Psalm 68:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?

NIV: why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever?

NASB: Why do you look with envy, you mountains of many peaks, At the mountain God has desired as His dwelling? Indeed, the Lord will dwell there forever.

CSB: Why gaze with envy, you mountain peaks, at the mountain God desired for his abode? The Lord will dwell there forever!

NLT: Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in; Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.

Psalm 68:7–18 reflects on God's gracious, powerful victories on behalf of Israel. This includes their time in the wilderness as well as their early conquest of the Promised Land. At Sinai, the Lord had established a covenant with Israel. David later took the ark of the covenant to Mount Zion. This symbolized God's choice to "move" His presence to Jerusalem, in defiance of earthly enemies such as Og at Bashan (Numbers 21:33–35).

Prior psalms (Psalm 66—67) explored the idea of the Lord God of Israel being worshipped by the entire world, including the Gentile nations. Psalm 68 includes that idea, as well as a celebration of God's prior victories on Israel's behalf. The song uses dramatic imagery to praise God's power and grandeur. Mount Zion—the location of Jerusalem—is where the Lord chooses for His seat of power. The entire world should honor this; one day, the whole earth will do just that.

This psalm commemorates God's ascension to Mount Zion, another reference to the city of Jerusalem. This celebrates past and future victories won by the power of the Lord. It may be a general reference to Israel's success, or to the conquests of king David. Alternatively, the song might celebrate when David moved the ark of the covenant into the city (2 Samuel 6). Or, when he captured the site from the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5). The psalm is "of David," which may mean it is written in his style, or about his experiences, rather than being one he personally wrote.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 12/4/2024 3:19:11 AM