Psalms 68:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

When the Almighty scattered kings— When the Almighty scattered kings therein, thou didst make them joyful in Salmon. Chandler. The kings here referred to, may be Sihon, Og, and the kings of Midian, Numbers 31:8. Therein may refer to the country of Midian, where these kings were taken and destroyed. See Psalms 83:9. The consequence of this signal victory was, it was white as snow in Salmon. This may very properly be rendered, There was great joy in Salmon. Salmon here cannot be that mount Salmon mentioned Joshua 9:48 for this was in the tribe of Ephraim; but that Salmon, of which the Psalmist there speaks, was in or near the land of Midian, where the Midianitish kings were destroyed; and was probably one of the high places of Baal, from whence Balaam viewed the people of Israel, Numbers 22:41. The construction may be very properly, "When the Almighty scattered kings in it, namely, in Salmon, he made his people very joyful there." We will subjoin Dr. Chandler's paraphrase of the last four verses: Psalms 68:11. And not only were they thus miraculously fed by the benevolent hand, but made to triumph over all their enemies who molested and opposed them. For thou gavest forth the order to attack. Thou didst assure them of success, leddest them forth against their adversaries; and their victories were celebrated by large numbers of matrons and virgins, who shouted aloud, and sang these joyful tidings: Psalms 68:12. "The kings of armies fled away. They fled away utterly discomfited; and they who abode with their families in their tents received their shares in the spoils of their conquered enemies: Psalms 68:13. Though when you were slaves to the Egyptians, and employed in the servile drudgery of attending their pots and bricks, you appeared in the most sordid and reproachful habits, and took up your dwellings in the most wretches and miserable huts; yet now you are enriched with the gold and silver of your conquered enemies, possessed of their tents, and arrayed with garments shining and beautiful; you resemble the dove's feathers, in which the gold and silver colours, mixed with each other, give a very pleasing and lively appearance." Psalms 68:14. When the Lord thus scattered and overcame kings for the sake of his inheritance, how were thy people refreshed! How great was the joy thou gavest them in Salmon, where they obtained, beheld, and celebrated the victory! How proper were these reflections upon the past interpositions of God's providence in favour of his people, upon this great event, the translation of the ark to Jerusalem! This was the place where God was now to be peculiarly present; his dwelling-place, where the great earnest of his especial protection and blessing was to dwell; the same ark which went before them in their marches through the wilderness, and out of which God, as it were, went forth, subdued their enemies before them, and settled them peaceably in that good land, which he had promised to their fathers. As it was now to be fixed at Jerusalem, the capital of the kingdom, that city was henceforward to become the city of the living God; its prosperity to be secured by his presence, and in that the welfare and safety of the whole nation. When the ark came in view of mount Sion, (the place of its fixed residence for the future,) and probably when they began to ascend it, I apprehend they sang the following part of this sacred composition; Psalms 68:15-18.