Psalm 68
The Mountain of God
In the book of Psalms there are great battle cries, as we call ourselves to take up arms against the great Enemy.
But Psalm 68 is on the other side of that battle. It is a great victory cry, for we exult in the God who reigns triumphant.
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke –
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds;
rejoice before him – his name is the LORD.
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
6 God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.7 When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.11 The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:
12 ‘Kings and armies flee in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.
13 Even while you sleep among the sheepfolds,
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.’
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.15 Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the LORD himself will dwell for ever?
17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.
18 When you ascended on high,
you took many captives;
you received gifts from people,
even from the rebellious –
that you, LORD God, might dwell there.19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour,
who daily bears our burdens.
20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22 The Lord says, ‘I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share.’24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the tambourines.
26 Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.
27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.28 Summon your power, God;
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.
30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush will submit herself to God.32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,
33 to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders with mighty voice.
34 Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.Praise be to God!
This Psalm is teeming over with treasures to excite the hearts of God’s people and enrich our faith. But this week, I just want to write briefly about the mountainous conflict at the heart of this song. Near the centre, we see a deeply uneven contrast between Mount Bashan and the Mountain of God.
In Biblical terrain, the mountains were where the gods ruled from. Jerusalem is only slightly elevated above sea level but it was exalted theologically. This is because that is where God dwelt among his people.
The opening words of the Psalm come from Numbers 10.35, which is what Moses would say each time the Ark was moved during their wanderings in the wilderness. And in this prayer we are taking Moses’s words and calling on God in his power to confront the wicked and comfort the weary and wounded (1-6).
During the journey to the Promised Land, Israel were attacked by King Og and his forces. He ruled over Bashan. As they travelled through that land and their enemies were on the horizon, God told Moses not to be afraid. For he promised them victory over Og (Number 21.31-35).
The reference then in v15 is to this triumph over Og and his army. The Mount of Bashan has a majesty and ruggedness that are admirable. But it will always be inferior to the Mount of God. For he is the One before whom the wicked do not just swoon but melt in the face of his blazing holiness (2). He is the One is exalted and elevated over the heavens and nations and powers and kings (28-34).
And all those that dwell with God stand in his power. God tells Moses in their encounter with Og that they will conquer through him. This Psalm closes with the assurance that God gives his people power and strength in our battle against the world, flesh and devil. As Paul writes, we become conquerors through Christ Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of God (Romans 8.37).
God’s rule is above and over all. But he also comes low to meet the lowly. And he descends to defeat his foes. Returning from this triumph, he brings the spoils of victory with him (18). In Ephesians 4.7-12, Paul tells us this refers to Jesus. Christ descended to earth and even the grave. And through his resurrection and ascension, he defeated death and devil, and is now seated at the right hand of God ruling and reigning. And in that exalted position, he sends gifts down to his people.
Someone called this the Psalm of Pentecost. For Acts 2 records how the ascended Jesus, from the Mount of Heaven, sent the Spirit onto his people. And so it is now in his people, and not a temple in Jerusalem, where God dwells.
This is a Psalm of joy and delight. God is our Saviour because he is the Victor. He is our Deliverer for he has defeated the evil one.
Therefore church, let us sing with great confidence of the Lord who saves and give him praise.
Glory be to God the Father, the father of the fatherless and defender of widows.
Glory be to God the Son, who descended to death and ascended to the throne of glory.
Glory be to God the Spirit, poured into our hearts by the ascended Christ.
Ever three and ever One.