Psalms 68:9

_O GOD, WHEN THOU WENTEST FORTH BEFORE THY PEOPLE, WHEN THOU DIDST MARCH THROUGH THE WILDERNESS; SELAH:_ -God's doings for His people in the wilderness; His giving them the law at Sinai; His sustaining and reviving them until He led them into the land of promise. Verse 7,8. O GOD, WHEN THOU WENTEST FORTH BEFORE THY PEOPLE, WHEN THOU DIDST MARCH THROUGH THE WILDERNESS ... THE EARTH SHOOK, THE HEAVENS ALSO DROPPED AT THE PRESENCE OF GOD: EVEN SINAI ITSELF WAS MOVED - literally, 'this Sinai' (pointing to it), derived from Deborah's song, Judges 5:4; which again rests on Deuteronomy 33:2; Exodus 19:16. God, as it were, 'marched' at the head of the people 'to search out a resting-place for them' ...

9._Thou, O God! shalt make a liberal rain to fall _(19) _upon thine inheritance _Mention is made here of the continued course of favor which had been extended to the people from the time when they first entered the promised land. It is called _the inheritance of God, _as having been assigned over to his own children. Others understand by the inheritance spoken of in the verse, _the Church, _but this is not correct, for it is afterwards stated as being the place where the Church dwelt. The title is appropriately given to the land of Canaan, which God made over to them by right of inheritance. David takes notice of the fact, that, from the first settlement of the seed of Abraham in it, God had never ceased to make the kindest fatherly provision for them, sending his rain in due season to prepare their food. The words translated a _liberal rain, _read literally in the Hebrew a rain of free

7-14 Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies. If God bring his people into a wilderness, he will be sure to go before them in it, and to bring them out of it. He provided for them, both in the wilderness and in Canaan. The daily manna seems here meant. And it looks to the spiritual provision for God's Israel. The Spirit of grace and the gospel of grace are the plentiful rain, with which God confirms his inheritance, and from which their fruit is found. Christ shall come as showers that water the earth. The account of Israel's victories is to be applied to the victories over death and hell, by the exalted Redeemer, for those that are his. Israel in Egypt among the kilns appeared wretched, but possessed of Canaan, during the reigns of David and Solomon, appeared glorious. Thus the slaves of Satan, when converted to Christ, when justified and sanctified by him, look honourabl...

Verse Psalms 68:9. _DIDST SEND A PLENTIFUL RAIN_] גשם נדבות _geshem nedaboth_, a _shower of liberality_. I believe this to refer to the _manna_ by which God refreshed and preserved alive the weary and hungry Israelites....

THOU, O GOD, DIDST SEND A PLENTIFUL RAIN - Margin, shake out. Prof. Alexander, “a rain of free gifts.” The Septuagint and the Vulgate render it, “a voluntary or willing rain.” The Syriac, “the rain of a vow.” The Hebrew word translated “plentiful” means free, voluntary, of its own accord - נדבה _n__e__dâbâh_ - (See the notes at Psalms 51:12, where it is rendered free); then it means that which is given freely; and hence, abundantly. It means, therefore, in this place, plentiful, abundant. The reference, however, is to the manna, with which the people were supplied from day to day, and which seemed to be showered upon them in abundance. The word rendered “didst send” means properly to shake out, as if God shook the clouds or the heavens, and the abundant supplies for their needs were thus shaken out....

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...

THOU, O GOD, DIDST SEND A PLENTIFUL RAIN,.... Not of water literally taken, as when the Israelites passed through the sea, Psalms 77:17; or when the thunderings and lightnings were on Mount Sinai, at the giving of the law, which are commonly attended with rain, Exodus 19:16; or in the land of Canaan, which was the land that drank in the water of the rain of heaven, Deuteronomy 11:11; nor the rain of manna and of quails, as Arama, Exodus 16:4; but either the effusion of the Holy Spirit, ordinary or extraordinary; that, on the day of Pentecost, in consequence of Christ's ascension, prophesied of in this psalm,

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)....