Scripture quotations on this page are from the World English Bible (public domain), shown in quotation marks; all commentary is written by Scripture Trove. Source: Psalms 68 · Commentary
Psalm 68 is one of the most ancient and challenging chapters to study in the entire book of Psalms. Out of its 35 verses, it contains a large number of rare words (hapax legomena) that appear only once in the Hebrew Bible, and the precise meaning of many sentences remains a subject of intense debate among commentators to this day. However, the overall outline of this psalm is clear and magnificent: it is a triumphant hymn that reviews God's entire epic history of redemption from Sinai to Zion. God leads His people out of the wilderness, defeats their enemies, ascends Mount Zion, and ultimately receives tribute from all nations. The psalm opens with a direct quote from Moses' "Ark Song" in Numbers 10:35 ("Let Yahweh arise"), implying that the entire psalm is a poetic expansion of the ark's journey from the wilderness to the temple. Most importantly, Psalm 68:18 is directly quoted by Paul in Ephesians 4:8, becoming a key prefigurement of Christ's ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit's gifts.
Book Two of Psalms (Psalms 42–72) · David's Psalms, Second Collection
Position of this Psalm: Psalm 68 is the grandest and most ancient victory psalm in Book Two, forming a thematic framework with the Korahites' psalms of longing at the beginning of Book Two (Psalms 42-43) and Solomon's royal psalm at the end (Psalm 72). The superscription "A Psalm of David, for the Chief Musician" incorporates this ancient epic into David's liturgical tradition. Structurally, Psalm 68 echoes Psalm 46 ("God is our refuge"), another "God arises" psalm in this book, and Psalm 50 ("Our God comes"), a psalm of God's manifestation. However, Psalm 68 is grander in scale and scope, encompassing the Exodus, Sinai, the wilderness, the conquest of Canaan, the establishment of Zion, and the submission of nations, all within 35 verses.
Opening Call: God Arises, Enemies Scatter (68:1–3) Directly quotes Moses' "Ark Song" from Numbers 10:35: God sets out, and enemies vanish like smoke and melt like wax; but the righteous rejoice.
God is the Father of the Marginalized (68:4–6) The tenderest section of the entire psalm: Father of the fatherless, defender of widows, gives the lonely a home, sets prisoners free.
Sinai Manifestation, Leading People Through the Wilderness (68:7–10) A poetic recollection of the Exodus to Sinai, rain falls from heaven, God provides a good land for the needy.
God Arises, Kings Flee (68:11–14) A war scene: the Lord gives the command, and a great company of women proclaim the good news; kings flee, and women at home divide the spoil.
God Ascends from Mount Bashan to Zion (68:15–18) The structural center of the entire psalm: the mountains of Bashan are jealous because God chose Zion. 68:18 → Ephesians 4:8: ascended on high, led captives, and gave gifts to people.
The Savior Who Daily Bears Burdens (68:19–23) Another peak of tenderness: "the Lord who daily bears our burdens" (amas-lanu), the root of New Testament savior theology.
Procession to the Temple in Zion (68:24–27) A poetic scene: singers, dancers, young women with tambourines, leaders from Benjamin, Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali, processing on pilgrimage.
Nations Bring Tribute to Zion (68:28–35) Calls for nations to bring gifts to Zion; even Cush (Ethiopia) hurries to lift its hands in worship to God; the psalm concludes with "Blessed be God."
The arc of Psalm 68 is geographical: from the wilderness (verses 7-10) → battlefield (verses 11-14) → mountains of Bashan (verse 15) → Zion (verses 16-18) → temple procession (verses 24-27) → nations (verses 28-32) → heavens (verses 33-35). God sets out from Sinai, ultimately establishes His throne in Zion, and finally calls the nations to return. This arc corresponds to the journey of the ark, from the tabernacle in the wilderness to David moving the ark to Zion (2 Samuel 6). But Psalm 68 is not limited to historical review: verses 15-18, "God ascended from Bashan to Zion," are interpreted by Paul in the New Testament as a prefigurement of Christ's ascension to heaven. Therefore, the ultimate meaning of the entire psalm points to Christ's victory and the establishment of the church.
The Almighty One who scatters enemies, the Lord of the storm who makes mountains leap, the Redeemer who leads His people through the wilderness, is also the Father of the fatherless, the defender of widows, the liberator of prisoners, and the Savior who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68 binds God's majesty and mercy in the same psalm. The One who can make kings flee is precisely the One who stoops down to your unbearable burdens today.
"Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered." (68:1): The opening directly adapts Moses' "Ark Song" from Numbers 10:35. The entire psalm is a poetic expansion of this prayer: when God sets out, enemies scatter.
"God in his holy habitation is a father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows." (68:5): The tenderest sentence in the entire psalm. The Most High who makes mountains tremble actively condescends to the most helpless in society, forming the Old Testament foundation for James 1:27.
"You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among men, yes, among the rebellious also." (68:18): Quoted by Paul in Ephesians 4:8, referring to Christ's ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit's gifts to the church. This is the most crucial Old Testament prefigurement of the ascension in the entire Bible.
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation." (68:19): The tenderest sentence in the Psalms. The Hebrew yom yom ya'amos-lanu: God bears our burdens every single day. This is the embryonic form of cross theology, deeply echoing Matthew 11:28-30, "All you who labor and are heavily burdened."
Dear brothers and sisters, today please slowly read Psalm 68:19: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens."
We often think that the core of faith is what "I" must bear: carrying my cross, serving faithfully, striving to follow. These are all good things. But Psalm 68 tells you something even more central here: every day, God quietly takes over the burdens you cannot carry and bears them Himself.
Do you think the reason you can still get up today is because you are strong enough? No. It's because God bore your burden today. Do you think the reason you can continue this week is because you have enough faith? No. It's because God bore your burden this week. "Yom yom": day after day, from the day you were born until today, the Almighty Creator quietly takes over your burdens and carries them Himself.
This is why the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest." The Lord Jesus did not say, "I will teach you how to carry burdens." He said, "Give me your burdens." This is the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 68:19; the "God who daily bears our burdens" now has a name, a face, and a pair of nail-pierced hands.
Dear one, what are you carrying today? Is it work pressure? A family member's illness? A child's straying? Unspeakable loneliness? Or some shame you dare not tell anyone? Please see clearly: you are not carrying it alone. The Almighty One who makes mountains tremble and makes kings flee stands beside you today, extending His hand to take your burden.
You just need to let Him take it.
Finally, please note an important detail in Psalm 68: verse 18, "You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among men," is interpreted by Paul as "He gave gifts to men." Receiving turned into giving.
This is the core of the Christian gospel: He triumphed, and then He gave us the fruits of His victory. He conquered death, so we have eternal life. He conquered sin, so we are set free. He conquered the enemy, so we have peace. Everything He overcame, He gives to us. This is why the apostle says, "grace was given to each one of us by the measure of the gift of Christ" (Ephesians 4:7); all grace is a gift that Christ, after His victory, bestows upon His people.
Don't always think, "What must I do for God?" Today, first be still and let Him give you the gifts of His victory.
Psalm 68:5 says, "A father of the fatherless is God in his holy habitation: a defender of the widows." This verse tells you that majesty and compassion are two sides of the same attribute in God. In your prayer life, do you more often regard God as the majestic Lord or as the condescending Father? How do the two unite in your prayers?
Psalm 68:19 says, "who daily bears our burdens." What "unbearable burden" are you carrying today? Are you willing to hand it over to the Lord right now and let Him "take it"?
Psalm 68:18 says, "You ascended on high...and gave gifts to men." In Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul says these "gifts" are specifically apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Do you have people with these gifts around you? How do you view your own gift received as a member of the body of Christ?
Superscription: "A Psalm of David, For the Chief Musician."
The superscription of Psalm 68 consists of two standard elements: "A Psalm of David" (מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְדָוִד, mizmor shir le-David) and "For the Chief Musician" (לַמְנַצֵּחַ, la-menatseach).
"Psalm" is a double word: mizmor (a psalm to be played with stringed instruments) and shir (a song to be sung) are used together, emphasizing that this is a large-scale work with musical accompaniment and chorus in temple rituals. This kind of double-word superscription is relatively rare in the Psalms (e.g., Psalms 30, 65, 67, 68, 75, 76, 87, 88, 92, 108), often corresponding to larger, more ritualistic psalms. Psalm 68, with its 35 verses, is the largest and most complex of this type.
