68:1(To the chief Musician, A Psalm [or] Song of David.) Let
God a arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also
that hate him flee before him.
(a) The prophet shows that even though God permits the
wicked tyrants to oppress his Church for a time, yet
eventually he will take revenge on them.
68:3b But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before
God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
(b) He shows that when God declares his power against the
wicked, it is for the convenience and salvation of his
Church, who praise him for it.
68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that
rideth upon the heavens by his name c JAH, and rejoice
before him.
(c) Jah and Jehovah are the names of God, signifying his
incomprehensible essence and majesty, so that by this
it is declared that all idols are vanity and that the
God of Israel is the only true God.
68:6 God d setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out
those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell
in a e dry [land].
(d) He gives children to those who are childless, and
increases their families.
(e) Which is devoid of God's blessings, which before they
had abused.
68:7f O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when
thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:
(f) He teaches that God's favour belongs specifically to his
Church as appears by their wonderful deliverance out of
Egypt.
68:10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast
prepared of thy g goodness for the poor.
(g) God blessed the land of Canaan, because he had chosen
that place for his Church.
68:11 The Lord gave the word: great [was] the company of h
those that published [it].
(h) The fashion then was that women sang songs after the
victory, as did Miriam, Deborah, Judith and others.
68:12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and i she that tarried
at home divided the spoil.
(i) The prayer was so great, that not only the soldiers,
but the women also had part of it.
68:13 Though ye have lien among the k pots, [yet shall ye be
as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her
feathers with yellow gold.
(k) Though God permits his Church for a time to lie in
black darkness, yet he will restore it, and make it
most shining and white.
68:14 When the Almighty scattered kings l in it, it was
[white] as snow in Salmon.
(l) In the land of Canaan, where his Church was.
68:15m The hill of God [is as] the hill of Bashan; an high
hill [as] the hill of Bashan.
(m) Zion the Church of God exceeds all worldly things, not
in pomp and outward show, but by the inward grace of
God, which remains because of his dwelling there.
68:16n Why leap ye, ye high hills? [this is] the hill [which]
God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell [in it]
for ever.
(n) Why do you boast of your strength and beauty against
this Mountain of God.
68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast o led captivity
captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, [for] the
rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [among
them].
(o) As God overcame the enemy of his Church, took them
prisoners, and made them tributaries: so Christ, which
is God manifested in the flesh, subdued Satan and sin
under us, and gave to his Church most liberal gifts of
his Spirit, (Eph 4:8).
68:20 [He that is] our God [is] the God of salvation; and unto
GOD the Lord [belong] the p issues from death.
(p) Even in most extreme dangers, God has infinite ways to
deliver his.
68:22 The Lord said, I will bring again from q Bashan, I will
bring [my people] again from the depths of the sea:
(q) As he delivered his Church once from Og of Bashan and
other tyrants and from the danger of the Red Sea, so
will he still do as often as it is necessary.
68:23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of [thine]
enemies, [and] the tongue of thy dogs r in the same.
(r) That is, in the blood of that great slaughter, where
dogs will lap blood.
68:24 They have seen s thy goings, O God; [even] the goings of
my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
(s) That is, how you who are chief King goes out with your
people to war, and gives them the victory.
68:25 The t singers went before, the players on instruments
[followed] after; among [them were] the damsels playing
with timbrels.
(t) He describes the order of the people, when they went
to the temple to give thanks for the victory.
68:26 Bless ye God in the congregations, [even] the Lord, from
the fountain u of Israel.
(u) Who come of the patriarch Jacob.
68:27 There [is] x little Benjamin [with] their y ruler, the
princes of Judah [and] their council, the princes of
Zebulun, [and] the princes of Naphtali.
(x) Benjamin is called little, because he was the youngest
son of Jacob.
(y) Who was some chief ruler of the tribe.
68:29z Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring
presents unto thee.
(z) Declare out of your holy palace your power for the
defence of your Church Jerusalem.
68:30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the
bulls, with the calves of the people, [till every one] a
submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the
people [that] delight in war.
(a) He desires that the pride of the mighty may be
destroyed, who were accustomed to garnishing their
shoes with silver, and therefore for their glittering
pomp thought themselves above all men.
68:31 Princes shall come out b of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon
stretch out her hands unto God.
(b) He prophecies that the Gentiles will come to the true
knowledge and worship of God.
68:33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, [which
were] of old; lo, he doth send out his c voice, [and
that] a mighty voice.
(c) By his terrible thunders he will make himself be known
as the God of all the world.
68:35 O God, [thou art] d terrible out of thy holy e places:
the God of Israel [is] he that giveth strength and power
unto [his] people. Blessed [be] God.
(d) In showing fearful judgments against your enemies for
the salvation of your people.
(e) He alludes to the tabernacle which was divided in
three parts.
