Overview:
(BKC) The psalmist reviewed the history of Israel from the wilderness wanderings to the occupation and conquest of the land. He emphasized God’s choice of Zion, which resulted in Israel’s taking many Canaanites as captives and the Israelites receiving gifts or spoils from the captives. This is the reason he sang praises: God was marching triumphantly on behalf of the oppressed. David called on others to join him in praising their strong Lord.
The greatest triumph to which the psalm is related is Christ’s Ascension, for Psalm 68:18 was paraphrased and applied to Him by Paul (Eph. 4:8).
(EBC) The theme of this magnificent Psalm is the march of God to victory. It traces the establishment of His kingdom in the past; it looks forward to the defeat of all opposition in the future until all the kingdoms of the world own the God of Israel as their Lord and pay Him homage
Structure:
(EBC)
A. Prayer [ or Description] for God’s Coming as the Divine Warrior (vv. 1–3)
B. In Praise of Divine Vindication (vv. 4–6)
C. A Reflection of the Divine Warrior (vv. 7–18)
B′. In Praise of Divine Vindication (vv. 19–20)
C′. An Oracle From the Divine Warrior (vv. 21–23)
A′. Joyful Anticipation of God’s Coming as the Divine Warrior (vv. 24–35)
Observations and Reflections:
(1) v.1-6 David described the coming of God. Different people would have different responses, depending if you are His enemies, His adversaries, the wicked or you are the godly. Another contrsat was the fact that He was exalted and rides on the clouds. He is the ruler from high, but He cares for the lowest.
68:5 He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows.
God rules from his holy palace.
68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes;
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.
But sinful rebels live in the desert.
(NET) God is depicted here as a just ruler. In the ancient Near Eastern world a king was responsible for promoting justice, including caring for the weak and vulnerable, epitomized by the fatherless and widows.
Reflections:
I am bombarded by the topic of justice ruler in both the national and international news. If I take David's perspective, being the just ruler includes caring for the weak and vulnerable. No ruler today is qualify of being a justice ruler. How about myself? Do I care about other's children or I only care about my own families? Do I help the helpless women/widows? Do I help the lonely person and cares for the prisoners?
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