"For the Chief Musician" entrusts this psalm to the temple choir director, meaning it entered Israel's formal public worship. This is particularly important for Psalm 68 because the linguistic form of this psalm is much older than David. Many scholars (such as W. F. Albright, Frank Moore Cross) believe that Psalm 68 contains fragments of ancient victory poems from the 13th-12th centuries BCE, and that David (or later editors) may have woven these older "Ark songs" and "victory hymns" into a large liturgical psalm. The superscription "For the Chief Musician" is precisely the mark of this weaving being completed and formally incorporated into the temple choir system.
Regarding its connection with 2 Samuel 6 (David moving the ark to Zion), many commentators believe that the liturgical setting of Psalm 68 is a poetic re-enactment of that grand procession when David moved the ark to Zion, or a liturgical poem commemorating that event. The "temple procession" scene depicted in Psalm 68:24-27 (singers, dancers, young women playing tambourines) closely matches the scene in 2 Samuel 6:14-15 where David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before Yahweh, and all the people shouted and blew trumpets.
Comparison with Psalm 29: Both are "ancient psalms." Psalm 29 is a manifestation in nature (storm, thunder), while Psalm 68 is a manifestation in history (God leading His people through the wilderness to Zion). Together, the two psalms allow Israel to see God's supreme sovereignty in both the natural world and history.
Section Focus: The opening of the entire psalm. These three verses directly allude to Numbers 10:35: the "Ark song" recited by Moses each time the ark set out in the wilderness. The psalmist uses this prayer as the opening of the entire psalm, making the whole psalm a poetic expansion of this prayer, where God arises and the entire history of salvation unfolds.
68:1 "For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let them who hate him also flee before him."
Psalms 68:1（World English Bible）
"Let God arise" (יָקוּם אֱלֹהִים, yaqum Elohim), the verb קוּם (qum, to arise, to stand up). This phrase directly echoes Numbers 10:35: "When the ark went forward, Moses said, 'Rise up, Yahweh! Let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!'"
Numbers 10:35 is Moses' "Ark song": when the Israelites marched in the wilderness, Moses would shout this phrase every time the ark set out. The ark represented God's presence; God setting out meant He personally went before them to fight. Psalm 68 brings this phrase into the Psalms as an opening, meaning: this entire psalm is a poetic continuation of the ark setting out.
The verb "arise" (qum) is an important thread in the Psalms, appearing in Psalms 3:7, 7:6, 9:19, 10:12, 17:13, 35:2, and 44:26, all using the same verb to call upon God. But Psalm 68:1 is not a personal plea; it is a repetition of Moses' prayer, a call from the psalmist to the congregation: "Let us pray Moses' prayer again, God, please arise."
"Let his enemies be scattered" (יָפוּצוּ אוֹיְבָיו, yafutsu oyvav), the verb פּוּץ (puts, to scatter, to disperse). The original meaning is to winnow grain, where the chaff blows away with the wind. This is a picture of effortless victory; as soon as God stands up, enemies are scattered like chaff.
68:2 "As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God."
Psalms 68:2（World English Bible）
"As smoke is driven away" (כְּהִנְדֹּף עָשָׁן, ke-hindof ashan), the verb נָדַף (nadaf, to drive away), עָשָׁן (ashan, smoke). Smoke in the wind is the most formless and easily dispersed substance; this metaphor emphasizes the inherent emptiness of the wicked before God.
"As wax melts before the fire" (כְּהִמֵּס דּוֹנַג, ke-himmes donag), the verb מָסַס (masas, to melt), דּוֹנַג (donag, beeswax). The psalmist uses two images in succession, smoke and wind, wax and fire, emphasizing that the wicked have no resistance before God. The combination of these two images (especially "wax melts") also appears in Micah 1:4, "The mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart, as wax before the fire," which is standard vocabulary for Hebrew theophany poems.
Please note that Psalm 68 does not begin by describing what God "does," but rather describes the consequences of God simply appearing. This is the core theology of Hebrew theophany poems: God's presence itself is judgment and salvation; He does not need to take additional action.
68:3 "But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness."
Psalms 68:3（World English Bible）
Immediately following the "wicked perish" in the previous two verses, verse 3 turns to the reaction of the righteous: God's appearance, which melts the wicked, brings joy to the righteous. This is a classic contrasting parallel in Hebrew poetry.
"Be glad" (שָׂמַח, samach), "rejoice" (עָלַץ, alats), "rejoice with gladness" (שׂוּשׂ, sus), the use of three synonyms for "joy" in succession is an extremely strong emotional expression at the beginning of Psalm 68. The joy of the righteous is not because "the wicked are punished"; it is, more deeply, because God has appeared. God's presence is the greatest source of joy for the righteous.
The structure of these three verses lays a foundational role for the entire psalm that follows. The psalmist tells us: the entire epic of salvation history to be recounted (Sinai, wilderness, Canaan, Zion) is all an unfolding of this same "God arising."
Section Focus: After the majestic opening declaration, the psalmist immediately turns to God's most tender attributes: Father of the fatherless, defender of widows, one who settles the solitary in homes, and releases prisoners. This tension of "majestic Lord yet merciful Father" is one of the core theological characteristics of Psalm 68.
68:4 "Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Extol him who rides on the clouds: to Yah, his name! Rejoice before him!"
Psalms 68:4（World English Bible）
"Rides on the clouds" (לָרֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת, la-rokhev ba-aravot). The verb is רָכַב (rakhav, to ride), and עֲרָבָה (aravah, wilderness, plain). The precise meaning of this phrase is fiercely debated by commentators. The Hebrew ba-aravot literally means "on the wilderness," but the same set of consonants can also be read as ba-aravim ("on the clouds"), which is strikingly similar to the Ugaritic title for Baal, "rider on the clouds" (rokhev arpat).
This is precisely where Psalm 68 is "ancient" and "difficult." The psalmist deliberately appropriates a Canaanite title for Baal to declare that the true "rider on the clouds, rider on the wilderness" is not Baal, but Yahweh. The Hebrew Bible is never afraid to use the forms of Canaanite literature to praise God, because the entire created world inherently belongs to Him. This is the same theological strategy as Psalm 29, which converts the hymn format of a "storm deity" to Yahweh.
"By his name Yah" (בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ, be-Yah shemo). Here, the shortened form of Yahweh, יָהּ (Yah), is used. This is the "Yah" in "Hallelujah." This shortened form is particularly common in the Psalms and is a poetic abbreviation of God's personal holy name.
68:5 "A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."
Psalms 68:5（World English Bible）
This is one of the most tender and frequently quoted verses in Psalm 68. Please note the structure of this sentence: it does not say "God pities the fatherless" or "God cares for widows," but uses two relational identities:
"A father of the fatherless" (אֲבִי יְתוֹמִים, avi yetomim): av is "father." God is not "like a father to the fatherless"; He is the father of the fatherless.
"A defender of the widows" (דַּיַּן אַלְמָנוֹת, dayan almanot): dayan is "judge, avenging judge." In ancient society, widows had no husband to advocate for them and often suffered in court. The psalmist declares: God Himself acts as their judge; He pleads their case in His heavenly court.
"In his holy habitation" (בִּמְעוֹן קָדְשׁוֹ, bi-me'on qadsho): ma'on is "dwelling place." This is crucial: the Father of the fatherless and widows, and their defender, acts in His holy habitation. In other words, God's most majestic dwelling place is precisely where He condescends to the weakest. Majesty and mercy are perfectly united in His holy habitation.
This verse is the Old Testament root of James 1:27: "Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." James quotes the concept of "Father" from Psalm 68:5, but he reverses the direction: God is the Father of the fatherless, so His children (believers) must also actively care for the fatherless and widows.
68:6 "God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land."
Psalms 68:6（World English Bible）
God continues to be depicted as the caregiver for those on the margins of society:
"God sets the solitary in families" (מוֹשִׁיב יְחִידִים בַּיְתָה, moshiv yechidim baytah): yachid means "only child, solitary." In ancient Israelite society, which was clan-based, those without family affiliation could barely survive. God gives them a home. This home is not necessarily a blood-related family, but rather a foreshadowing of the faith community as a home (cf. Ephesians 2:19, "members of God's household").
"He brings out the prisoners into prosperity" (מוֹצִיא אֲסִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת, motsi asirim ba-kosharot): asir is "prisoner." "Prosperity" (kosharot) is a hapax legomenon (a word appearing only once) in the Psalms, and its meaning is not entirely certain. It could mean "freely," "in groups," or "with joy." Whatever the exact meaning, the overall picture is of prisoners being released and coming out of prison. This foreshadows Psalm 68:18, "You have ascended on high. You have led away captives," which speaks of the release of the captive people.
"But the rebellious dwell in a parched land": In contrast to the salvation of the three types of marginalized people mentioned earlier, the rebellious receive no home, no release, and remain in a parched land (an image of wilderness or desert). The psalmist does not allow us to romanticize; God's mercy is specifically for the marginalized who look to Him, not unconditionally for everyone.
