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Commentary on Psalms 68 verses 22–31
In these verses we have three things: -
I. The gracious promise which God makes of the redemption of his people, and their victory over his and their enemies (Psa 68:22, Psa 68:23): The Lord said, in his own gracious purpose and promise, "I will do great things for my people, as the God of their salvation," Psa 68:20. God will not fail the expectations of those who by faith take him for their God. It is promised, 1. That he will set them in safety from their danger, as he had done formerly: "I will again bring them from the depths of the sea," as he did Israel when he brought them out of the slavery of Egypt into the ease and liberty of the wilderness; "and I will again bring them from Bashan," as he did Israel when he brought them from their wants and wanderings in the wilderness into the fulness and settlement of the land of Canaan; for the land of Bashan was on the other side Jordan, where they had wars with Sihon and Og, and whence their next removal was into Canaan. Note, The former appearances of God's power and goodness for his people should encourage their faith and hope in him for the future, that what he has done he will do again. He will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people (Isa 11:11); and we may perhaps see repeated all the wonders which our fathers told us of. But this is not all: 2. That he will make them victorious over their enemies (Psa 68:23): That thy feet may be dipped, as thou passest along, in the blood of thy enemies, shed like water in great abundance, and the tongue of thy dogs may lap in the same. Dogs licked the blood of Ahab; and, in the destruction of the anti-christian generation, we read of blood up to the horses' bridles, Rev 14:20. The victories with which God blessed David's forces over the enemies of Israel are here prophesied of, but as types of Christ's victory over death and the grave for himself and for all believers, in his resurrection (and theirs by virtue of his) out of the earth, and of the destruction of the enemies of Christ and his church, who shall have blood given them to drink, for they are worthy.
II. The welcome entertainment which God's own people shall give to these glorious discoveries of his grace, both in his word and in his works. Has he spoken in his holiness? Has he said he will bring again from Bashan? What then is required of us in return to this?
1.That we observe his motions (Psa 68:24): "They have seen, thy people have seen, thy goings, O God! While others regard not the work of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, they have seen the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary." See here, (1.) How an active faith appropriates God; he is God and King; but that is not all, he is my God and my King. Those who thus take him for theirs may see him, in all his outgoings, acting as their God, as their King, for their good, and in answer to their prayers. (2.) Where God's most remarkable outgoings are, even in the sanctuary, in and by his word and ordinances, and among his people in the gospel church especially, in and by which is made known the manifold wisdom of God. These outgoings of his in the sanctuary far outshine the outgoings of the morning and the evening, and more loudly proclaim his eternal power and godhead. (3.) What is our duty in reference to these outgoings, which is to observe them. This is the finger of God. Surely God is with us of a truth.
2.That we give him glory in the most devout and solemn manner. When we see his goings in his sanctuary, (1.) Let those that are immediately employed in the service of the temple praise him, Psa 68:25. It was expected that the Levites, some of whom were singers and others players on instruments, who had the nearest views of his outgoings in his sanctuary, should lead in his praises. And, it being a day of extraordinary triumph, among them were damsels playing with timbrels, to complete the concert. "Thus (says Dr. Hammond) when Christ has gone up to heaven the apostles shall celebrate and publish it to all the world, and even the women that were witnesses of it shall affectionately join with them in divulging it." (2.) Let all the people of Israel in their solemn religious assembly give glory to God: Bless God, not only in temples, but in the synagogues, or schools of the prophets, or wherever there is a congregation of those that come forth from the fountain of Israel, that are of the seed of Jacob, let them concur in blessing God. Public mercies, which we jointly share in, call for public thanksgivings, which all should join in. "Thus (says Dr. Hammond) all Christians shall be obliged solemnly to magnify the name of the Messiah, and, to that end, frequently to assemble together in congregations." And, (3.) Let those among them who, upon any account, are the most eminent, and make a figure, go before the rest in praising God, Psa 68:27. There was little Benjamin (that was the royal tribe in Saul's time) with their rulers, the princes of Judah (that was the royal tribe in David's time), and their council, their captains or leaders. In the beginning of David's reign there had been long war between Judah and Benjamin, but now they both join in praises for success against the common enemy. But why are the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali particularly mentioned? Perhaps because those tribes, lying towards the north, lay most exposed to the incursions of the Syrians, and other neighbours that molested them, and therefore should be in a particular manner thankful for these victories over them. Dr. Hammond gives another reason, That these were the two learned tribes. Naphtali giveth goodly words (Gen 49:21) and Zebulun had those that handle the pen of the writer, Jdg 5:14. These shall join in praising God, their princes especially. It is much for the honour of God when those that are above others in dignity, power, and reputation, go before them in the worship of God and are forward in using their influence and interest for the advancing of any service that is to be done to him. Dr. Hammond notes hence that the kingdom of the Messiah should, at length, be submitted to by all the potentates and learned men in the world.
