Psalms 68:7-18 - The Biblical Illustrator

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness.

The progress of humanity

I. It commences with the Divinely terrible (Psalms 68:7-8). As a rule, if not always, the very first step of the soul on its moral march is preceded by visions of God that startle and alarm. God seems to enwrap the soul in “blackness” and “darkness” and “tempests,” to roll thunders and flash lightnings on the conscience, as on Sinai of old; so that the soul cries out, “Lord, what shall I do to be saved?” (Isaiah; St. Paul; people on day of Pentecost.)

II. It proceeds under the leadership of God Himself.

1. He supplied Israel’s needs (Psalms 68:9).

2. He conquered their enemies (Psalms 68:11-12). And this is what God is always doing for His people. No moral progress can we make unless He leads us on, supplying our needs and striking down our foes.

III. Every stage conducts to higher privileges. Three stages in the march of the Hebrews are indicated here. From Egypt they advanced to the wilderness, and the wilderness, with all its trials and inconveniences, was better than the land of despotism. From the wilderness they entered Canaan. Every stage that a man reaches in moral progress is better than the preceding. He moves on “from strength to strength,” from “glory to glory.” The glories reached are nothing to be compared to the glories yet to be enjoyed. (Homilist.)

Related Commentaries of Psalms 68:7

Psalms 68:7-18

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

8 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.

9 Thou, O God, didst sendd a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord gave the word: great was the companye of those that published it.

12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.

13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snowf in Salmon.

15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men;g yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.