Section Focus: After establishing God's attributes (a rising warrior, a father to the marginalized), the psalmist begins to recount Israel's history, from the Exodus to Sinai and then to Canaan. This section concretizes the "ark setting out" opening, with God personally leading His people through the wilderness.
68:7 "God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness... Selah."
Psalms 68:7（World English Bible）
This verse explicitly brings the reader back to the history of the Exodus. "When you went forth before your people" (בְּצֵאתְךָ לִפְנֵי עַמֶּךָ, be-tsetekha li-fnei amekha), using the infinitive of the verb יָצָא (yatsa, to go out). This is a poetic recollection of Exodus 13:21, "Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on the way," with God leading the way.
"When you marched through the wilderness" (בְּצַעְדְּךָ בִישִׁימוֹן, be-tsa'dekha vi-yshimon): tsa'ad means "to step, to march," and yeshimon is "wasteland." These two verbs used together paint a picture of God striding through the wasteland. He does not lead from afar but journeys with His people.
"Selah" (סֶלָה, selah): A liturgical pause, an elevation. The first "Selah" prompts the congregation to reflect on the Exodus here: to feel the grace of God personally leading His people out of the land of slavery.
68:8 "The earth trembled. The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai— at the presence of God, the God of Israel."
Psalms 68:8（World English Bible）
This verse directly depicts the Sinai theophany. "The earth trembled at the presence of God" (אֶרֶץ רָעָשָׁה, erets ra'ashah), using the verb רָעַשׁ (ra'ash, to tremble). This is a poetic retelling of Exodus 19:18, "the whole mountain quaked greatly."
"Even Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel": Mount Sinai is the core location of God's covenant in the Hebrew Bible. The psalmist specifically highlights "Sinai" appearing twice (in this verse and verse 17, "the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary"). This suggests that the axis of the entire psalm is the transfer of the holy mountain from Sinai to Zion; the mountain where God first descended was Sinai, and the mountain where He ultimately settled was Zion.
"At the presence of God" (מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, mi-pnei Elohim): panim means "face, presence." In Hebrew tradition, "the face of God" is an image of relational presence. To see His face is not to see physically, but to directly encounter His presence. Both the earth and the mountain trembled because of this presence, showing the weight (kavod, the root meaning of glory) of God's presence.
68:9 "You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance, when it was weary."
Psalms 68:9（World English Bible）
"A plentiful rain" (גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת, geshem nedavot): geshem is rain, nedavot is "willing, generous." The literal translation is "generous rain" or "rain that falls voluntarily." In a semi-arid region like Canaan, rain is life. God "generously" sending rain is the most concrete material form of His free grace.
"Your inheritance" (נַחֲלָתְךָ, nachalatekha): nachalah is "inheritance, possession." Israel is repeatedly called "Yahweh's inheritance" in the Hebrew Bible, meaning God personally takes on the responsibility of nurturing, protecting, and establishing them, just as a person cares for their own inheritance.
"When it was weary, you confirmed it": The verb is כּוּן (kun, to establish, to make firm). When the people were exhausted in the wilderness, God personally re-established them. This is a deeply resonant sentence for all believers who have walked through a difficult wilderness: weariness is not a sign of failure, but a moment when God is prepared to "confirm you."
68:10 "Your congregation lived therein. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor."
Psalms 68:10（World English Bible）
"Your congregation" (חַיָּתְךָ, chayatekha): chayah usually means "animal, living creature," but here it is an uncommon usage, referring to "group, band." It refers to the entirety of God's people, the congregation.
"You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor" (תָּכִין בְּטוֹבָתְךָ לֶעָנִי, takhin be-tovatekha le-ani): ani means "poor, humble, oppressed person." This sentence is the climax of the entire section. God led His people through the wilderness, sent rain, and strengthened the weary: the true beneficiaries of all this goodness are the ani: the poor.
This connects with the opening "fatherless, widows, solitary, prisoners." Psalm 68 repeatedly declares that God specifically prepares goodness for those at the bottom of society. This is not unique to Psalm 68 but is a core message of the entire Hebrew Bible (cf. Exodus 22:21-27; Deuteronomy 10:18; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18).
Section Context: This section transitions from the recollection of Sinai and the wilderness to a poetic remembrance of the conquest war in Canaan. The scene depicts God's command causing the enemies to scatter, and a great company of women proclaiming good news of victory. The language in this section is very ancient and difficult, with several verses almost impossible to translate precisely, but the overall atmosphere of victory is clear.
68:11 "The Lord announced the word. The ones who proclaim it are a great company."
Psalms 68:11（World English Bible）
"The Lord gives the word" (אֲדֹנָי יִתֶּן־אֹמֶר, Adonai yiten-omer): omer means "word, command." This is a wartime central command: as soon as the commander speaks, the entire army moves.
"The women who proclaim the news" (הַמְבַשְּׂרוֹת, ha-mevassrot), the feminine plural participle of the verb בָּשַׂר (basar, to bring good news). This is extremely important, as this verb is the root of "gospel" (besorah). In ancient Israel, after a war victory, women would line up and go out of the city to welcome the triumphant warriors and report the victory (cf. 1 Samuel 18:6, after David defeated Goliath, women sang and danced to welcome him).
"The women who proclaim the news are a great company": The scene depicts so many women reporting victory that they form a great company, signifying the immense scale of God's triumph. In the New Testament, the Marys were the first to discover the empty tomb on the morning of the Lord's resurrection and ran back to report the good news (Matthew 28:8; Luke 24:10), which is the ultimate fulfillment of this scene, with women as the first proclaimers of the gospel.
68:12 "“Kings of armies flee! They flee!” She who waits at home divides the plunder,"
Psalms 68:12（World English Bible）
"Kings of armies flee, they flee" (מַלְכֵי צְבָאוֹת יִדֹּדוּן יִדֹּדוּן, malkhei tseva'ot yiddodun yiddodun), the verb נָדַד (nadad, to flee) is repeated twice. This is absolute emphasis in Hebrew poetry: "Flee, flee!" It paints a picture of enemy kings fleeing in disarray.
Please note: "armies" uses tseva'ot, which is the same word as in "Yahweh of Armies" (Yahweh Tseva'ot). This is ironic, as these "kings of armies" are utterly defeated before the true Lord of Armies.
"she who remains at home divides the spoil": The scene is: while the soldiers fight on the front lines, the women who stay at home receive spoils because their husbands and sons return laden with plunder. This forms two complementary scenes with "the women who proclaim the news" in verse 11; both those who go out to report victory and those who stay home to divide the plunder do so because of Yahweh's victory.
68:13 "while you sleep among the camp fires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold."
Psalms 68:13（World English Bible）
This is one of the most difficult verses in Psalm 68: almost all commentators admit that its precise meaning can no longer be determined.
"While you sleep among the campfires" (בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם, bein shfatayim): shfatayim means "between two saddlebags" or "between two sheepfolds." It may refer to soldiers resting in simple shelters between campaigns.
"the wings of a dove are covered with silver, and her feathers with shining gold" (כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף, kanfei yonah nechpah va-kesef), depicts exquisite and luxurious dove-shaped decorations, possibly captured spoils (dove-shaped carvings inlaid with gold and silver, perhaps amulets of Canaanite gods), or a poetic metaphor for the people shining like doves after victory.
The precise meaning is not important: the overall atmosphere is clear: after arduous warfare, the people finally enjoy rest and abundant spoils. Frankly, the specific meaning of this verse remains a point of contention among commentators, and we do not need to force an explanation; maintaining a degree of humility is more in line with the spirit of the Psalms.
68:14 "When the Almighty scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon."
Psalms 68:14（World English Bible）
"the Almighty" (שַׁדַּי, Shaddai), this is the only occurrence of Shaddai in Psalm 68. This title is frequently used in the Genesis patriarchal narratives (Genesis 17:1; 35:11) and is one of God's oldest titles signifying His supreme invincibility. Its use here in Psalm 68 again shows that this psalm inherits ancient vocabulary.
"it was white as snow on Zalmon" (תַּשְׁלֵג בְּצַלְמוֹן, tashleg be-Tsalmon), Mount Zalmon may be near Shechem, or it may be a poetic "dark mountain" (the root of צַלְמוֹן means "darkness"). "White as snow" may refer to the widespread white (white garments? armor?) of the enemy fleeing, or it may refer to the mountain covered with white snow after victory (an image of spiritual purity). Similarly, the precise meaning is difficult to determine, but the glorious, cosmic atmosphere of victory is clear.
