Psalms 68:34

Translation
King James Version
Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Ascribe H5414 H8798 ye strength H5797 unto God H430: his excellency H1346 is over Israel H3478, and his strength H5797 is in the clouds H7834.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Acknowledge that strength belongs to God, with his majesty over Isra'el and his strength in the skies.
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Berean Standard Bible
Ascribe the power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose strength is in the skies.
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American Standard Version
Ascribe ye strength unto God: His excellency is over Israel, And his strength is in the skies.
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World English Bible Messianic
Ascribe strength to God! His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Ascribe the power to God: for his maiestie is vpon Israel, and his strength is in the cloudes.
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Young's Literal Translation
Ascribe ye strength to God, Over Israel is His excellency, and His strength in the clouds.
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See also
Revelation 19:6Psalms 150:11 Chronicles 16:281 Chronicles 16:292 Peter 1:17Psalms 96:6Psalms 96:8
In the KJVVerse 14,935 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalms 68:34 serves as a profound doxological command, urging all creation to acknowledge and attribute supreme strength and majestic glory to God. It highlights God's unique and glorious presence specifically demonstrated over Israel, His chosen people, while simultaneously affirming His transcendent and universal power, symbolized by His sovereign dominion over the very clouds of heaven. The verse functions as a powerful call to worship, inviting humanity to recognize God as the ultimate, unchallengeable source of all might, authority, and splendor.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalm 68 is a magnificent and complex psalm of triumph, often attributed to King David, celebrating God's majestic presence and victorious leadership over His people. It opens with a powerful battle cry reminiscent of the wilderness march ("Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered!"), and then vividly recounts God's historical acts of deliverance, from the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan to the establishment of His dwelling place in Zion, culminating in a grand procession of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Throughout the psalm, God is portrayed as a divine warrior, a compassionate provider, and a sovereign king. Verse 34, "Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency [is] over Israel, and his strength [is] in the clouds," functions as a climactic, concluding call to worship and an imperative to acknowledge God's supreme power and authority, urging all, including the nations, to recognize His unparalleled might as the psalm draws towards its doxological conclusion.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The psalm's rich imagery is deeply rooted in ancient Israelite history and the broader ancient Near Eastern worldview. References to God leading His people through the wilderness, scattering kings, and dwelling in Zion evoke the foundational narratives of the Exodus, the wilderness wanderings, and the establishment of the Davidic kingdom and the Temple in Jerusalem. The concept of God's "strength in the clouds" resonates with common ancient Near Eastern motifs of deities associated with storm phenomena and cosmic power. However, the psalm distinctly portrays Yahweh as the singular, sovereign Lord over all creation, not merely a localized storm god, transcending the polytheistic understandings of the surrounding cultures. The emphasis on God's "excellency over Israel" underscores the unique covenant relationship between Yahweh and His chosen people, a relationship marked by divine protection, miraculous provision, and the establishment of a holy nation set apart from others, a theme powerfully articulated in passages such as Deuteronomy 7:6-8. The bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem was a pivotal moment, symbolizing God's dwelling among His people and the centralization of worship, reinforcing the theme of God's glorious presence "over Israel."
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully encapsulates several overarching themes prevalent in Psalm 68 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores Divine Sovereignty and Omnipotence, presenting God as the ultimate source of all power and dominion. The imperative to "ascribe strength" is a command to attribute all might solely to the Almighty, emphasizing that God's power is not confined but extends universally, from His direct intervention in human history to His control over creation, symbolized by "his strength is in the clouds." This echoes the profound truth of God's unmatched power in creation and providence, as declared in Jeremiah 32:17. Secondly, the verse highlights God's Special Relationship with Israel. "His excellency is over Israel" points to God's unique and glorious presence among His chosen people, demonstrating His majesty and supreme authority through His covenant faithfulness, protection, and miraculous interventions on their behalf. This signifies that God's glory and power are intimately connected with His people, reflecting His unwavering commitment to His covenant with Israel. Lastly, the verse serves as a direct Call to Worship and Praise. To "ascribe strength" is an act of humble adoration, recognizing God's inherent greatness and giving Him the honor due His name. It's a reminder that true worship involves acknowledging God's inherent power and glory, not just His benefits, a sentiment powerfully echoed in Psalm 29:1-2.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Ascribe (Hebrew, nâthan', H5414): This primitive root (H5414) means "to give," "to put," "to place," or "to assign." In this context, it is an imperative verb commanding the active, deliberate, and intentional act of giving God the credit, honor, and recognition for His inherent power and might. It is not about bestowing something upon God that He lacks, but rather acknowledging and declaring what is inherently true about Him, attributing to Him the strength that is exclusively His.
