>1. Who is the author and what is the psalm called? What is the author asking God to do? Why? What event is this referencing? (Numbers 10:35)
* Psalm 68:1 "May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him."
* The title is, "For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song."
* Adam Clarke wrote in his commentary, "I know not how to undertake a comment on this Psalm: it is the most difficult in the whole Psalter; and I cannot help adopting the opinion of Simon De Muis, 'In this Psalm there are as many precipices and labyrinths as there are verses or words. It may not be improperly termed, the torture of critics, and the reproach of commentators.'"
* Matthew Henry wrong in his commentary, "This is a most excellent psalm, but n many places the genuine sense is not easy to come at; for in this, as in some other scriptures, there are things dark and hard to be understood."
* Commentary on the Holman Bible has, "This is one of the grandest of the Psalms, but its origin and date are involved in much obscurity."
* Numbers 10:35 records Moses saying the same when the ark was moved. Numbers 10:35-36 says, "Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, 'Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.' Whenever it came to rest, he said, 'Return, O LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel.'"
* Psalm 68 is considered a processional liturgy celebrating the glorious and triumphant rule of Israel's God as are Psalms 24, 47, 118 and 132. Paul quoted verse 18 either repeating what they already believed or introducing something new. Paul's quote is in Ephesians 4:8-13. The Ephesian's quote presents that Psalm 68 is about Jesus' human birth, glorious and triumphal resurrection and ascension into heaven in order to fill the whole universe, and Jesus giving each Christian missions and spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. Those who believe in Jesus are Christ's body.
* "May God arise" -God in the original Hebrew is "Elohim" (a transliteration) and "arise" is "qum", a primitive root verb. God is getting up to go to another place. For Israel, the Lord God is leaving Mount Sinai to lead his people Israel to the promised land. For the Church, Jesus, the Son of God is leaving this world to lead his people and give us gifts of the Spirit to edify other Christians and peoples (35).
* "enemies.. foes" -Verse 30 refers to Pharaoh as "the beast among the reeds" with his "herd of bulls", and the "nations who delight in war". The book of Revelation speaks of Babylon the Great that all the nations, especially "their kings and merchants have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries and became rich from her excessive luxuries" (Revelation 17:1-5, 18, 18:1-3, 10-12, 24). Revelations 19:11-21 speaks of a Rider on the White Horse that defeats the enemies of God. Jesus is the rider leading the victory procession.
* Ezekiel 30:25-26 "I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the LORD."
* Psalm 7:6-8 "Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. Let the assembled peoples gather around you. Rule over them from on high; let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High."
>What two analogies does David use to illustrate what he is asking God to do? (2) What does this illustrate concerning God? About his enemies?
* Psalm 68:2 "As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God."
* "As smoke is blown away by the wind" -Some does not smell good and can harm and kill. However, smoke can easily be moved by wind.
* "wax melts before the fire" -Wax in ages past was made of animal fat and burned to provide light. Once wax, when used is gone forever, never to return.
* "may you blow them away" -Dissipate to nothing. C.S. Lewis wrong a short book where the wicked became so small that they fell between the cracks of the streets, ever getting farther apart because of their selfishness and self-isolation.
* "the wicked" -"Wicked" is the adjective "rasha" in the original Hebrew (a transliteration) meaning :morally wrong", "a bad person" as an egg can be bad, and "the guilty and ungodly person that did wrong".
* "perish" -"Perish" is the primitive root verb "abad" is the original Hebrew (a transliteration)having many meanings. It is used one hundred and eighty four times in the Old Testament. It's important to note that the specific context of the Old Testament text determines the precise nuance of "abad". The context here is the contrast between the righteous and those who are not. Ninety-eight times the KJV translates "abab" as "perish".
* Our Mighty God.
Psalm 68 is considered one of the processional psalms. David is the writer of this psalm-song. The psalm declares the might of the God of Israel who "rides on the clouds".
The psalm begins similar to the declaring prayer Moses gave whenever the ark set out while they were in the desert. He said, "Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you." (Numbers 10:35) A difference is that Psalm 68 is asking God to rise up and scatter his foes.
Apostle Paul quotes from this psalm (18) in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4:8-13, thus relating that this psalm is not only about the time of Moses and David. This psalm is also about Paul's time as well as the present. The psalm reveals the nature of God with his people throughout the ages.
Psalm 68 is related to the Lord God's promise to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3) Thus the promise is for all those who call on his name by faith. Those who make themselves my enemy, God will curse. Arise God and scatter your enemies as smoke is blown away by the wind.
>2. Who does the psalm focus on next? What does it mean to be righteous? How are they to be? Is this self-generated gladness and joy? Is it generated because of what had happened and is happening? (Galatians 5:22; Hebrew 1:9, 12:2; 1 Peter 1:8)
* Psalm 68:3 "But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful."
* "the righteous" -Israel as the committed people of God in distinction from those opposed to the coming of God's kingdom (the "wicked" of verse 2). (NIV Study Bible)
* Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the Spirit is... joy."
* Hebrews 1:8-9 "But about the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.'"
* Hebrews 12:2 "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
* 1 Peter 1:8-9 "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
* Continuing the theme of God arising and moving out in verse one, the psalm looks at the impulse response of the righteous.
>What are the righteous instructed to do? (4)
* Psalm 68:4, "Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds-- his name is the LORD-- and rejoice before him."
* Verses 4 through 6 are a call for the righteous of verse 3 to praise God for the benevolence of his rule.
* "Sing... sing praises... extol... rejoice" -A look at the original Hebrew of the verbs in this verse.
* "God... his name... his name is the LORD... him." -A look at the original Hebrew of the subject (nouns).
* "rides on the clouds." In Ugaritic epic literature the storm god Baal is regularly referred to as the "rider of the clouds." References can be found in both the Baal and Anat cycle and in the story of the hero Aqhat. This image of power over the winds and weather comes into the Psalms as another example of how the stories from other cultures have been restructured to demonstrate Yahweh's universal control over nature and nations (see Ps 104:3; Jer 4:13). It also serves as a polemic against belief in any other god who might be thought to provide the fertility God promises in the covenant. (Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary - Old Testament.)