Section Context: This is the structural center of Psalm 68. These four verses shift from the high mountains of northern Canaan (Bashan) to God's ultimately chosen dwelling place (Zion), reaching the psalm's climax in verse 18, which Paul directly quotes in Ephesians 4:8 as a prefigurement of Christ's ascension.
68:15 "The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged."
Psalms 68:15（World English Bible）
"The mountain of Bashan" (הַר־בָּשָׁן, har-Bashan), Bashan is located east of the Jordan River, north of the Sea of Galilee. Mount Hermon and the Hermon range are in this area. This is the most majestic mountainous region of Canaan, with high peaks covered in primeval forests. In ancient Canaanite religion, the high mountains of Bashan were often considered the dwelling place of the gods, with Baal seated on his "throne" on Mount Saphon (in the Bashan area).
"God’s mountain" (הַר־אֱלֹהִים, har-Elohim), the meaning of this phrase can be read in two ways:
The "envy" in the next verse suggests the second reading is more accurate; although the mountains of Bashan are magnificent, God rejected them and chose Zion.
68:16 "Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever."
Psalms 68:16（World English Bible）
"Why do you look with envy" (לָמָּה תְּרַצְּדוּן, lammah teratsdun), the verb רָצַד (ratsad) is a hapax legomenon (a unique word), meaning approximately "to gaze enviously" or "to look askance." The psalmist uses personification, with the mountains of Bashan looking enviously at Zion because God rejected them.
"the mountain which God has desired for his dwelling" (הָהָר חָמַד אֱלֹהִים לְשִׁבְתּוֹ, ha-har chamad Elohim le-shivto), the verb חָמַד (chamad, to desire, to delight in). The same verb in Exodus 20:17 (the Ten Commandments) means "to covet," but here it refers to God's eager desire. God desires to dwell in Zion—what a moving picture this is.
Geographically, Zion is much smaller than the high mountains of Bashan; it is merely a small ridge in Jerusalem, about 740 meters above sea level. Yet God chose this inconspicuous small mountain as His eternal dwelling, which is consistent with God's principle of choosing "the weak and despised" (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:27-28).
"forever" (לָנֶצַח, la-netsach), this phrase declares Zion's eternality. This deeply echoes Psalms 132:13-14, "For Yahweh has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation." In the New Testament, Zion is ultimately fulfilled as the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 21:2), the ultimate fulfillment of God's "desire" to dwell in Zion.
68:17 "The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary."
Psalms 68:17（World English Bible）
"The chariots of God" (רֶכֶב אֱלֹהִים, rekhev Elohim): rekhev means "chariot, chariot train." In the ancient Near East, great kings were accompanied by thousands of chariots when going to war. The psalmist paints a picture of God leading countless heavenly chariots, which is the essence of "Yahweh of Armies": His "army" includes heavenly messengers and chariots.
"twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands" (רִבֹּתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן, ribbotayim alfei shin'an): ribbotayim means "double ten thousand" (i.e., 20,000), alfei shin'an means "thousands of thousands." The psalmist stacks numbers to emphasize innumerable quantity. Revelation 5:11 in the New Testament, "I saw, and I heard... and the number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands," is the fulfillment of the same imagery.
"The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary": This is the most crucial theological statement in Psalm 68. God descended from Mount Sinai and ultimately established His throne in Zion; He never departed from the covenant made at Sinai. Zion does not replace Sinai but inherits it; the same covenant-making God of Sinai now dwells in Zion with the same majesty.
This is precisely the scene in Hebrews 12:18-24, where Christians come not to "a mountain that might be touched" (Sinai) but to "the heavenly Jerusalem": and the God who speaks is the same.
68:18 "You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among men, yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there."
Psalms 68:18（World English Bible）
This is the climax of the entire psalm, and the most important verse directly quoted in the New Testament. Let us unpack it word by word.
"You have ascended on high" (עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם, alita la-marom), the verb עָלָה (alah, to ascend), marom means "height." The scene is of a victorious king ascending to the mountaintop, to the throne, referring to God's (the ark's) triumphant procession from Bashan to Zion.
"You have led away captives" (שָׁבִיתָ שֶּׁבִי, shavita shevi), the verb שָׁבָה (shavah, to take captive), the noun שְׁבִי (shevi, captive): root repetition, literally "you took captives." This is the ancient scene of a triumphant general bringing back prisoners of war to demonstrate the completeness of the victory.
"You have received gifts among people" (לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם, laqachta matanot ba-adam), the verb לָקַח (laqach, to take, to receive), matanot means "gifts, tributes." Literally, "You received gifts from among people": referring to nations bringing tribute to the victorious king after their defeat.
Here's the key: When Paul quotes this verse in Ephesians 4:8, his version is: "Therefore he says, 'When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.'"
Please note: The original Hebrew Bible says "received gifts," while Paul's quoted version says "gave gifts to men": the actions are completely opposite!
Why is this so? There are several mainstream explanations:
First explanation: Paul may have used an Aramaic translation (Targum), which understood this verse as "gave to men" (referring to Moses giving the Law to Israel after receiving it on Mount Sinai). This understanding in the Aramaic translation may predate the New Testament, as Jewish tradition had long read this verse as "gave."
Second explanation: Paul's application is a theological one inspired by the Holy Spirit. The original text says "the king receives tribute," but after a king receives tribute, he must distribute it to his soldiers and people. Therefore, "receiving" and "giving" were two sides of the same action in ancient Eastern etiquette; God received the fruits of victory and then bestowed them upon His people.
Regardless of the interpretation, the theological meaning is clear: Christ's ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost are the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 68:18. Paul further develops this in Ephesians 4:8-13: after Christ's ascension, "He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints... for the building up of the body of Christ." These "gifts" are the presents given after Christ's ascension, used to build the church.
"that Yahweh God might dwell among them": The ultimate purpose of God ascending to the high mountain is not to sit far away in heaven, but to dwell with His people. This deeply echoes Revelation 21:3, "Behold, God’s tabernacle is with people, and he will dwell with them." Zion is the prototype of God dwelling with humanity.
"among the rebellious" (אַף סוֹרְרִים, af sorrim): sorerim means "rebellious ones." This phrase is surprising; God even receives gifts from (or bestows grace upon) the rebellious. This implies that God's grace is not limited to the righteous; even those who rebel against Him can be incorporated into His kingdom through His victory. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul himself is the best example of "the rebellious"; he was formerly a persecutor of the church but was transformed by the gifts given after Christ's ascension (cf. 1 Timothy 1:13-14).
Section Focus: After the climax of verse 18, the psalmist once again turns to tenderness. Verse 19 is one of the most frequently quoted and pastorally warm sentences in the Psalms: God daily bears our burdens. But verses 21-23 suddenly become intense, with God shattering the heads of His enemies. This coexistence of tenderness and intensity is a characteristic of Psalm 68.
68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. Selah."
Psalms 68:19（World English Bible）
This is one of the most tender and frequently quoted sentences in the Psalms. Let's look at it word by word.
"Blessed be" (בָּרוּךְ, barukh), the passive participle of the verb בָּרַךְ (barakh, to bless, to praise). This is the most standard beginning of a Hebrew blessing: "Blessed be the Lord."
"daily" (יוֹם יוֹם, yom yom), literally "day by day." The repetition of these two words emphasizes that God's care is not a heroic rescue in a single great event, but a daily, unceasing bearing of burdens.
"loads us with burdens" (יַעֲמָס־לָנוּ, ya'amos-lanu), the verb עָמַס (amas, to bear a burden). The literal meaning of this verb is "to place a heavy load on the shoulders and carry it": in ancient times, donkeys or camels carried goods, and amas was the action of placing heavy objects on them.
The psalmist is not saying "God helps us lighten our burdens," nor "God takes away our burdens": it is saying that God Himself daily places our burdens on His own shoulders and carries them. What a moving picture this is: the almighty Creator, every day, takes over the burdens of His weak children and carries them Himself.
This is the Old Testament prototype of the theology of the cross. In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you... For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The Lord Jesus portrays Himself as the one who bears our burdens, which is the ultimate fulfillment of Psalm 68:19.
"even the God who is our salvation" (אֵל יְשׁוּעָתֵנוּ, El yeshu'atenu): yeshu'ah means "salvation" and is also the root of the name Jesus (Yeshua). The God who saves us ultimately became incarnate as the person named "Salvation."
68:20 "God is to us a God of deliverance. To Yahweh, the Lord, belongs escape from death."