3.That we seek unto him, and depend upon him, for the perfecting of what he has begun, Psa 68:28. In the former part of the verse the psalmist speaks to Israel: "Thy God has commanded thy strength; that is, whatever is done for thee, or whatever strength thou hast to help thyself, it comes from God, his power and grace, and the word which he has commanded; thou hast no reason to fear while thou hast strength of God's commanding, and no reason to boast while thou hast no strength but what is of his commanding." In the latter part he speaks to God, encouraged by his experiences: "Strengthen, O God! that which thou hast wrought for us. Lord, confirm what thou hast commanded, perform what thou hast promised, and bring to a happy end that good work which thou hast so gloriously begun." What God has wrought he will strengthen; where he has given true grace he will give more grace. Some make this whole verse to be a believer's address to the Messiah, whom David calls God, as he had done, Psa 45:6, Psa 45:8. "Thy God" (God the Father) "has commanded thy strength, has made thee strong for himself, as the man of his right hand (Psa 80:17), has treasured up strength in thee for us; therefore we pray that thou, O God the Son! wilt strengthen what thou hast wrought for us, wilt accomplish thy undertaking for us by finishing thy good work in us."
III. The powerful invitation and inducement which would hereby be given to those that are without to come in and join themselves to the church, Psa 68:29-31. This was in part fulfilled by the accession of many proselytes to the Jewish religion in the days of David and Solomon; but it was to have its full accomplishment in the conversion of the Gentile nations to the faith of Christ, and the making of them fellow-heirs, and of the same body, with the seed of Israel, Eph 3:6. 1. Some shall submit for fear (Psa 68:30): "The company of spearmen, that stand it out against Christ and his gospel, that are not willing to be ruled by him, that persecute the preachers and professors of his name, that are furious and outrageous as a multitude of bulls, fat and wanton as the calves of the people" (which is a description of those Jews and Gentiles that opposed the gospel of Christ and did what they could to prevent the setting up of his kingdom in the world), "Lord, rebuke them, abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices, till, conquered by the convictions of their consciences and the many checks of providence, they be every one of them brought, at length, to submit themselves with pieces of silver, as being glad to make their peace with the church upon any terms." Even Judas submitted himself with pieces of silver when he returned them with this confession, I have betrayed innocent blood. And see Rev 3:9. Many, by being rebuked, have been happily saved from being ruined. But as for those that will not submit, notwithstanding these rebukes, he prays for their dispersion, which amounts to a prophecy of it: Scatter thou the people that delight in war, who take such a pleasure in opposing Christ that they will never be reconciled to him. This may refer to the unbelieving Jews, who delighted in making war upon the holy seed, and would not submit themselves, and were therefore scattered over the face of the earth. David had himself been a man of war, but could appeal to God that he never delighted in war and bloodshed for its own sake; as for those that did, and therefore would not submit to the fairest terms of peace, he does not doubt but God would scatter them. Those are lost to all the sacred principles of humanity, as well as Christianity, that can delight in war and take a pleasure in contention let them expect that, sooner or later, they shall have enough of it, Isa 33:1; Rev 13:10. 2. Others shall submit willingly (Psa 68:29, Psa 68:31): Because of thy temple at Jerusalem (this David speaks of in faith, for the temple of Jerusalem was not built in his time, only the materials and model were prepared) kings shall bring presents unto thee; rich presents shall be brought, such as are fit for kings to bring; even kings themselves, that stand much upon the punctilios of honour and prerogative, shall court the favour of Christ at a great expense. There is that in God's temple, that beauty and benefit in the service of God and in communion with him, and in the gospel of Christ which went forth from Jerusalem, that is enough to invite kings themselves to bring presents to God, to present themselves to him as living sacrifices, and with themselves the best performances. He mentions Egypt and Ethiopia, two countries out of which subjects and suppliants were least to be expected (Psa 68:31): Princes shall come out of Egypt as ambassadors to seek God's favour and submit to him; and they shall be accepted, for the Lord of hosts shall thereupon bless them, saying, Blessed by Egypt my people, Isa 19:25. Even Ethiopia, that had stretched out her hands against God's Israel (Ch2 14:9), should now stretch out her hands unto God, in prayer, in presents, and to take hold on him, and that soon. Agree with thy adversary quickly. Out of all nations some shall be gathered in to Christ and be owned by him.
