Psalms 68:33

_SING UNTO GOD, YE KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH; O SING PRAISES UNTO THE LORD; SELAH:_ -All the kingdoms of the earth are exhorted to praise the God of Israel (Psalms 66:1). Verse 32,33. SING UNTO GOD, YE KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH ... TO HIM THAT RIDETH UPON THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS (WHICH WERE) OF OLD. God's riding upon the highest heavens (Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27) is the ground on which (Psalms 68:32) David exhorts all to sing His praises. He alludes to Deuteronomy 33:26. Lo, he doth send out his voice,

32-35 God is to be admired and adored with reverence and godly fear, by all that attend in his holy places. The God of Israel gives strength and power unto his people. Through Christ strengthening us we can do all things, not otherwise; therefore he must have the glory of all we do, with our humble thanks for enabling us to do it, and for accepting the work of his hands in us...

Verse Psalms 68:33. _RIDETH UPON THE HEAVENS_] He who manages the heavens, directing their course and influence, he formed every orb, ascertained its motion, proportioned its solid contents to the orbit in which it was to revolve, and the other bodies which belong to the same system. As an able and skilful rider manages his horse, so does God the sun, moon, planets, and all the hosts of heaven. _HE DOTH SEND OUT HIS VOICE_] At his _word of command_ they run, shed, or reflect their light; and without the smallest deviations obey his will. _MIGHTY VOICE._] He thunders in the heavens, and men tremble before him....

TO HIM THAT RIDETH UPON THE HEAVENS OF HEAVENS - The highest heavens. The heaven of heaven would properly mean the heaven above that which is heaven to us; that is, the heaven above the sky. This is represented as the special dwelling-place of God. The Jews were accustomed to speak of three heavens: (a) The aerial heaven, or the region above us, where the birds fly, and the winds blow; (b) the starry heavens, or the firmament in which the stars are fixed; and (c) the heaven above all, the abode of God and of angels. The word “rideth” here means that he appears there as a conqueror, or that he moves in majesty and glory. See the notes at Psalms 18:10. WHICH WERE OF OLD - The

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...

TO HIM THAT RIDETH UPON THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS, [WHICH WERE] OF OLD,.... Or "eastward" q; the first, second, and third heavens, which were created from the beginning of time by Christ himself, Psalms 102:25 compared with Hebrews 1:10. These he rode upon when he ascended on high, even far above all heavens, as the apostle says, Ephesians 4:10; and so above the heaven of heavens, when he was made higher than they, and both Lord and Christ; and placed his throne in them, and from thence exercises his government over the whole world: and it may be observed, that it was from Mount Olivet, which was to the east of Jerusalem, that Christ ascended, and so to the eastern part of the heavens,...

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

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.

LXVIII. A SONG OF TRIUMPH. The most difficult of all the Pss. In some places the text is so corrupt that it defies any attempt at emendation, and the VSS give little, if any, help. The historical allusions are obscure. The poet makes use of older works, especially of Deborah's Song in Judges 5. PSALMS 68:1. Praise of God for His power and lovingkindness. This section begins with a quotation from Numbers 10:35, the words used when the Ark moved forward in the forty years-' wandering through the wilderness. PSALMS 68:4. RIDETH THROUGH THE DESERTS OR RATHER STEPPES (_cf._ Isaiah 40:3)....

RIDETH. Figure of speech _Anthropopatheia._ OF OLD. Compare 2 Peter 3:5 and 2 Peter 3:6: referring to "the world that then was". HIS VOICE. Omit the italics, and then we have the Figure of speech _Epizeuxis_, "His voice. voice of strength"....