Psalms 68:30
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Rebuke the beast in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This is a most excellent psalm, but in many places the genuine sense is not easy to come at; for in this, as in some other scriptures, there are things dark and hard to be understood. It does not appear when, or upon what occasion, David penned this psalm; but probably it was when, God having given him rest from all his enemies round about, he brought the ark (which was both the token of God's presence and a type of Christ's mediation) from the house of Obed-edom to the tent he had pitched for it in Zion; for the first words are the prayer which Moses used at the removing of the ark, Num 10:35. From this he is led, by the Spirit of prophecy, to speak glorious things concerning the Messiah, his ascension into heaven, and the setting up of his kingdom in the world. I. He begins with prayer, both against God's enemies (Psa 68:1, Psa 68:2) and for his people (Psa 68:3). II. He proceeds to praise, which takes up the rest of the psalm, calling upon all to praise God (Psa 68:4, Psa 68:26, Psa 68:32) and suggesting many things as matter for praise. 1. The greatness and goodness of God (Psa 68:4-6). 2. The wonderful works God had wrought for his people formerly, bringing them through the wilderness (Psa 68:7, Psa 68:8), settling them in Canaan (Psa 68:9, Psa 68:10), giving them victory over their enemies (Psa 68:11, Psa 68:12), and delivering them out of the hands of their oppressors (Psa 68:13, Psa 68:14). 3. The special presence of God in his church (Psa 68:15-17). 4. The ascension of Christ (Psa 68:18) and the salvation of his people by him (Psa 68:19, Psa 68:20). 5. The victories which Christ would obtain over his enemies, and the favours he would bestow upon his church (Psa 68:21-28). 6. The enlargement of the church by the accession of the Gentiles to it (Psa 68:29-31). An…
Open source ↗68:30 Hostile and rebellious people delight in warfare and insurrection (see 2:1-3).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
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You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.
When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.
He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh.
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat.
“Because you rejoice, because you sing in triumph— you who plunder My inheritance— because you frolic like a heifer treading grain and neigh like stallions,
I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.