Psalms 68:20（World English Bible）
"a God of deliverances" (אֵל לְמוֹשָׁעוֹת, El le-moshaot): moshaot is the plural form of yeshu'ah, a hapax legomenon: literally "God of multiple salvations." The psalmist emphasizes that God's salvation is not singular; He saves His children in myriad ways.
"To Yahweh, the Lord, belongs escape from death" (וְלֵיהוִה אֲדֹנָי לַמָּוֶת תּוֹצָאוֹת, ve-leY-HVH Adonai la-mavet totsaot): totsaot means "exits." The literal translation is "the exits of death belong to Yahweh the Lord": meaning only Yahweh holds the key to coming out of death.
This statement is extraordinary in the Old Testament. Ancient Israel's hope for the afterlife was very vague, but Psalm 68:20 already subtly hints that God has the power to open the exit from death. This hint is ultimately fulfilled in Christ's resurrection; Christ rose from the dead, personally opening the door of death (cf. Revelation 1:18, "I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.").
68:21 "But God will strike through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness."
Psalms 68:21（World English Bible）
From the tenderness of verses 19-20, there is a sudden shift to the intensity of verses 21-23, where God shatters His enemies. This coexistence of "tenderness and judgment" often makes modern readers uncomfortable. But please understand the logic of Hebrew poetry: precisely because God is a father to the fatherless and widows, and a deliverer who daily bears our burdens, He must therefore execute justice upon the wicked who oppress His children. Tenderness and judgment are two sides of the same love.
"strike through the head of his enemies" (יִמְחַץ רֹאשׁ אֹיְבָיו, yimchats rosh oyvav), the verb מָחַץ (machats, to shatter). This phrase reminds us of the curse given to the serpent in Genesis 3:15: "He will bruise your head." The "shattering of the head" in Psalm 68:21 is the same redemptive-historical image: God ultimately shatters the head of all evil forces.
68:22 "The Lord said, “I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea;"
Psalms 68:22（World English Bible）
"bring them again from Bashan," "bring them again from the depths of the sea": Bashan represents the farthest northern mountains, and the deep sea represents the farthest waters. This means that no matter how far God's people are exiled, God will call them back.
It can also be read in reverse: no matter how far the enemies flee into the mountains or the deep sea, God will pursue them to execute judgment. Both readings exist in ancient exegesis, and the psalmist may have intentionally preserved this dual imagery.
68:23 "That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”"
Psalms 68:23（World English Bible）
This verse uses intense language that may make modern readers uncomfortable. Ancient Israelite victory poems often used such bloody and concrete imagery: "dip your foot in blood" refers to blood flowing so deep it covers the ankles. "dogs may have their portion" refers to the enemy army being so utterly defeated that no one is left to bury the dead.
Please understand that this is standard vocabulary for ancient Near Eastern war victory poems. It should not be read as a curse against personal enemies, but rather as the psalmist acknowledging the thoroughness of God's ultimate justice. However, as New Testament believers, when we read this verse, we need to maintain tension: on the one hand, acknowledging that God's ultimate justice will surely be realized, and on the other hand, remembering that the Lord Jesus prayed for His enemies on the cross (Luke 23:34), and Paul also taught, "Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath, for it is written, 'Vengeance belongs to me'" (Romans 12:19).
Section Focus: After vivid war imagery, the psalmist turns to a grand procession of temple rituals. This section is highly visual, depicting singers, dancers, and drumming maidens, along with the leaders of Judah, Benjamin, Zebulun, and Naphtali, marching into God's sanctuary. Many scholars believe this passage is a poetic re-enactment of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Zion (2 Samuel 6).
68:24 "They have seen your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary."
Psalms 68:24（World English Bible）
"Your goings, into the sanctuary" (הֲלִיכוֹת / קֹדֶשׁ, halikhotekha Elohim halikhot Eli malki ba-qodesh): halikhot means "procession, parade." The scene depicts a victorious king marching into His temple, crowned, holding a scepter, with a retinue.
This is a poetic depiction of the Ark being carried into Zion. The Ark represented God's presence, and when the priests carried it into Zion, the entire nation watched, cheered, and worshipped.
68:25 "The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, among the ladies playing with tambourines,"
Psalms 68:25（World English Bible）
This verse is highly visual:
"The singers went before" (קִדְּמוּ שָׁרִים, qiddmu sharim): sharim means "singers."
"The musicians followed after" (אַחַר נֹגְנִים, achar nogenim): nogenim means "musicians."
"Maidens playing with tambourines" (עֲלָמוֹת תּוֹפֵפוֹת, alamot tofefot): alamot means "maidens," toful means "drum." In ancient Middle Eastern celebrations, maidens playing drums and dancing was the highest form of celebration (cf. Exodus 15:20, Miriam with a tambourine, all the women following; Judges 11:34, Jephthah's daughter; 1 Samuel 18:6-7, women singing about David's victory over Goliath).
This is a scene of the most fervent and public praise, with singers in front, musicians behind, and maidens drumming in the middle. This is not private devotion but a grand national celebration.
68:26 "“Bless God in the congregations, even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”"
Psalms 68:26（World English Bible）
"Fountain of Israel" (מִמְּקוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל, mi-mqor Yisra'el): maqor means "source, fountain." This is an unusual phrase, possibly referring to the ancestors of Israel (i.e., all Israelites descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), or it could refer to the entire congregation springing from the same source.
"Bless God in the congregations, even the Lord" (בָּרְכוּ אֱלֹהִים בְּמַקְהֵלוֹת, barekhu Elohim be-maqhelot): maqhelot means "congregations." This means: in every place where a congregation gathers, they should praise God. This is the liturgical call of Psalm 68; this psalm was not just written by David personally but is for all ages and all congregations to sing.
68:27 "There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali."
Psalms 68:27（World English Bible）
The psalmist lists four tribes: Benjamin, Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali.
Why these four? Commentators offer various explanations. The most common is that these four tribes represent the southernmost (Benjamin, Judah) and northernmost (Zebulun, Naphtali) parts of all Israel, meaning representatives from the entire north and south came to worship.
"Little Benjamin" (בִּנְיָמִן צָעִיר, Binyamin tsa'ir): tsa'ir means "young, youngest." Benjamin was Jacob's youngest son, and his tribe was the smallest, yet the first king of Israel, Saul, came from Benjamin. The psalmist placing "little Benjamin" first might emphasize the theme of God choosing the small.
The territory of the tribe of Benjamin was directly adjacent to Jerusalem: parts of the city of Zion actually belonged to Benjamin. So "little Benjamin, their ruler" might refer to Benjamin being geographically closest to the temple.
Section Focus: The conclusion of the entire psalm. The psalmist's vision expands from the temple procession in Zion to all nations, asking them to bring gifts to Zion, and even the most distant Cush (Ethiopia) to eagerly lift their hands in worship to God. Finally, the psalm concludes with heavenly praise, acknowledging God as supreme, the giver of strength, and worthy of blessing.
68:28 "Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us."
Psalms 68:28（World English Bible）
"Your God has commanded your strength" (צִוָּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עֻזֶּךָ, tsivah Elohekha uzzekha), the verb צָוָה (tsavah, to command, appoint). Literally, "Your God has commanded your strength": Israel's strength does not come from itself, but is personally commanded and given by God.
"Strengthen, God, that which you have worked for us": Since God has achieved victory for us, may He continue to establish this victory. This is a recurring prayer in the Psalms, not asking for new grace, but pleading for the grace already given to be established.
68:29 "Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bring presents to you."
Psalms 68:29（World English Bible）
"Kings will bring presents to you": This is the core declaration of the second stage of Psalm 68, that the kings of the nations will bring gifts to Zion to offer to the God of Israel.
The ultimate fulfillment of this verse is seen in Matthew 2:1-12: the wise men from the East (i.e., learned men from the nations) came to Jerusalem, seeking the newborn King of the Jews, and brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Him. Psalm 68:29 + Psalm 72:10-11 "The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring presents... The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts" are Old Testament foreshadowings of the wise men worshipping the infant Jesus.
The ultimate fulfillment is in Revelation 21:24: "The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it."
68:30 "Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war."
Psalms 68:30（World English Bible）
"Wild beast of the reeds" (חַיַּת קָנֶה, chayat qaneh): qaneh means "reed." Reed thickets in the ancient Middle East symbolized the Nile Delta of Egypt. The "wild beast of the reeds" is a code name for Egypt, possibly referring to the Pharaoh (or symbolic beasts of Egypt like crocodiles or hippopotamuses).
"Multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples": Bulls and calves in ancient Near Eastern religions were symbols of strength and fertility (Babylonian and Canaanite gods were often depicted as bulls). The psalmist asks God to rebuke these strong ones of the nations, making them submit.
68:31 "Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God."