  • Excellency (Hebrew, gaʼăvâh', H1346): Derived from a root meaning "to be high" or "exalted," this term (H1346) refers to God's majesty, dignity, supreme glory, and inherent greatness. It speaks to His elevated status, His awe-inspiring nature, and the splendor of His character and actions. It encompasses both His inherent, majestic glory and its manifestation in His works, signifying His preeminence and supreme authority.
  • Clouds (Hebrew, shachaq', H7834): This word (H7834) refers to a thin vapor, the firmament, or the sky, often specifically denoting clouds. In biblical imagery, clouds are consistently associated with divine presence, glory, power, and often with manifestations of judgment or revelation. Here, "clouds" symbolize God's transcendent dwelling, His control over the elements, and His universal dominion, signifying His ability to act from the unseen, cosmic realms.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Ascribe ye strength unto God": This opening imperative is a direct command to the worshiping community, and by extension, to all humanity. It is an exhortation to actively recognize, declare, and attribute all power, might, and dominion to God alone. This is not merely an intellectual acknowledgment but a call to worship that involves giving Him the honor and glory due His name, recognizing Him as the ultimate source and possessor of all strength. It implies a posture of humility and adoration before His omnipotence.
  • "his excellency [is] over Israel": This clause highlights the unique and specific manifestation of God's majesty and supreme authority. While God's power is universal, His "excellency" or glorious majesty is particularly demonstrated and made visible through His covenant relationship with Israel. It speaks to His faithfulness in protecting, guiding, and intervening on behalf of His chosen people, revealing His glory and power in their history and national existence. This signifies that God's glory and power are intimately connected with His people, reflecting His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant.
  • "and his strength [is] in the clouds": This final clause broadens the scope to God's universal and transcendent power. The "clouds" symbolize God's heavenly dwelling, His dominion over creation, and His ability to manifest power from beyond human comprehension or limitation. It signifies that God's strength is not confined to earthly manifestations but extends to the cosmic realm, controlling natural phenomena and demonstrating His universal sovereignty. It underscores His transcendent power, which is both immanent in His care for Israel and transcendent in His rule over all creation.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several impactful literary devices that enhance its meaning and impact. The most prominent is the Imperative Mood ("Ascribe ye"), which functions as a direct and urgent command, emphasizing the necessity and immediacy of acknowledging God's power. There is also a clear form of Parallelism, specifically synthetic parallelism, where the second and third clauses ("his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds") expand upon and reinforce the initial command to "ascribe strength unto God." This parallelism highlights both the particularity of God's manifestation among His people and the universality of His power. Symbolism is powerfully used with "clouds," which represent God's transcendent dwelling, His control over the natural world, and His majestic, often awe-inspiring, presence. The phrase "his strength is in the clouds" can also be understood as a form of Metonymy, where "clouds" stand for the heavens or the cosmic realm, signifying God's universal and unconstrained power that originates from the celestial sphere.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Psalms 68:34 profoundly articulates the dual nature of God's power: His particular, covenantal care for His people and His universal, transcendent sovereignty over all creation. It calls believers to a posture of active worship where God's inherent might is not merely acknowledged intellectually but proclaimed and celebrated. This act of "ascribing strength" is foundational to true faith, reminding us that all power, authority, and glory ultimately reside in God alone. It encourages a deep trust in His ability to govern both the grand cosmic order and the intricate details of His people's lives, providing immense comfort and security in a world often swayed by fleeting human strength or earthly powers. The verse thus serves as a timeless reminder that our proper response to God's omnipotence is humble adoration and unwavering confidence in His reign.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Psalms 68:34 is a powerful summons to a life of worship rooted in the acknowledgment of God's absolute power and majesty. In a world that often places its trust in human ingenuity, technological advancements, or material wealth, this verse calls us to consistently attribute all ultimate power and control to God alone. It encourages a lifestyle where we actively give God the glory for His might, not just for what He does for us, but for who He inherently is—the Almighty, the Sovereign King. This is particularly vital when we witness His hand at work in our personal lives, in the church, or in the broader world. Knowing that God's "excellency is over Israel" (and by extension, over His spiritual Israel, the Church) provides immense comfort and security, allowing us to rest in the assurance that His supreme power is actively watching over and working for His people. This verse challenges us to move beyond mere intellectual assent to God's power and to engage in heartfelt, public, and private acts of "ascribing strength" to Him, transforming our anxieties into worship and our fears into faith.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does acknowledging God's strength as described in this verse impact my daily decisions and anxieties?
  • In what specific ways can I "ascribe strength" to God in my worship, my words, and my actions today?
  • How does God's "excellency over Israel" (and by extension, the Church) provide comfort and security in challenging times or moments of doubt?

