Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
Psalms 68:1-35.-When God arises, His enemies are scattered like smoke, while the righteous joyfully extol Jah, the Father of the fatherless (Psalms 68:1-6); God's doings for His people when He led them through the wilderness (Psalms 68:7-10); His victorious doings for them from their entrance into Canaan to the setting up of the ark in Zion (Psalms 68:11-14); His choice of Zion as His hill forever, in the face of the hostile world-hills; in it He reigns with countless chariots, subduing His people's enemies (Psalms 68:15-18): He is blessed daily (Psalms 68:19); He is the God of His people's salvation from the wicked (Psalms 68:20-23); the triumphal procession (Psalms 68:24-27); anticipation of the conversion of the pagan to the God of Israel (Psalms 68:28-31); all kingdoms called to praise (Psalms 68:32-35). The occasion was probably when, at the close of the war with Ammon, the ark (2 Samuel 11:11) was brought back in triumph to Zion (cf. Psalms 68:1; Psalms 68:24 with Numbers 10:35). Shortly after the capture of Rabbah (2 Samuel 12:26-31), David marked the peace now secured by naming his son Solomon, 'prince of peace.' Deborah's triumphal song is the model. Compare Psalms 68:7-8 with Judges 4:14; Judges 5:4; and Psalms 68:18 with Judges 5:12.
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him - taken from the formula which Moses used whenever the ark set forward (Numbers 10:35), just as Psalms 67:1-7 is based on the Mosaic blessing (Numbers 6:25). The Chaldaic, Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic support the English version; but Hengstenberg, 'God arises and (in consequence) His enemies are scattered ... they flee ... He drives them away ... the wicked perish; the righteous are glad ... rejoice.' The English version, on the victory just granted, builds the general prayer for the future. Instead of Yahweh (H3068), David uses the more general name, 'Elohiym (H430), except in Psalms 68:4; Psalms 68:16; Psalms 68:18; Psalms 68:20. For it is in His general relation to the whole world, brought to the knowledge of Him as God of Israel, that the Psalmist views God, lest they should regard Yahweh as God of Israel only in the sense that He is one of the many national gods which the nations severally had. David designates Him as 'Elohiym (H430), which expresses His Deity as Creator and Preserver of the world. At the same time, Psalms 68:18 shows that he understands Yahweh (H3068) before 'Elohiym (H430), even though he does not express it. God seems quiescent for a time, while the enemy seems to triumph, and His people suffer; but let God once arise, the enemies must be scattered.