Psa 68:7-8 | KingComments | STEP | In this section, David lists important events in the history of the people of God. He begins with God going forth before His people ( ; ). God goes forth before them “through the wilderness” (cf. ). This refers to the wilderness journey of God’s people after they are delivered from Egypt, with the ark marching ahead of the people as a symbol of His presence ( ). We see here a picture of the Lord Jesus going forth before His own. He does not walk behind the flock to chase them, but He goes forth before His sheep ( ). He goes forth before the many sons of God to lead them as the Leader into full salvation ( ). He has already gone forth as forerunner before His own in the sanctuary, to which He leads them ( ). God’s going forth before His people has been accompanied by the trembling of the earth ( ; cf. ). Prophetically this will be fulfilled during the battle for Jerusalem ( ; ). When God appears, it does not leave nature unaffected. The heavens too respond by giving streams of rain of refreshment “at the presence of God”, as the next verse also says. The mighty Mount Sinai also trembles “at the presence of God, the God of Israel” (cf. ). Sinai recalls the legislation, the disclosure of the conditions of God under which the people can receive the blessing ( ). Then the people enter the land. There God sheds abroad “a plentiful rain” on the land ( ). It is the land that God has chosen as His inheritance. He confirmed it with His very mild rain by the time the land was parched. This will happen during the prophecy of the two witnesses who have the power “to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying” ( ). Then comes the moment, when the remnant has declared that the LORD is God, that the rain falls in abundance. His “creatures settled in it” ( ), that is His people seen as a flock cared for by Him (cf. ). God in His goodness has redeemed His property, His land, for His “poor” people, the people who are in such a miserable condition. We can also apply this to us, who are also His own people ( ). When we are poor and exhausted, we are encouraged and refreshed by the Lord Jesus. He works this through His Spirit and His Word. Both are compared to water. Christ shows us what we have become in Him to encourage us, and He shows us Who He is and will be present to refresh us. The Lord “gives the command” ( ). What He commanded is not communicated. From the context we can think of the conquest of the land when it was taken. These are the “[good] tidings”, which He proclaims by “the women” who “are a great host” (cf. ). The messengers mention the good news of fleeing “kings of armies” ( ). We can think of Miriam, who sings with the women about the downfall of Pharaoh and his horsemen ( ) and of Deborah, who sings about the downfall of Sisera ( ). Similarly, the women who proclaim the message of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus thereby bring the good news that death has been defeated. To emphasize the power of this proclamation, it is repeated that the kings flee. They have been defeated (cf. ). The spoil captured from them by the victors who went out to fight is shared with the home front, with her “who remains at home” (cf. ), by whom the spoil is also further distributed. The dividing of the spoil ( ) is an act of blessing as a result of a victory. God let the Lord Jesus do that as a reward for His victory on the cross ( ). “When you lie down among the sheepfolds” ( ) is literally “when you lie down among the cooking stones”. A sheepfold consists of a row of piled up stones. Those lying between them are the humblest of shepherds. The “cooking stones” can also refer to utensils in a kitchen. Those who lie between the stones are then the servants in the kitchen. In the context of the psalm, the expression indicates that the humblest shepherds or even the lowest servants will share in the spoils, so abundant is the spoil. The comparison to “the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions with glistening gold” speaks of the abundance of the spoils. Everything that glitters is not fake, but real silver and real gold. The wings represent protection. God has protected them. The dove symbolizes faithfulness and the Holy Spirit in connection with the people, that is, the remnant ( ). They have remained faithful to Him because of the power of the Holy Spirit. The silver speaks of the price paid for the redemption and reconciliation of the remnant. Christ paid the price ( ). The glistening, or green-glossy gold speaks of the Divine glory seen in the renewal of nature. Green is the primary color of nature. This is a picture of the freshness of the new life that is the portion of all who belong to Christ. The Almighty’s action results in the scattering of kings throughout the land ( ). His mighty victory is associated with snowing “in Zalmon”, a mountain near Shechem ( ). Zalmon means “the dark one”, because of its multitude of tall trees. When it snows on this dark mountain – which is exceptional, because it almost never snows there – everything suddenly turns white. Thus, on that day, Israel will suddenly pass from the darkness of tribulation to the light of redemption. They will be transferred from darkness to the kingdom of light (cf. ). It has been assumed that this is a poetic description of the coldness of the death which due to the whiteness of the large number of corpses is reminiscent of snow. It may also mean that His great victory is a refreshment for the remnant, as a shower of snow is on the day of harvest ( ).

‏ Psalms 68:7-8

God Goes Forth Before His People

In this section, David lists important events in the history of the people of God. He begins with God going forth before His people (Psa 68:7; Exo 13:21). God goes forth before them “through the wilderness” (cf. Isa 43:19). This refers to the wilderness journey of God’s people after they are delivered from Egypt, with the ark marching ahead of the people as a symbol of His presence (Num 10:33).

