Psalms 68:22

KJV

¶ The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring [my people] again from the depths of the sea:

KJV (with Strong's)

The Lord {H136} said {H559}{H8804)}, I will bring again {H7725}{H8686)} from Bashan {H1316}, I will bring my people again {H7725}{H8686)} from the depths {H4688} of the sea {H3220}:

Complete Jewish Bible

Adonai said, "I will bring them back from Bashan, I will fetch [those rebels] even from the depths of the sea;

Berean Standard Bible

The Lord said, “I will retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them up from the depths of the sea,

American Standard Version

The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bringthem again from the depths of the sea;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalm 68:22 is a profound declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and unwavering commitment to His people, proclaiming His omnipotent ability to deliver them from any threat, no matter how formidable or seemingly insurmountable. It stands as a powerful testament to divine rescue, asserting that no height of danger or depth of despair is beyond the reach of His saving power.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 68 is a magnificent psalm of triumph, often envisioned as a grand processional hymn celebrating God's majesty, His victorious leadership of Israel, and His establishment of His dwelling in Zion. It recounts God's mighty acts of salvation throughout Israel's history, from the wilderness wanderings to the conquest of Canaan. Verse 22 fits seamlessly into this narrative of divine power and conquest. It follows declarations of God striking down His adversaries (e.g., [Psalm 68:21](/psalms/68-21 "Psalm 68:21 - God Shatters His Enemies")) and precedes promises of His people trampling their enemies (e.g., [Psalm 68:23](/psalms/68-23 "Psalm 68:23 - God's People Tread on Enemies")). This verse serves to underscore that God's deliverance extends to the most extreme and seemingly impossible circumstances, reinforcing His role as the invincible Warrior-King.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The references to "Bashan" and "the depths of the sea" are rich with historical and cultural significance for ancient Israel. Bashan, a fertile, elevated region east of the Jordan River, was known for its strong bulls and formidable inhabitants, including King Og, a giant (e.g., [Deuteronomy 3:1-11](/deuteronomy/3 "Deuteronomy 3 - Conquest of Og and Bashan")). It symbolized a place of strength, hostile power, or dispersion among formidable enemies. The "depths of the sea" vividly evokes the ultimate peril, chaos, and overwhelming forces, most notably recalling the miraculous deliverance of Israel through the [Red Sea](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Red Sea Crossing"), where God saved His people from certain destruction by drowning Pharaoh's army. Together, these images represent the extreme ends of danger—from the heights of hostile territory to the deepest, most life-threatening abyss—emphasizing God's comprehensive power to save.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Psalm 68 and the broader biblical narrative. Central is the theme of **Divine Deliverance**, highlighting God's unparalleled ability to rescue His people from impossible situations, whether from literal enemies or overwhelming circumstances. This underscores God's **Omnipotence**, demonstrating His absolute power over all creation and all forces, human or natural; no threat is too great for Him to overcome. Furthermore, it speaks to God's **Covenant Faithfulness**, showcasing His unwavering commitment to His people, fulfilling His promises to protect and preserve them, and demonstrating His enduring love. The verse also implicitly reinforces the theme of **God as Warrior and King**, who actively fights for and leads His people to victory, echoing the triumph seen in passages like [Exodus 15](/exodus/15 "Exodus 15 - The Song of Moses"). For the believer, it offers profound **Hope and Assurance** that God is capable of bringing salvation even when all seems lost, a sentiment echoed in [Isaiah 43:2](/isaiah/43-2 "Isaiah 43:2 - God's Presence in Trials"), which speaks of God being with His people through rivers and fire.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Bashan (Hebrew, _bāšān'_):** This refers to a fertile, elevated region east of the Jordan River, renowned for its rich pastures, strong livestock (e.g., "bulls of Bashan" in [Psalm 22:12](/psalms/22-12 "Psalm 22:12 - Strong Enemies")), and formidable inhabitants. In a symbolic sense, it represents a place of strength, danger, or a stronghold of enemies from which God's people need deliverance. It signifies a high, imposing threat.
* **Depths (Hebrew, _məṣulōt'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to sink," this word refers to the deep places, abysses, or lowest parts, particularly of the sea. In biblical cosmology, the deep often symbolized chaos, overwhelming forces, or even the realm of death. Its use here conveys extreme peril, inescapable entrapment, or seemingly insurmountable destruction.
* **Bring again (Hebrew, _’āšîḇ'_):** From the verb שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to return," "restore," or "bring back." The repetition of this verb emphasizes God's active, intentional, and restorative intervention. It is not a passive rescue but a deliberate act of bringing His people back to safety and prosperity from a state of danger or dispersion.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan":** This clause opens with a divine declaration, emphasizing God's sovereign will and power. The promise to "bring again from Bashan" signifies God's ability to rescue His people from places of formidable strength, high places of danger, or from the grip of powerful enemies. It speaks to deliverance from overt, imposing threats.
* **"I will bring [my people] again from the depths of the sea":** This parallel clause reinforces the first, expanding the scope of God's deliverance to the most extreme and perilous situations. "The depths of the sea" symbolizes ultimate chaos, overwhelming destruction, or even death itself. This phrase powerfully recalls the miraculous deliverance of Israel through the [Red Sea](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Red Sea Crossing"), where God rescued His people from certain annihilation. The combination of Bashan (heights of danger) and the depths of the sea (lowest abyss) signifies God's comprehensive power to save from any conceivable extremity.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 68:22 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. Most prominent is **Parallelism**, specifically a form of synonymous or antithetical parallelism, where "from Bashan" and "from the depths of the sea" function as two contrasting yet complementary images of extreme peril, both requiring divine intervention. This creates a sense of comprehensive deliverance. **Metaphor** and **Symbolism** are central, with "Bashan" symbolizing formidable, elevated threats and "the depths of the sea" representing overwhelming, chaotic, and potentially fatal dangers. These are not merely geographical locations but powerful symbols of any seemingly insurmountable obstacle. The use of these extreme images can also be seen as a form of **Hyperbole**, emphasizing the boundless nature of God's saving power. Finally, the verse begins with **Divine Speech** ("The Lord said"), lending absolute authority and certainty to the promise of deliverance, underscoring that this is a direct, authoritative declaration from God Himself.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 68:22 is a profound theological statement on God's character as the ultimate Deliverer, whose power knows no bounds. It affirms His omnipotence over all creation, including the forces of nature and the might of human adversaries. This verse underscores God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people, demonstrating His commitment to rescue and restore them even from the most dire circumstances. It portrays God as the active, intervening deity who hears the cries of His people and acts decisively on their behalf, echoing His historical acts of salvation and providing a bedrock of hope for future deliverance. The imagery of Bashan and the sea encapsulates the full spectrum of human vulnerability and the comprehensive scope of divine salvation.