Psalms 68:31（World English Bible）
This verse is very important:
"Ethiopia" (כּוּשׁ, Kush), refers to Ethiopia, Nubia (the area from southern Sudan to Ethiopia today), which was the farthest south in the Hebrew world. The psalmist specifically mentions Cush, meaning that even the most distant Africans will worship Yahweh.
"Quickly stretch out her hands to God" (תָּרִיץ יָדָיו, tarits yadav): ruts means "to run." "Quickly stretch out hands": depicts the most fervent posture of worship.
New Testament ultimate fulfillment: Acts 8:26-39: The Ethiopian eunuch (a Cushite), on his way back from worshipping in Jerusalem, was led by Philip to understand the meaning of Isaiah 53 and was baptized on the spot. This is a classic example of the literal fulfillment of Psalm 68:31 in the New Testament, with the Cushite being the first "Gentile messenger" to turn to Christ.
68:32 "Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord! Selah."
Psalms 68:32（World English Bible）
The vision expands again, from Egypt and Cush to the kingdoms of the earth.
"Kingdoms of the earth" (מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ, mamlekhot ha-arets): mamlakhah means "kingdom." All the kingdoms of the earth are to sing to Yahweh; this is the universal declaration of Psalm 68. This theme continues in Psalm 96:1-3, Psalm 117 (the shortest psalm in the entire Bible), and is ultimately fulfilled in Revelation 7:9: "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, from every nation and all tribes, peoples, and languages."
68:33 "To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice."
Psalms 68:33（World English Bible）
"Rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old" (לָרֹכֵב בִּשְׁמֵי שְׁמֵי־קֶדֶם, la-rokhev bi-shmei shmei-qedem), this phrase again recalls verse 4, "rides through the deserts": the same verb רָכַב (rakhav, to ride). From the opening "rides through the desert" to the closing "rides through the ancient heavens": God's rule spans time and space.
"He utters his voice, a mighty voice" (יִתֵּן בְּקוֹלוֹ קוֹל עֹז, yiten be-qolo qol oz), this phrase deeply echoes Psalm 29: qol Yahweh (the voice of Yahweh) appears 7 times in Psalm 29, forming its core structure. Psalm 68:33 once again lets us hear the cloud-rider utter a majestic voice; this is the same God.
68:34 "Ascribe strength to God! His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies."
Psalms 68:34（World English Bible）
"Ascribe strength to God!" (תְּנוּ עֹז לֵאלֹהִים, tenu oz le-Elohim), the verb נָתַן (natan, to give). This is almost identical to Psalm 29:1, "Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength," once again proving that Psalm 68 and Psalm 29 belong to the same ancient "cosmic praise" tradition.
"His majesty is over Israel" (עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּאֲוָתוֹ, al-Yisra'el ga'avato): ga'avah means "pride, majesty." God's "majesty" (a synonym for kavod) specifically envelops Israel, a sign of God's choice of Israel as His special dwelling place.
"His strength is in the skies" (וְעֻזּוֹ בַּשְּׁחָקִים, ve-uzzo ba-shchaqim): shchaqim means "high clouds, skies." God's strength fills the entire sky: it is universal, not confined to the land of Israel.
68:35 "You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!"
Psalms 68:35（World English Bible）
The last verse of the entire psalm: the psalmist concludes with three core declarations:
"You are awesome, God, out of your sanctuaries": God's awesomeness emanates from the sanctuary in Zion, corresponding to verse 5, "God in his holy habitation is a father of the fatherless": both majesty and mercy emanate from the same sanctuary.
"The God of Israel himself gives strength and power to his people": God gives strength to His people. This phrase deeply echoes the opening "God arises"; God arises not to win alone, but to share the victory with His people. This is a foreshadowing of Christ's ascension, "giving gifts to people" (Ephesians 4:8).
"Blessed be God!" (בָּרוּךְ אֱלֹהִים, barukh Elohim), concluding with "Blessed be the Lord." This is the most common blessing in the Hebrew Bible, formally closing the entire psalm.
| Paragraph | Dominant Voice | Directed Towards | Emotional Arc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verses 1-3 | Evocative | God | Grand opening: May God arise |
| Verses 4-6 | Praise + Gentle Declaration | The entire congregation | Gentle: God is the Father of the marginalized |
| Verses 7-10 | Historical Recollection | God | Solemn: Sinai, wilderness, rain |
| Verses 11-14 | War Song | Israel | Intense: Kings flee, good news reported |
| Verses 15-18 | Climax of Manifestation | God + Mountains of Bashan | Ultimate: Ascending Zion |
| Verses 19-23 | Praise + Judgment | God + Enemies | Extreme tension: Gentle ↔ Intense |
| Verses 24-27 | Liturgical Procession | Sanctuary | Celebratory atmosphere: Singing and dancing |
| Verses 28-35 | Universal Call | Nations + Heavens | Grand conclusion: All the earth praises |
The voice arc of Psalm 68 is very complex; it switches back and forth between "majestic victory poem" and "gentle pastoral poem," finally concluding in "cosmic praise." This complexity is precisely why Psalm 68 is one of the most difficult to interpret and richest psalms. It encapsulates God's multiple facets—victorious King, gentle Father, Lord of the storm, bearer of the cross, Shepherd of the nations—all within 35 verses.
| Term | Original | Transliteration | Verse(s) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rise up | קוּם | qum | 68:1 | To rise: directly quoted from Moses' "Ark Song" in Numbers 10:35 |
| Enemies | אֹיֵב | oyev | 68:1 | Adversaries |
| Scattered | פּוּץ | puts | 68:1 | Scattered like chaff by the wind |
| Smoke | עָשָׁן | ashan | 68:2 | An image of substantial emptiness that dissipates easily |
| Wax | דּוֹנַג | donag | 68:2 | Melted by fire: a standard image in theophanic psalms |
| Rejoice | שָׂמַח | samach | 68:3 | One of the standard verbs for joy |
| Be glad | עָלַץ | alats | 68:3 | To exult |
| Be joyful | שׂוּשׂ | sus | 68:3 | A synonymous verb for joy |
| Ride through the desert/on the clouds | רָכַב | rakhav | 68:4, 33 | To ride: appropriating the Canaanite title "Rider on the Clouds" for Yahweh |
| Shortened form of Yahweh | יָהּ | Yah | 68:4 | The shortened personal name in "Hallelujah" |
| Father of the fatherless | אֲבִי יְתוֹמִים | avi yetomim | 68:5 | God actively condescends to the weakest |
| Defender of widows | דַּיַּן אַלְמָנוֹת | dayan almanot | 68:5 | God personally acts as their judge |
| Dwelling/Sanctuary | מָעוֹן | ma'on | 68:5 | God's dwelling place |
| Lonely ones | יָחִיד | yachid | 68:6 | Those without family affiliation |
| Go out | יָצָא | yatsa | 68:7 | Exodus-style leading |
| Wilderness/Desert | יְשִׁימוֹן | yeshimon | 68:7 | The desert of the Exodus |
| Trembled | רָעַשׁ | ra'ash | 68:8 | The core verb for the Sinai theophany |
| Generous rain | גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת | geshem nedavot | 68:9 | The material form of God's free grace |
| Inheritance | נַחֲלָה | nachalah | 68:9 | Israel is Yahweh's inheritance |
| Afflicted | עָנִי | ani | 68:10 | The humble and oppressed: the true beneficiaries of grace |
| Women who proclaim good news | מְבַשְּׂרוֹת | mevassrot | 68:11 | The root of "gospel" (besorah) |
| Armies | צָבָא | tseva | 68:12 | The word in "Yahweh of Armies" |
| Flee | נָדַד | nadad | 68:12 | Double repetition emphasizing the kings' ignominious flight |
| Almighty | שַׁדַּי | Shaddai | 68:14 | An ancient title from the patriarchal era |
| Mountain of God | הַר־אֱלֹהִים | har-Elohim | 68:15 | Bashan's self-proclaimed "mountain of gods" |
| Gaze enviously | רָצַד | ratsad | 68:16 | Hapax legomenon: appears only once |
| Desire | חָמַד | chamad | 68:16 | God desires to dwell in Zion |
| Forever | לָנֶצַח | la-netsach | 68:16 | The eternal nature of Zion |
| Chariots | רֶכֶב | rekhev | 68:17 | The heavenly chariots of Yahweh of Armies |
| Myriads, even thousands | רִבֹּתַיִם | ribbotayim | 68:17 | Tens of thousands: countless |
| Ascended | עָלָה | alah | 68:18 | The key verb quoted in Ephesians 4:8 |
| Heights | מָרוֹם | marom | 68:18 | Zion/Heaven |
| Led captivity captive | שָׁבָה שְׁבִי | shavah shevi | 68:18 | Root repetition: complete victory |
| Received/Gave gifts | לָקַח מַתָּנוֹת | laqach matanot | 68:18 | Paul's version reverses to "gave gifts to men" |
