Psalm 68:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.

NIV: to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice.

NASB: To Him who rides upon the highest heavens, which are from ancient times; Behold, He speaks with His voice, a mighty voice.

CSB: to him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens. Look, he thunders with his powerful voice!

NLT: Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky.

KJV: To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

NKJV: To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old! Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice.

Psalm 68:28–35 echoes themes seen in psalms 66 and 67. In elaborate terms, the psalm describes the Lord ruling and being honored by the entire world. The people of earth are encouraged to acknowledge God's incredible power and magnificence. This serves as both an invitation and a prophecy about the far future when the Lord will directly rule earth, from earth.

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 11/5/2024 6:38:32 AM