* [Exodus 14:28](/exodus/14-28 "Exodus 14:28 - Pharaoh's Army Drowned")
* [Isaiah 43:2](/isaiah/43-2 "Isaiah 43:2 - God's Presence in Trials")
* [Romans 8:38-39](/romans/8-38 "Romans 8:38 - Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For the contemporary believer, Psalm 68:22 serves as an enduring beacon of hope and a powerful reminder of God's unfailing ability to deliver. In a world fraught with challenges—whether personal struggles, spiritual battles, deep despair, or seemingly inescapable difficulties—this verse encourages us to place our absolute trust in God's mighty hand. It affirms that no situation, no matter how daunting or overwhelming, is beyond His reach or power to redeem. Just as He rescued ancient Israel from the formidable heights of Bashan and the terrifying depths of the sea, so too can He bring us through our own "Bashans" (the strongholds of fear, addiction, or oppression) and "depths of the sea" (periods of profound grief, financial ruin, or existential crisis). This psalm calls us to cultivate a faith that believes in God's omnipotence, providing profound comfort and strength in times of adversity, and reminding us that our God is always capable of making a way where there seems to be none.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "Bashan" or "depths of the sea" are you currently facing in your life, whether literally or metaphorically?**
* **How does this verse deepen your trust in God's omnipotent power and His unwavering faithfulness to deliver His people?**
* **In what ways can you actively remember and declare God's past deliverances in your life as a source of hope for present and future challenges?**

### FAQ

**What is the significance of "Bashan" in this verse?**
Answer: Bashan was a fertile, elevated region east of the Jordan River, known for its strong bulls and formidable inhabitants, including King Og, a giant. In this verse, "Bashan" symbolizes a high place of danger, a stronghold of powerful enemies, or a place of dispersion among hostile forces. It represents a formidable, overt threat from which God promises to deliver His people, contrasting with the more hidden, overwhelming threat of the "depths of the sea."

**How does "depths of the sea" relate to other biblical imagery?**
Answer: The "depths of the sea" often symbolizes chaos, overwhelming forces, or even death itself in biblical literature. Its most direct historical parallel in Israel's history is the miraculous deliverance through the [Red Sea](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Red Sea Crossing"), where God saved His people from certain destruction by drowning Pharaoh's army (e.g., [Exodus 14:28](/exodus/14-28 "Exodus 14:28 - Pharaoh's Army Drowned")). This imagery emphasizes God's ability to rescue from the most extreme, life-threatening, and seemingly inescapable perils.

**Is this verse a literal prophecy or symbolic language?**
Answer: While rooted in historical acts of deliverance (such as the [Exodus](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Red Sea Crossing") and the conquest of lands like Bashan), the language in Psalm 68:22 is highly symbolic and poetic. "Bashan" and "the depths of the sea" serve as powerful metaphors for any seemingly insurmountable danger or impossible situation from which God promises to deliver His people. It speaks to both God's past literal interventions and His ongoing commitment to provide spiritual and physical rescue in all circumstances.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 68:22, with its powerful imagery of deliverance from the heights of Bashan and the depths of the sea, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "Bashan" of humanity's sin, the stronghold of Satan, and the "depths of the sea" representing death and the grave, were all conquered by Christ. He descended into the very abyss of death, not to be overcome, but to bring forth His people. His resurrection from the grave (the ultimate "depths of the sea") and His ascension to the right hand of God (the ultimate "Bashan" of divine authority) signify His complete triumph over all spiritual enemies, principalities, and powers (e.g., [Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Triumph Over Principalities")). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus delivered us from the power of sin and death (e.g., [Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14 "Hebrews 2:14 - Destroying the Power of Death")), bringing us from spiritual death to new life. He is the true "Lord" who brings His people again from every form of bondage and despair, leading a host of captives in His triumphal procession (e.g., [Ephesians 4:8](/ephesians/4-8 "Ephesians 4:8 - Christ's Ascension and Gifts")), ensuring that death is swallowed up in victory (e.g., [1 Corinthians 15:54-57](/1_corinthians/15-54 "1 Corinthians 15:54 - Victory Over Death")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Numbers 21:33

And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.

Ezekiel 36:24

For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Amos 9:2

Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

Amos 9:3

And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:

Isaiah 49:22

Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon [their] shoulders.

Isaiah 51:10

[Art] thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

Isaiah 51:11

Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy [shall be] upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; [and] sorrow and mourning shall flee away.