| Rebellious | סוֹרֵר | sorer | 68:18 | God even recruits from among the rebellious |
| Blessed be | בָּרוּךְ | barukh | 68:19, 35 | The most standard opening for Hebrew blessings |
| Daily | יוֹם יוֹם | yom yom | 68:19 | Day after day, ceaselessly |
| Bears our burdens | עָמַס | amas | 68:19 | To place heavy objects on the shoulder to carry: an Old Testament prototype of cross theology |
| Salvation | יְשׁוּעָה | yeshu'ah | 68:19 | The root of the name Jesus (Yeshua) |
| Many salvations | מוֹשָׁעוֹת | moshaot | 68:20 | Hapax: various kinds of salvation |
| Death | מָוֶת | mavet | 68:20 | God holds the exits from death |
| Shatter | מָחַץ | machats | 68:21 | The imagery of Genesis 3:15, "bruise the serpent's head" |
| Procession | הֲלִיכָה | halikhah | 68:24 | A ceremonial procession |
| Maidens playing tambourines | עֲלָמוֹת תּוֹפֵפוֹת | alamot tofefot | 68:25 | The highest level of celebration |
| Congregation | מַקְהֵלָה | maqhelah | 68:26 | Every gathered congregation must praise |
| Youngest | צָעִיר | tsa'ir | 68:27 | Little Benjamin: God chooses the small |
| Cush | כּוּשׁ | Kush | 68:31 | Ethiopia: the farthest part of Africa |
| Hasten | רוּץ | ruts | 68:31 | The Cushites eagerly lift their hands |
| Kingdoms | מַמְלָכָה | mamlakhah | 68:32 | A call for universal worship |
| Voice | קוֹל | qol | 68:33 | Echoes the qol Yahweh of Psalm 29 |
| Majesty | גַּאֲוָה | ga'avah | 68:34 | God's glory above Israel |
| Skies | שְׁחָקִים | shchaqim | 68:34 | The celestial realm of God's power |
A Opening Call: May God Arise (68:1-3)
[Echo of the Ark Song, Num 10:35]
B God is Father to the Marginalized (68:4-6)
[First Manifestation of Gentle Attributes]
C Sinai Revelation: Leading Through the Wilderness (68:7-10)
[Historical Review: Exodus to Sinai]
D God Arises: Kings Flee (68:11-14)
[Poetic Remembrance of the Conquest of Canaan]
E God Ascends to Zion (68:15-18) ★ Center of the Entire Psalm
[From Bashan to Zion, Ascending on High]
D' Salvation and Crushing Enemies (68:19-23)
[Gentle (19), Intense (21-23)]
C' Zion Temple Procession (68:24-27)
[Ritual Procession: Ark Enters the Sanctuary]
B' Nations Bring Tribute to Zion (68:28-32)
[Nations Turn to Jerusalem]
A' Praise from All Earth and Heavens Concludes (68:33-35)
[Expanding from Earth to Heavens]
The central E (68:15-18), "God Ascends to Zion," is the pivot of the entire psalm, marking the transfer of the holy mountain from Sinai to Zion, the final settlement from the wilderness to the temple, and God's acceptance of offerings and bestowal of grace upon His people. This passage was read by Paul as a prefigurement of Christ's ascension, which aligns with the emphasis placed on it by the overall structure of Psalm 68.
First Half (A-D): A historical review, from the ark's departure to the conquest of Canaan. Second Half (D'-A'): A ritual unfolding, from salvation to the temple procession to the submission of nations.
Center: The transition from history to ritual, God's actual ascent to Zion.
Psalm 68 structurally deeply echoes Psalm 24, "Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in." Both psalms are ritual psalms about God (the ark) entering the sanctuary. Psalm 24 is a ritual psalm for the moment the ark was carried into the sanctuary, while Psalm 68 is an epic recounting the ark's entire journey through the wilderness, wars, and its final settlement in Zion. Together, the two psalms allow Israel to see the reality of God dwelling among them from two perspectives.
Psalm 29 is a manifestation in nature (storm, thunder sweeping across Canaan), while Psalm 68 is a manifestation in history (God leading His people through salvation history). Both psalms use the same ancient poetic format (from the Canaanite poetic tradition of the 13th-12th centuries BC), but their content directions differ. Psalm 29 shows Israel God's supremacy in the natural world, while Psalm 68 shows them God's supremacy in history.
Antithetical Parallelism (most common):
Synonymous Parallelism:
Synthetic Parallelism:
Inclusio:
"God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim) appears more than 25 times throughout the psalm, making it the most central word in Psalm 68. This density makes Psalm 68 the most typical representative in Book Two, the "Elohim Psalter" (Psalms 42-83), which is characterized by the use of Elohim instead of Yahweh (in contrast to Book One, the Davidic Psalter, which prominently uses Yahweh).
"Ride" (רָכַב, rakhav) appears in 68:4 and 68:33: from "riding through the wilderness" to "riding on the ancient heavens," forming an inclusio.
Verse 18 is the dramatic climax of the entire psalm: "You have ascended on high. You have led away captives." This shifts from battlefield victory to sanctuary settlement, and from this point, the atmosphere of the entire psalm changes from "warfare" to "ritual."
Verse 19 is an emotional reversal. Immediately after the majestic declaration of "ascended on high, led away captives," it immediately turns to "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens." This juxtaposition of cosmic victory and the deepest personal shepherding is the most tension-filled characteristic of Psalm 68.
Psalm 68 is known in the Hebrew Bible for its dense concentration of rare words that appear only once: kosharot (68:6), ratsad (68:16), moshaot (68:20), etc. This is the core reason why Psalm 68 is considered "the most difficult psalm in the entire Psalter." Many commentators, when explaining this psalm, honestly admit: "The precise meaning of this verse cannot be determined."
However, please note: the overall meaning is clear. The magnificent arc of Psalm 68 (from Sinai to Zion to the nations) is never obscured; only the details of individual verses are difficult. This gives us an important principle for Bible study: clear overall truth is not shaken by uncertainty in details.
Numbers 10:35-36 records two Ark Songs from Israel's march in the wilderness:
It happened, when the ark went forward, that Moses said, "Rise up, Yahweh, and let your enemies be scattered! Let those who hate you flee before you!" (Num 10:35)
When it rested, he said, "Return, Yahweh, to the many thousands of Israel." (Num 10:36)
These two ancient prayers are specially framed in the Hebrew Bible by a pair of inverted nuns (nun inversum), which are the only special symbol markers in the Hebrew Bible. This indicates that these two verses were considered by Jewish scribes to be extremely special, independent ancient texts.
Psalm 68:1 directly adapts the first Ark Song as its opening, which shows that the poet of Psalm 68 consciously connected the entire psalm to this ancient tradition. The ark sets out → enemies are scattered → God's victory → Zion is established; this is the overall framework of Psalm 68.
Archaeologists have excavated a large number of Canaanite religious texts from the 14th-12th centuries BC in Ugarit (modern Ras Shamra) on the northern coast of Syria. In these texts, the Canaanite storm god Baal (Ba'al) is repeatedly called "Cloud Rider" (rokhev arpat), meaning Baal rides the clouds as his chariot, sweeping across the sky.
Psalm 68:4 applies the Hebrew rokhev ba-aravot ("rider in the deserts, on the clouds") to Yahweh. This is a conscious theological strategy to convert Baal's title to the true God. The meaning is: You think Baal rides the clouds? No, it is Yahweh. The Hebrew Bible is never afraid to use the language of Canaanite religion to praise God, because the true God is the real ruler of these natural forces.
The same strategy appears in passages such as Psalm 29 ("The voice of Yahweh is majestic") and Psalm 89 ("He rules the raging of the sea"), which is a theological subversion of the surrounding polytheism by Hebrew religion.
Psalm 68:18 "You have ascended on high... and received gifts": The imagery in this verse comes from the ancient Near Eastern "triumphal ceremony" tradition. When a victorious king returns from battle, there are always three actions:
These three scenes repeatedly appear in Assyrian, Babylonian, and Egyptian victory reliefs found by archaeologists. Psalm 68:18 applies this set of rituals to Yahweh: God ascends Zion (a high place), takes enemies captive (captured evil forces), and receives gifts (gifts from nations). This is the highest praise of the Hebrews for the truly victorious King.