I think that here none but the apostles can be meant by the rulers of Naphtali. For thence our Lord and Savior called them according to the quotation from Matthew. The Scripture is prophesying the coming of the Word of God to human beings and his incarnate sojourn here, when it says, “Your goings [solemn processions], O God, have been seen,” and that which follows. And the prophets of old were like heralds of his epiphany and arrived before him with proclamation and chant, with music of psaltery and choir and all kinds of spiritual instruments, in the midst of maidens playing on timbrels. For the inspired prophets going in every way into the midst of the Jewish synagogues heralded the coming of the Christ, and by the Holy Spirit they addressed the apostles of our Savior, saying, “Praise the Lord God in the congregations from the fountains of Israel.” And the “fountains of Israel” must be the words delivered to Israel. “For they [the inspired prophets] first trusted the oracles of God,” whence it will be necessary for us to draw and water the churches of Christ. By “maidens playing on timbrels” he suggested the souls that lived in the past by the more external law of Moses, calling them “maidens” because of their youth and imperfectly developed minds and “timbrel players” because of their devotion to external worship.
Likewise, in the same psalm, where it says, "the tongue of your dogs from the enemies by the same," dogs should not always be taken in an evil sense, otherwise the prophet would not blame "dogs not able to bark and loving to dream": 18 doubtless they would be praiseworthy dogs if they both knew how to bark and loved to watch. And certainly those three hundred men—a most sacred number according to the letter of the cross20—would not have been chosen to win the victory because they lapped water as dogs do, unless some great mystery were signified. Good dogs watch and bark to protect their house and their master, their flock and their shepherd. Finally, even here in the praises offered by the church, when a selection is made from this prophecy, it is the tongue of dogs that is mentioned, not their teeth. "The tongue of your dogs," it says, "from the enemies," that is, that those who used to be your enemies and raged against you may become your dogs and may bark for you. It added "from the same" to make them understand that this is not effected by themselves, but "by the same," that is, by his mercy and grace.
Then the people of Israel came to the twelve springs after Marah. We read in the prophet, “Bless the Lord from the springs of Israel.” It is the Christ, who is blessed in no other way than the mouths of the apostles and the teaching of the disciples. The apostles ought to be called “springs,” since they abound in the grace of preaching like purest springs and sprinkle the sweet cup of the sacrament from the abundant wisdom of their veins after the bitterness of the law. Nor is it astonishing if the drink of the springs is sweet, in whose midst the food of the palms is also sweeter. But as for the seventy palm trees planted next to the apostolic springs, I would say that they are those seventy disciples who for the sake of mankind’s salvation are directed by the Lord in a degree second only to the apostles. The evangelist Luke in his description of them asserts that they were appointed two by two. Like palm trees, they returned with exultation after healing people and boasted before the Lord that even the demons were subjected to them. Therefore, they are rightly compared to palms since they emerge as victors over the devil, adorned with the prize of the palms.
“Nonetheless, God shattered the heads of his enemies and of those who walk in their sins through a head of hair.” Lest the evils of the obstinate be thought to be unpunished, he says, “Nonetheless God shattered the heads of his enemies,” so that you would recognizes that punishment also comes upon the treacherous and obstinate. The “heads of the enemies” are indeed the authors of the Jewish rebellion, but also without doubt the teachers of the heretics. For the former persecuted Christ in the flesh, but the latter rage furiously against the very deity (if one can even mention such a blasphemous thing!). Next follows the phrase “of those who walk through a head of hair,” that is, who seek such minutia of pretenses so that they seem to be able to walk through the very heads of hair and scrutinize them thoroughly. This refers to the cunning of empty questions, which abandon matters that would be useful and seek after unnecessary matters in their abominable arguing. And in order to attest to their studies as idle, he adds “in their sins,” because their thinking was foolish, which led them to their faults. Examples are the Manicheans, the Priscilians, the Donatists, the Montanists and others who mix themselves with the stenches of their filthy teaching.
