the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Psalms 68:35
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O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary.The God of Israel Himself gives strength and might to the people.Blessed be God!
O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
O Lorde thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel geueth myght and strength vnto his people, Blessed be the Lorde.
Terrible art thou, O God, out of thy sanctuaries,—the God of Israel! He it is that giveth strength and might unto the people. Blessed be God!
O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
O God, You are awesome out of Your holy places; the God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giueth strength, and power vnto his people: blessed be God.
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
God is wonderfull in his Sanctuary, he is the God of Israel, he will geue strength and power vnto his people. Blessed be God.
A terrible beauty, O God, streams from your sanctuary. It's Israel's strong God! He gives power and might to his people! O you, his people—bless God!
O God, You are awesome and profoundly majestic from Your sanctuary; The God of Israel gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: The God of Israel, he giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
O God, you are to be feared in your holy place: the God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.
O God, [you are] awesome out of your holy places: The God of Israel, he gives strength and power to [his] people. Blessed be God.
O God, [thou art] terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel [is] he that giveth strength and power to [his] people. Blessed [be] God.
You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength. God deserves praise!
The God of Israel is fearsome in his temple, and he makes us strong. Let's praise our God!
Acknowledge that strength belongs to God, with his majesty over Isra'el and his strength in the skies. How awe-inspiring you are, God, from your holy places, the God of Isra'el, who gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
O God, thou art terrible out of thine holie places: the God of Israel is hee that giueth strength and power vnto the people: praised be God.
O God, thou art honoured out of thy holy place; the God of Israel is he that gives strength and power to his people. Blessed be God.
You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Yisra'el gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!
Ascribe ye strength unto God; His majesty is over Israel, and His strength is in the skies. Awful is God out of thy holy places; {N}blessed be God.
God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!
O God, You are honored with fear as You come from Your holy place. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Honor and thanks be to God!
God is wonderful in his holy places, the God of Israel: he will give power and strength to his people: blessed be God.
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel, he giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
Awesome is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
As for the GOD of Israel, he, is giving strength and abundant might to the people. Blessed be God!
(67-36) God is wonderful in his saints: the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength to his people. Blessed be God.
Awesome are you, O God, from your sanctuary. The God of Israel, it is he who gives strength and might to the people. Blessed be God.
Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
God, you are wonderful in your Temple. The God of Israel gives his people strength and power. Praise God!
How awesome is God as he comes from his sanctuary— the God of Israel! He gives strength and power to his people. Praise God!
God, You are awe-inspiring in Your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. May God be praised!
God is wondirful in hise seyntis; God of Israel, he schal yyue vertu, and strengthe to his puple; blessid be God.
Fearful, O God, out of Thy sanctuaries, The God of Israel Himself, Giving strength and might to the people. Blessed [is] God!
Terrible is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel, he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
terrible: Psalms 45:4, Psalms 65:5, Psalms 66:5, Psalms 76:12, Exodus 15:1, Nehemiah 1:5, Hebrews 12:24-29, Revelation 6:16, Revelation 6:17
he that giveth: Psalms 29:11, Deuteronomy 33:25, Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 45:21, Zechariah 10:12, Ephesians 3:16, Philippians 4:13, Colossians 1:11
Blessed: Psalms 72:18, Psalms 72:19
Reciprocal: Genesis 28:16 - and I Exodus 34:10 - a terrible Numbers 23:22 - God 1 Samuel 15:29 - Strength 1 Chronicles 16:11 - his strength 1 Chronicles 29:12 - give strength Nehemiah 6:9 - Now therefore Psalms 47:2 - is terrible Psalms 62:11 - power Psalms 68:8 - the God Ezekiel 37:23 - they be Zechariah 12:5 - The inhabitants Malachi 1:14 - my name 2 Thessalonians 1:10 - to be admired Revelation 4:5 - proceeded
Gill's Notes on the Bible
O God, [thou art] terrible,.... In his judgments and acts of vengeance, on antichrist and the antichristian states; being the Lion of the tribe of Judah, that will break them to pieces as a potter's vessel: or "reverend" s; to be feared and worshipped by his saints;
out of thy holy places; both out of heaven, the habitation of his holiness, by angels and glorified saints there; and out of all his churches, the several assemblies of them, among whom he is greatly to be feared and adored: the Targum interprets it of the house of the sanctuary;
the God of Israel [is] he that giveth strength and power unto [his] people; his peculiar covenant people, his Israel he is the God of. These are weak, and encompassed about with infirmities; he has strength in himself for them; he has promised it to them, and he gives it to them as a pure gift and unmerited favour of his. It may be understood of the great degree of strength that will be given them in the latter day; when a small one shall be a strong nation, and the feeble shall be as David, and David as God, as the Angel of the Lord, Isaiah 60:21; and of the dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven; which will be given to the saints of the most High, Daniel 7:27;
blessed [be] God: the psalm is concluded with an ascription of blessing to the Messiah, who is God blessed for evermore; and who, as Mediator, is the promised seed, in whom all nations were to be blessed, and now will be; see Revelation 5:12.