We see here a picture of the Lord Jesus going forth before His own. He does not walk behind the flock to chase them, but He goes forth before His sheep (Jn 10:4). He goes forth before the many sons of God to lead them as the Leader into full salvation (Heb 2:10). He has already gone forth as forerunner before His own in the sanctuary, to which He leads them (Heb 6:19-20).

God’s going forth before His people has been accompanied by the trembling of the earth (Psa 68:8; cf. Jdg 5:4). Prophetically this will be fulfilled during the battle for Jerusalem (Isa 29:6; Joel 3:16). When God appears, it does not leave nature unaffected. The heavens too respond by giving streams of rain of refreshment “at the presence of God”, as the next verse also says. The mighty Mount Sinai also trembles “at the presence of God, the God of Israel” (cf. Exo 19:18). Sinai recalls the legislation, the disclosure of the conditions of God under which the people can receive the blessing (Neh 9:13).

Then the people enter the land. There God sheds abroad “a plentiful rain” on the land (Psa 68:9). It is the land that God has chosen as His inheritance. He confirmed it with His very mild rain by the time the land was parched. This will happen during the prophecy of the two witnesses who have the power “to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying” (Rev 11:6). Then comes the moment, when the remnant has declared that the LORD is God, that the rain falls in abundance.

His “creatures settled in it” (Psa 68:10), that is His people seen as a flock cared for by Him (cf. Eze 36:38). God in His goodness has redeemed His property, His land, for His “poor” people, the people who are in such a miserable condition.

We can also apply this to us, who are also His own people (Tit 2:14). When we are poor and exhausted, we are encouraged and refreshed by the Lord Jesus. He works this through His Spirit and His Word. Both are compared to water. Christ shows us what we have become in Him to encourage us, and He shows us Who He is and will be present to refresh us.

The Lord “gives the command” (Psa 68:11). What He commanded is not communicated. From the context we can think of the conquest of the land when it was taken. These are the “[good] tidings”, which He proclaims by “the women” who “are a great host” (cf. 1Sam 18:6-7). The messengers mention the good news of fleeing “kings of armies” (Psa 68:12). We can think of Miriam, who sings with the women about the downfall of Pharaoh and his horsemen (Exo 15:19-21) and of Deborah, who sings about the downfall of Sisera (Jdg 5:24-27). Similarly, the women who proclaim the message of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus thereby bring the good news that death has been defeated.

To emphasize the power of this proclamation, it is repeated that the kings flee. They have been defeated (cf. Zec 12:6). The spoil captured from them by the victors who went out to fight is shared with the home front, with her “who remains at home” (cf. Jdg 5:29-30), by whom the spoil is also further distributed. The dividing of the spoil (Zec 14:14) is an act of blessing as a result of a victory. God let the Lord Jesus do that as a reward for His victory on the cross (Isa 53:12).

“When you lie down among the sheepfolds” (Psa 68:13) is literally “when you lie down among the cooking stones”. A sheepfold consists of a row of piled up stones. Those lying between them are the humblest of shepherds. The “cooking stones” can also refer to utensils in a kitchen. Those who lie between the stones are then the servants in the kitchen. In the context of the psalm, the expression indicates that the humblest shepherds or even the lowest servants will share in the spoils, so abundant is the spoil.

The comparison to “the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions with glistening gold” speaks of the abundance of the spoils. Everything that glitters is not fake, but real silver and real gold. The wings represent protection. God has protected them.

The dove symbolizes faithfulness and the Holy Spirit in connection with the people, that is, the remnant (Song 2:14). They have remained faithful to Him because of the power of the Holy Spirit. The silver speaks of the price paid for the redemption and reconciliation of the remnant. Christ paid the price (1Pet 1:18-19). The glistening, or green-glossy gold speaks of the Divine glory seen in the renewal of nature. Green is the primary color of nature. This is a picture of the freshness of the new life that is the portion of all who belong to Christ.

The Almighty’s action results in the scattering of kings throughout the land (Psa 68:14). His mighty victory is associated with snowing “in Zalmon”, a mountain near Shechem (Jdg 9:47-48). Zalmon means “the dark one”, because of its multitude of tall trees. When it snows on this dark mountain – which is exceptional, because it almost never snows there – everything suddenly turns white. Thus, on that day, Israel will suddenly pass from the darkness of tribulation to the light of redemption. They will be transferred from darkness to the kingdom of light (cf. Col 1:13).

It has been assumed that this is a poetic description of the coldness of the death which due to the whiteness of the large number of corpses is reminiscent of snow. It may also mean that His great victory is a refreshment for the remnant, as a shower of snow is on the day of harvest (Pro 25:13).