Paul in Ephesians 4:8 reverses "received gifts" to "gave gifts": This is because the victorious king distributing spoils to his soldiers is also a continuation of the same set of rituals. Therefore, Paul's quotation is not a "misreading," but rather incorporates the second half of this ritual (the king's distribution) into the interpretation of Psalm 68.
Psalm 68 is one of the earliest examples of "Zion theology" in the Hebrew Bible. It strongly declares that Zion is God's eternal dwelling place, the mountain He desires to inhabit (68:16). This theological thread was later fully developed in the so-called "Zion Psalms" such as Psalms 46, 48, 76, 87, and 132, and ultimately fulfilled in the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21, the heavenly Zion.
However, Psalm 68 makes a unique contribution to Zion theology: it emphasizes that Zion inherits Sinai (68:17 "The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary"). This means that the same God who made the covenant at Sinai now dwells in Zion with the same majesty. Zion does not replace Sinai; it continues Sinai. This point is very important for later Jews and Christians to understand that "the New Covenant does not abolish the Old Covenant, but fulfills it" (Matthew 5:17).
| Scripture | Content |
|---|---|
| Genesis 16:13 | Hagar (the expelled maidservant) calls God "the God who sees" |
| Exodus 22:21-27 | The law explicitly protects sojourners, widows, orphans, and the poor |
| Deuteronomy 10:18 | "He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing." |
| Psalm 68:5 | "A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation." |
| Psalm 146:9 | "Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and the widow." |
| Isaiah 1:17 | "Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow." |
| Luke 4:18 | Lord Jesus quotes Isaiah 61, declaring He came "to preach good news to the poor" |
| James 1:27 | "To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction": New Testament application of Psalm 68:5 |
| Scripture | Content |
|---|---|
| Psalm 24:7-10 | "Lift up your heads, you gates; and be lifted up, you everlasting doors." |
| Psalm 47:5 | "God has gone up with a shout, Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet." |
| Psalm 68:18 | "You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among men..." |
| Daniel 7:13-14 | The Son of Man came with the clouds of the sky to the Ancient of Days |
| Luke 24:50-51 | Jesus "was carried up into heaven." |
| Acts 1:9-11 | "He was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight." |
| Ephesians 4:8-10 | Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 to explain Christ's ascension + the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost |
| Hebrews 1:3 | "and sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" |
| Revelation 5:6-12 | The Lamb receives praise from ten thousands of thousands |
| Scripture | Content |
|---|---|
| Gen 12:3 | Abrahamic Covenant: "all the families of the earth will be blessed in you" |
| Ps 68:29-32 | "Kings will bring presents to you" |
| Ps 72:10-11 | "The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring presents... Yes, all kings will bow down before him. All nations will serve him." |
| Isa 2:2-3 | "all nations will stream to it... to Yahweh’s mountain" |
| Isa 60:3 | "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising." |
| Hag 2:7 | "I will shake all nations, and the treasures of all nations will come" |
| Matt 2:1-12 | Magi from the East bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Jesus |
| Acts 8:26-39 | Ethiopian eunuch converts: literal fulfillment of Ps 68:31 |
| Rev 21:24-26 | "The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it." |
| Old Testament Scripture | New Testament Echo | Related Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 68:1 "Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered!" | Num 10:35 Moses' Ark Song (Ps 68 directly quotes) | The entire psalm is a poetic expansion of the ark's journey prayer |
| Ps 68:5 "A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows" | Jas 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction" | God is the Father of the fatherless and widows: so believers should also care for them |
| Ps 68:5 "God in his holy habitation is a father of the fatherless" | Matt 25:40 "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." | God actively identifies with the least: serving the least is serving Him |
| Ps 68:18 "You have ascended on high. You have led away captives." | Eph 4:8 "Therefore he says, 'When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.'" (Direct Quote) | The most crucial Old Testament type concerning ascension in the entire Bible: the MT's "received" is read by Paul as "gave" |
| Ps 68:18 "received gifts" → Eph 4:8 "gave gifts to men" | Eph 4:11-13 "He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" | Christ bestows the gifts and offices of the church after His ascension |
| Ps 68:18 "ascended on high" | Acts 1:9-11 "he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight." | The event of Christ's ascension itself |
| Ps 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens" | Matt 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest." | The Old Testament root of the Lord Jesus as the one who bears burdens |
| Ps 68:19 "God is our salvation" | Matt 1:21 "You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins." | Yeshu'ah is the root of the name Jesus (Yeshua) |
| Ps 68:20 "To God, the Lord, belongs escape from death." | Rev 1:18 "I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades." | Christ personally opens the exit from death |
| Ps 68:21 "God will strike through the head of his enemies" | Rom 16:20 "The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet." | Fulfillment of Gen 3:15 "bruise the serpent's head" in the New Testament |
| Ps 68:29-32 "Kings will bring presents to you" | Matt 2:1-12 Magi from the East offer gold, frankincense, and myrrh | Dynasties of the nations visit the infant Jesus |
| Ps 68:31 "Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God." | Acts 8:26-39 Ethiopian eunuch converts and is baptized | The Ethiopian as the first Gentile messenger to turn to Christ |
| Ps 68:32 "Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth!" | Rev 7:9 "a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages" | The ultimate fulfillment of universal praise |
| Ps 68:35 "God is awesome out of your sanctuaries." | Heb 12:22-24 "But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" | Zion ultimately fulfilled as the heavenly holy city |
The special status of Psalm 68 within the Psalter is undeniable; it is the only psalm in the entire collection that compresses the whole of redemptive history (from Sinai to Zion to the submission of the nations) into 35 verses. Its language is ancient, its structure magnificent, its theology dense, and it is directly quoted in the New Testament, making it the "epic of epics" within the Psalms.
But the deeper value of Psalm 68 lies in what it tells believers throughout the ages: God's entire plan of salvation is a continuous, single story. From Moses crying out in the wilderness, "Let Yahweh arise," to David moving the ark into Zion, to Solomon building the temple, to the prophets foretelling the nations turning to Zion, to Christ's ascension and the giving of gifts, to the descent of the New Jerusalem at the end of time—this is all the same story of "God arising."
Psalm 68 was therefore regarded by the early church as the most important ascension psalm. Jewish tradition recites this psalm annually on Pentecost, as Pentecost is precisely the anniversary of God giving the Law at Sinai, aligning with Psalm 68's "Sinai-Zion" axis. Christian tradition recites this psalm on Ascension Day (the 40th day after Easter), because Ephesians 4:8 reads it as a poetic foreshadowing of Christ's ascension.
For believers today, Psalm 68 gives us at least three unshakeable lessons:
First, majesty and tenderness are perfectly united in God. We often separate these two, feeling that a majestic God is distant and unapproachable, while a tender God is too weak. Psalm 68 tells you: the One who makes the mountains tremble is precisely the One who daily bears your burdens.
Second, Christ's ascension is not an end, but the beginning of grace. We often think of "Christ's ascension" as the period at the end of Jesus' story, but Psalm 68:18 + Ephesians 4:8 shows us: ascension is the beginning of Christ distributing the fruits of victory to the church. Every spiritual gift in the church today (pastors, teachers, evangelists, counselors, healers, caregivers) is a gift "distributed" by Christ to His army after His ascension.
Third, the turning of the nations to Zion is already fulfilled in us. Psalm 68:31 says, "Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God." Your ability to pray before the Lord today as a Gentile is the fulfillment of this verse. Your conversion is the ultimate fulfillment of this ancient Psalm 68.
Authoritative Commentaries
Further Reading
Chinese Resources (Welcome to add)
| Theme | Content |
|---|---|
| Poetic Expansion of the Ark's Journey | The entire psalm poetically adapts Numbers 10:35, "Rise up, Yahweh," transforming the ark's journey from Sinai to Zion into the whole history of redemption. |
| Unity of Majesty and Mercy | The Almighty who makes mountains tremble is precisely the Father of the fatherless and widows: this is declared in verse 5, "in his holy habitation." |
| God Who Bears Burdens Daily | Verse 19 is an Old Testament prototype of cross theology: God takes on and carries the burdens of His children every day. |
| Key Type of Christ's Ascension | Verse 18 is quoted by Paul in Ephesians 4:8, becoming the most crucial Old Testament root for Christ's ascension + the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. |
| Nations Turning to Zion | Verses 28-35 declare that all nations will ultimately bring tribute to the God of Zion, foreshadowing all peoples turning to Christ. |
| Transfer of the Holy Mountain from Sinai to Zion | Verse 17, "The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary," declares that Zion inherits the covenant established at Sinai. |
| Principle of Choosing the Small | God forsakes the magnificent mountains of Bashan, choosing the inconspicuous Zion; and He chooses "little Benjamin" to be first. |