s נורא "venerandus", Michaelis.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places - The places where thou dwellest, and from which thou dost manifest thyself. That is, The manifestations which thou dost make of thyself when thou seemest to come forth from thine abode are “terrible,” or are suited to fill the mind with awe. Compare Psalms 45:4, note; Psalms 65:5, note; Psalms 66:5, note.
The God of Israel - The God who is adored by Israel, or by his true people; our God.
Is he that giveth strength and power unto his people - He is not weak and feeble. He is able to protect them. He shows that he can gird them with strength; that he can defend them; that he can sustain them in the trials of life. The God whom they acknowledge as their God is not one whose strength fails, or who is seen to be feeble and powerless when his aid is needed. He is fully equal to all their needs, and they never trust him in vain. “Blessed be God.” For all that he is, for all that he has done. This is the language of joy and praise in view of the contemplation of his character as depicted in the psalm. At the close of every right contemplation of his character, his government, his plans, his claims, his law, his gospel, the heart that is right will say, “Blessed be such a God.” To one endowed with “such” attributes, praise - everlasting praise - is due.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 68:35. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places — The sanctuary and heaven. Out of the former he had often shone forth with consuming splendour; see the case of Korah and his company: out of the latter he had often appeared in terrible majesty in storms, thunder, lightning, c.
He that giveth strength and power unto his people. — Therefore that people must be invincible who have this strong and irresistible God for their support.
Blessed be God. — He alone is worthy to be worshipped. Without him nothing is wise, nothing holy, nothing strong and from him, as the inexhaustible Fountain, all good must be derived. His mercy over his creatures is equal to his majesty in the universe, and as he has all good in his possession, so is he willing to deal it out, to supply the utmost necessities of his creatures. Blessed be God! The Arabic adds, Alleluiah!
The best analysis I find of this Psalm is that by Bishop Nicholson. I shall give it at large; begging the reader to refer particularly to those passages on which the preceding notes are written, as in some of them the analysis gives a different view of the subject. The old Psalter gives the whole Psalm a spiritual and mystical interpretation. And this is commonly the case in the commentaries of the fathers.
ANALYSIS OF THE SIXTY-EIGHTH PSALM
There are many conjectures as to the occasion of the composing of this Psalm; but the most probable is, that it was composed by David when he brought up the ark of God, which was the type of the Church and symbol of God's presence, to Jerusalem. After the ark was sent home by the Philistines, it rested first in the obscure lodge of Aminadab; it then for a time stayed with Obed-edom, nearly sixty years in both places. It was David's care to provide a fit room for it in the head of the tribes, even in his own city; and to express his joy, and honour the solemnity, David led the way, dancing with all his might in a linen ephod; and all the house of Israel followed with shouts and instruments of music in a triumphant manner. Now, that the choir might not want to know how to express their joyful affections, the sweet singer of Israel made this anthem, beginning the verse himself, as was commanded at the removal of the ark, Numbers 10:35. The Psalm has six parts:-
I. The entrance, or exordium, Psalms 68:1-4.
II. The invitation to praise God, Psalms 68:4.
III. The confirmation of it by many arguments, Psalms 68:4-24.
IV. A lively description of triumph, or pomp of the ark's deportation, Psalms 68:24-28.
V. A petition, which has three parts, Psalms 68:28-31.
VI. An exhortation to all nations to praise God, Psalms 68:31-35.
I. "Let God arise" is either a prayer or acclamation; a prayer that he would, or an acclamation that he does, show his power and presence. Of which the consequence would be double:-
1. Towards his enemies, destruction; for he prays, "Let his enemies be scattered; let those that hate him fly before him."
