O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:
-God's doings for His people in the wilderness; His giving them the law at Sinai; His sustaining and reviving them until He led them into the land of promise.
Verse 7,8. O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness ... The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved - literally, 'this Sinai' (pointing to it), derived from Deborah's song, Judges 5:4-5; which again rests on Deuteronomy 33:2; Exodus 19:16. God, as it were, 'marched' at the head of the people 'to search out a resting-place for them' (Numbers 10:33; Deuteronomy 1:33). Israel's hosts were led on against the Canaanites by the Lord as the commander-in-chief, going before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and by night in a pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21; cf. Deuteronomy 32:10). The Psalmist begins with the giving of the Law on Sinai, and passes over the previous miracles, because it was at Sinai that the covenant between God and Israel was formally ratified (Deuteronomy 33:2-5). The manifestation of Himself there was a proof of His special love to Israel (Deuteronomy 4:33).
Verse 9. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. Though no mention is made in the history of rain, there is of a dense cloud, which implies it. "Plentiful rain" - literally, rain of liberalities; i:e., most abundant rain; a most important boon to God's inheritance or people (Psalms 28:9; Psalms 94:5) thirsting for water in the desert. But as the water for drink is elsewhere represented as coming from the rock, the rain of manna and quails is the rain of gifts implied. Compare Psalms 78:23-24; Psalms 78:27-28. Exodus 16:4. The Hebrew is used generally of free-will gifts (Psalms 54:6) х nªdaabaah (H5071)]. Compare "showers of blessing," Ezekiel 34:26. The ulterior reference is to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 32:2; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 45:8; Hebrews 6:7). As Psalms 68:8 shows His terrible power, so Psalms 68:9 His grace. The Hebrew for "send" is literally to shake out, to wave back and forwards, so as to cause the rain of gracious gifts to fall on the whole people, and not merely on one favoured section. The "THOU" in the Hebrew is emphatic: 'thine inheritance, even when it was wearied (i:e., worn out), THOU didst confirm' or 'fortify it.' Thou who alone couldst strengthen one worn out, didst so for thy people.
Verse 10. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein - namely, in the promised land, the object for which they marched through the wilderness. So Psalms 68:14, "in it." So "it," Isaiah 8:21. The Hebrew for "your congregation" х chayaatªkaa (H2416)], or host, is used in this sense by David first, 2 Samuel 23:11; 2 Samuel 23:13; the usual sense is life or animal.
Thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor. Supply 'a home.' Compare Psalms 68:6, margin "The poor" are the once homeless Israelites in the wilderness.