Psalm 68:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.

NIV: Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

NASB: God certainly will shatter the heads of His enemies, The hairy head of one who goes about in his guilt.

CSB: Surely God crushes the heads of his enemies, the hairy brow of one who goes on in his guilty acts.

NLT: But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.

KJV: But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

NKJV: But God will wound the head of His enemies, The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.

Psalm 68:19–27 celebrates God's provision of victory. It also looks to future success against those who reject the Lord. The psalm imagines a victorious march into Zion: into the sanctuary of the temple. There, the Lord is praised by all the people, accompanied by music and celebration.

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 11/21/2024 11:32:38 AM