He illustrates it by a twofold comparison: -
(1) "As smoke (when it is at the highest) is driven away, so drive them away."
(2) "As wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish in the presence of God."
2. Towards good men, his servants; which is quite contrary to the other: "Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice." Thus it happened; for when the ark was taken by the Philistines, the glory was departed from Israel, and there was nothing but sadness and sorrow: but with the return of the ark the glory returned and all was joy and gladness.
II. And so, by an apostrophe, he turns his speech to all good men, and exhorts them to praise God.
1. "Sing unto God." Let it be done with your voice publicly.
2. Psallite: "Sing praises to his name," with Instruments of music."
3. "Extol him." Show his way, as in a triumph. Thus, when our Saviour rode into Jerusalem they cut down branches, and strewed their garments in the way.
III. And so David enters upon his confirmation, producing his reasons why they should praise God.
1. Drawn from his majesty: "He rideth upon the heavens;" that is, he rules in the heavens.
2. From the essence: "By his name Jah," the contraction of Jehovah, I am. He gives essence to all things; therefore, "rejoice before him."
3. From his general providence and goodness towards his Church.
(1) "He is the father of the fatherless." Loves, cares, and provides an inheritance for them.
(2) "A judge of the widows." He cares for his people when deserted, and for whom no man cares, and when exposed to injury. Such is God in his holy habitation; whose presence is represented by this ark.
(3) "God setteth the solitary in families." He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be the joyful mother of children. As also the barren woman - the Gentile Church that had no husband, to bring forth children to God.
(4) He brings forth those which are bound with chains; as Joseph, Jeremiah, Daniel, Peter, Paul.
4. On the contrary: "But the rebellious dwell in a dry land;" perish with want and hunger.
IV. From his special providence toward his people Israel, which he introduces by an elegant apostrophe: "O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people;" thus amplified: -
1. God's going before them, and marching along with them in Egypt, in the wilderness. These signs manifested his presence: "The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel."
2. God's provision for them after he gave them the possession of the good land. He fed, sustained them there, counted them his inheritance, and gave them rain and fruitful seasons: "Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. The congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor."
3. The victories he gave them over their enemies, Psalms 68:12, which he prefaces by imitation of the song of the victory, sung usually by the women and damsels of those times, Psalms 68:11: "The Lord gave the word," that is, either the word of war, or else the song; and then "Great was the company of those that published it." As Miriam, Deborah, c. And in these songs they sang, "Kings of armies did flee apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoil." So great was the prey.
4. The deliverance he sends from troubles, and the joy he gives after them. "Though ye have lien among the pots," that is, cast aside as some useless or broken pot, the offscouring of all things; "yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold; " i.e., shining and glorious. The allusion seems to be taken from some standard, whose portraiture and device was a dove so overlaid. The Babylonian ensign was a dove. But see the note on this passage.
And this he farther declares by another similitude: "When the Almighty scattered kings in it:" or for her, i.e., his Church, it was white-glittering, glorious, to be seen afar off; "it was white as snow in Salmon," with which it is generally covered.
5. From God's especial presence among them, which, that he might make it more evident, David enters upon the commendation of the hill of Sion to which the ark was at this time brought, comparing it with other hills, especially with Bashan. That is a hill of God; a high, plentiful, and fertile hill. As if he had said, So much I grant. But, "why leap ye, ye high hills?" Why are ye so proud? Why do ye boast your vines, your fruits, your pastures, your cattle? Sion has the pre-eminence of you all in two respects: -
1. For God's continual habitation and common presence is there: "This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever."
2. For his defence of it. "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels:" and these are for the defence of Sion, his Church; "for God is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place;" in glory and majesty, to Sinai, and in Sion.
And yet he goes on to persuade us to praise God, 1. For his strange and wonderful works. 2. For the performance of his promises. Among his great works there was none so glorious as the ascension of our Saviour, of which the ark's ascension to Jerusalem at this time was a type.