But on the other hand, dogs licked the wounds of the poor man lying there. Sometimes in sacred speech preachers are understood by dogs. For the tongue of a dog, when it licks a wound, heals it, because holy teachers too, when they instruct us in the confession of our sin, touch as it were the wound of the mind through their tongue; and because by speaking they rescue us from sins, by touching wounds as it were they restore us to health. For that by the name of dogs the tongue of preachers is signified, the Lord says through the Psalmist: "The tongue of your dogs from enemies, from him." For from the unbelieving Jews the holy preachers were chosen, who, coming against thieves and robbers in defense of the truth, gave great barkings, so to speak, for the Lord.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 68:23 presents a visceral and potent image of divine judgment and absolute victory over God's adversaries. Situated within a magnificent psalm celebrating God's majestic power, His triumphant march, and His role as a warrior-king, this verse vividly portrays the utter and irreversible defeat of those who oppose Him, emphasizing the thoroughness of His triumph and the complete subjugation and dishonor of His foes.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 68:23 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine triumph and judgment with visceral impact. The most prominent is Metaphor, where the "foot dipped in blood" and the "tongue of thy dogs in the same" are not literal actions but vivid, symbolic representations of absolute victory and the utter destruction of enemies. Hyperbole is also evident, as the graphic imagery is exaggerated to emphasize the totality, finality, and overwhelming nature of God's conquest. The verse is rich in Imagery, using striking and visceral descriptions (blood, foot, dogs, tongue) to evoke a strong emotional response and create a powerful mental picture of devastation and humiliation. Finally, Symbolism is deeply at play, with the foot symbolizing dominion and subjugation, blood representing the outcome of decisive judgment and death, and dogs symbolizing dishonor, scavenging, and the complete absence of a dignified end for the vanquished.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse, despite its graphic imagery, serves a profound theological purpose: it asserts the absolute sovereignty of God and the certainty of His ultimate triumph over all forms of evil, oppression, and spiritual wickedness. It reassures believers that, regardless of the trials and opposition they may face in the present, God will ultimately prevail, bringing His perfect justice to bear upon all who defy Him. This is not an endorsement of human violence or vengeance, but rather a powerful declaration of divine judgment that will ultimately right all wrongs and establish God's righteous kingdom. It speaks to the cosmic struggle between good and evil, where God is the ultimate victor, guaranteeing that evil does not have the final word and that His justice will fully manifest.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the imagery of Psalms 68:23 is undeniably intense and stark, its spiritual application for believers today lies not in advocating for physical violence or personal vengeance, but in fostering a deep and unwavering trust in God's ultimate justice and sovereignty. This verse powerfully reminds us that evil and injustice will not eternally prevail. It offers profound comfort and hope to those who suffer under oppression, assuring them that a day will come when God will decisively deal with all wickedness, bringing about His perfect and righteous judgment. Our role as believers is to align ourselves with God's righteousness, to pray fervently for His kingdom to come, and to actively participate in His redemptive work of justice and mercy in the world, knowing that the final, ultimate triumph over all spiritual enemies belongs exclusively to Him. This understanding should inspire perseverance in faith, even when facing formidable opposition, because we serve a God who is mighty to save and mighty to judge, and whose victory is assured.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this verse advocating for violence or vengeance by believers?
Answer: No, Psalms 68:23 is a poetic and prophetic depiction of divine judgment, not a command or endorsement for human violence or personal vengeance. The Old Testament often uses such vivid, anthropomorphic imagery to describe God's unique role as the supreme judge and warrior who will ultimately defeat all opposition to His righteous rule. Believers in the New Testament era are explicitly called to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44), and to leave vengeance to the Lord, trusting that He will repay (Romans 12:19). The verse speaks to God's sovereign, eschatological action, not human initiative.
Why is the imagery so graphic?
Answer: The graphic nature of the imagery in Psalms 68:23 serves to emphasize the totality, finality, and decisiveness of God's victory over His enemies. In ancient Near Eastern culture, such descriptions of treading down foes and leaving their bodies to scavengers were common and potent ways to convey absolute dominion and the complete defeat and dishonor of the vanquished. This leaves no doubt about the victor's supremacy and the irreversible nature of the judgment. It is a powerful poetic device designed to underscore the overwhelming power of God and the certainty of His justice, leaving no room for doubt about the fate of those who oppose Him.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 68:23, with its imagery of decisive judgment and total victory over enemies, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While the psalm anticipates a physical triumph over earthly foes, the New Testament reveals that Christ's victory is primarily spiritual and cosmic, though it culminates in a final, physical consummation. At His first coming, Jesus disarmed the spiritual powers and authorities through His death on the cross, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15). He is the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), but He is also the Lion of Judah, destined to reign in power. The imagery of treading down enemies is powerfully echoed in the New Testament's portrayal of Christ's second coming, where He is depicted as the one who "treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Revelation 19:15). This signifies His ultimate and irreversible judgment upon all who oppose God and His righteous rule. Ultimately, Christ must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet, with the last enemy to be destroyed being death itself (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). Thus, Psalms 68:23 foreshadows the complete and irreversible triumph of God's righteous King, Jesus Christ, who will bring all rebellion to an end and establish His eternal kingdom of peace and justice.