at his command, — a circumstance, the consideration of which may well enable us to defy the evils which beset us. _Twenty thousand _are spoken of; but it is a number designed to intimate to us that the armies of the living God, which he commissions for our help, are innumerable; and surely this should comfort us under the deadliest afflictions of this life. In adding...

15-21 The ascension of Christ must here be meant, and thereto it is applied, Ephesians 4:8. He received as the purchase of his death, the gifts needful for the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of believers. These he continually bestows, even on rebellious men, that the Lord God might dwell among them, as their Friend and Father. He gave gifts to men. Having received power to give eternal life, the Lord Jesus bestows it on as many as were given him, John 17:2. Christ came to a rebellious world, not to condemn it, but that through him it might be saved. The glory of Zion's King is, that he is a Saviour and Benefactor to all his willing people, and a consuming fire to all that persist in rebellion against him. So many, so weighty are the gifts of God's bounty, that he may be truly said to load us with them. He will...

Verse Psalms 68:17. _THE CHARIOTS OF GOD_ ARE _TWENTY THOUSAND_] רבתים אלפי שנאן _ribbothayim alpey shinan_, "two myriads of thousands doubled." Does not this mean simply _forty thousand_? A myriad is 10,000; two myriads, 20,000; these doubled, 40,000. Or thus: 10,000 + 10,000 + 20,000 = 40,000. The Targum says, "The chariots of God are two myriads; _two thousand_ angels draw them; the majesty of God rests upon them in holiness on Mount Sinai." But what does this mean? We must die to know....

THE CHARIOTS OF GOD - The meaning of this verse is, that God is abundantly able to maintain his position on Mount Zion; to defend the place which he had selected as his abode. Though it has less natural strength than many other places have - though other hills and mountains, on account of their natural grandeur, may be represented as looking on this with contempt, as incapable of defense, yet he who has selected it is fully able to defend it. He is himself encompassed with armies and chariots of war; thousands of angels guard the place which he has chosen as the place of his abode. “Chariots,” usually two-wheeled vehicles, often armed with scythes attached to their axles, were among the most powerful means of attack or defense in ancient warfare. See Psalms 20:7, note; Psalms 46:9, n

EXPOSITION THIS psalm is one of triumphant praise and jubilation, the crown and gem of the Second Book. Professor Cheyne calls it "a patriotic and religious ode of wondrous range and compass, and in the grandest style." He also notes that it was a favourite with the Huguenots, who called it "The Song of Battles," and that it was chanted by Savanarola and his brother monks as they marched to the trial of fire in the Piazza of Florence. While some critics assign it to the post-Captivity period (Ewald, Cheyne), the greater number, and the most acute (Botticher, Hitzig, Hengstenberg, Kay, Dean Johnson, etc.)see in it one of the earliest, as well as the most beautiful, specimens of Hebrew poetry. The ascription to David, which we find in the "title," is by these critics accepted as fully borne out by the contents. The antique language, the impressive descriptions, the fresh powerful tone of t...

THE CHARIOTS OF GOD [ARE] TWENTY THOUSAND,.... By which are meant the angels, as the following clause shows; called "chariots", because they have appeared in such a form, 2 Kings 2:11; and because, like chariots of war, they are the strength and protection of the Lord's people; and because of their swiftness in doing his work; and because they are for his honour and glory: they are the chariots of God, in which he rides about the world doing his will; they are the chariots in which Christ ascended up to heaven, and in which he will descend at the last day; and in which he now fetches the souls of his people to him at death, and will make use of them at the resurrection to gather them to him, when their bodies are raised by him: their number is very great, and in other places is mentioned as greater, Daniel 7:10

This was a Psalm sung, at the removing of the ark, when it was taken up to its resting-place on Mount Zion. All the tribes were gathered together, and, in full pomp, they marched along, bearing the sacred chest. As they tramped forward, the trumpets sounded, and this Psalm rose up to God. Psalms 68:1. _Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him._ That is the way to move, God first, and his people following closely after him. That is the true order of revival, the Lord in the lead, then all his children, quick of step, to follow where he leads. The psalmist seems to take it for granted that there would be no fighting if God should arise, for all his enemies would be put to flight by his presence. Psalms 68:2. As smoke is driven

ANGELS (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

Psalms 68 The Great Redemption Accomplished _ 1. The introduction (Psalms 68:1)_ 2. The proclamation of His Name and of ‘His acts (Psalms 68:4) 3. A historic review (Psalms 68:7) 4. Israel's place of blessing and the Redeemer (Psalms 68:13) 5. His victory over the enemies (Psalms 68:20) 6. The great procession (Psalms 68:24) 7.