First. 1. Before the ark David and the people used this acclamation: "Thou hast ascended on high." Thou, O God, whose presence is shadowed out by the ark, hast ascended from an obscure house to a kingly palace, Sion.
2. "Thou hast led captivity captive;" those that led us captives being captives themselves, and now led in triumph.
3. "Thou hast received gifts for men;" spoils and gifts from the conquered kings; or who may become homagers unto him, and redeem their peace.
4. "Yea, for the rebellious also: "Formerly so, but now tributaries.
5. "That the Lord God might dwell among them;" might have a certain place to dwell in; and the ark not be carried, as before, from place to place.
This is the literal sense; but the mystical refers to our Saviour's ascension. St. Paul says, Ephesians 4:8:
1. "Thou hast ascended on high:" when the cloud carried him from earth to heaven.
2. "Thou hast led captivity," those who captured us, "captive;" death, the devil, sin, the power of hell, the curse of the law.
3. "He received, and gave gifts to men:" The apostles, evangelists, prophets, doctors, and teachers, were these gifts - graces, gifts of the Spirit.
4. "Yea, for the rebellious also:" Paul, a persecutor; Austin, a Manichhaean.
5. "That the Lord God might dwell among them:" for to that end St. Paul says these gifts were given, "to the work of the ministry, to the edification of the Church, to the building up of the body of Christ." Ephesians 4:12, c.
The two effects of his ascension then were, one towards his enemies, the other for his friends: "When thou ascendest up on high: - "
1. "Thou leddest captivity captive:" this was the consequence to his enemies.
2. "Thou receivedst, and gavest gifts:" This for his friends. For which he sings, "Blessed be God" for he comes over both again: -
1. The gifts to his friends: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." "He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death." He knows many ways to deliver in death itself, when there is no hope.
2. The conquest of his enemies; for such he counts obstinate impenitent sinners; those he will destroy: "God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses."
Secondly, His last argument is, God's performance of his promise to save them. When you were in the wilderness; when you fought with Og, king of Bashan, when at the Red Sea, I delivered you. The Lord saith still to his people: -
1. "I will bring again from Bashan;" from equally great dangers.
2. "I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:" when there is no hope.
3. And for thy enemies, they shall be destroyed by a great effusion of blood: "That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same;" thou shalt waste, and make a great slaughter.
4. And now he descends to set before our eyes the pomp and show which was used in the ascent and bringing back of the ark, and the proceeding of it.
1. The people were present to witness it: "They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary."
2. The manner of the pomp: "The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels."
3. In the pomp they were not silent; and that they be not, he exhorts them: "Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel," - Jacob's posterity.
4. And he gives in the catalogue of the tribes that were present, but these especially, -
1. "There is little Benjamin," Jacob's youngest son, or now the least, wasted with war, "with their ruler," the chief prince of their tribe.
2. "The princes of Judah, and their council."
3. "The princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali;" the farthest tribes, therefore the nearest.
V. And in the midst of the pomp he makes a prayer which has three vows, before which he prefixes the acknowledgment that all the power and strength of Israel was from God: "Thy God hath commanded thy strength." He then prays, -
1. For the confirmation, establishment, and continuance of this strength: "Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us; " and let this be evinced "by the kings and tributaries that shall bring gifts. Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee."
2. For the conquest and subduing of the enemy, until they become tributaries, and do homage: "Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people;" kings, princes, and their potent subjects; "till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war." See the note.
3. For the increase of Christ's kingdom, of which David was but a type, by the access of the Gentiles. "Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God." These, by a synecdoche, being put for all nations.
VI. This excellent Psalm draws now towards a conclusion; and it is a resumption of that which he principally intended; that is, that God be blessed, honoured, praised. He first exhorts, then shows the reasons for it.
1. He exhorts all nations to perform this duty: at first, the Jews, but now all universally: "Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord."
2. His reasons to induce them to do it.
The majesty of God testified, -
1. By his works: "To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which were of old."
2. His power, in his thunder, in his word: "He doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice."
3. His wise protection of and providence over his people: "Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds."
4. His communication of himself to his Church in particular: 1. "O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places." 2. "The God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people." 3. "Blessed be God." With this epiphonema he concludes.