FAQ

Why does the verse say "ascribe ye strength unto God" as if God needs us to give Him strength?

Answer: The Hebrew word translated "ascribe" (H5414, nâthan) is an imperative meaning "give," "yield," or "attribute." It does not imply that God lacks strength and needs us to provide it. Rather, it is a command for humanity to acknowledge, recognize, and declare God's inherent, infinite power. It's an act of worship, submission, and proper theological understanding. When we "ascribe strength" to God, we are not adding to His power, but rather giving Him the credit and honor that are rightfully His. It's an outward expression of an inward conviction that He is the ultimate source of all might and authority, as seen in other calls to worship like Psalm 29:1-2.

What is the significance of "his strength [is] in the clouds"?

Answer: The phrase "his strength [is] in the clouds" is rich with biblical symbolism. In ancient Near Eastern thought and throughout the Bible, "clouds" are frequently associated with divine presence, power, and transcendence. They often symbolize God's dwelling place (e.g., Exodus 19:9), His glory (e.g., the Shekinah glory cloud), and His control over natural phenomena like storms and rain. Therefore, stating that God's strength is "in the clouds" emphasizes His universal, cosmic power and His ability to act from the heavens, beyond human limitations or comprehension. It signifies His transcendent sovereignty over all creation, demonstrating that His power is not confined to earthly manifestations but extends to the very fabric of the cosmos. This imagery also foreshadows future divine appearances, such as the Son of Man coming on the clouds, as prophesied in Daniel 7:13.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Psalms 68:34, with its call to ascribe strength to God and its declaration of His excellency over Israel and His strength in the clouds, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's strength and excellency, the visible manifestation of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). The divine power that led Israel through the wilderness and established His dwelling in Zion is perfectly revealed in Christ's miracles, His authority over creation, His triumph over sin and death in the resurrection, and His ascension to the right hand of the Father. Just as God's excellency was "over Israel," so too is Christ the head of the new spiritual Israel, His Church, over whom His glory and power are supremely manifested (Ephesians 1:22-23). Furthermore, the imagery of God's strength "in the clouds" powerfully foreshadows Christ's glorious return, for He will come again "on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). Ultimately, it is to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, that all strength, honor, glory, and praise are now ascribed by every creature in heaven and on earth, fulfilling the very command of this psalm (Revelation 5:12-13).

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Commentary on Psalms 68 verses 32–35

The psalmist, having prayed for and prophesied of the conversion of the Gentiles, here invites them to come in and join with the devout Israelites in praising God, intimating that their accession to the church would be the matter of their joy and praise (Psa 68:32): Let the kingdoms of the earth sing praises to the Lord; they all ought to do it, and, when they become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, they will do it. God is here proposed to them as the proper object of praise upon several accounts:

I. Because of his supreme and sovereign dominion: He rides upon the heavens of heavens which were of old (Psa 68:33); compare Psa 68:4. He has from the beginning, nay from before all time, prepared his throne; he sits on the circuit of heaven, guides all the motions of the heavenly bodies; and from the highest heavens, which are the residence of his glory, he dispenses the influences of his power and goodness to this lower world.

II. Because of his awful and terrible majesty: He sends out his voice, and that a mighty voice. This may refer either generally to the thunder, which is called the voice of the Lord and is said to be powerful and full of majesty (Psa 29:3, Psa 29:4), or in particular to that thunder in which God spoke to Israel at Mount Sinai.

III. Because of his mighty power: Ascribe you strength unto God (Psa 68:34); acknowledge him to be a God of such irresistible power that it is folly to contend with him and wisdom to submit to him; acknowledge that he has power sufficient both to protect his faithful subjects and to destroy his stubborn adversaries; and give him the glory of all the instances of his omnipotence. Thine is the kingdom and power, and therefore thine is the glory. We must acknowledge his power, 1. In the kingdom of grace: His excellency is over Israel; he shows his sovereign care in protecting and governing his church; that is the excellency of his power, which is employed for the good of his people. 2. In the kingdom of providence: His strength is in the clouds, whence comes the thunder of his power, the small rain, and the great rain of his strength. Though God has his strength in the clouds, yet he condescends to gather his Israel under the shadow of his wings, Deu 33:26.

IV. Because of the glory of his sanctuary and the wonders wrought there (Psa 68:35): O God! thou art terrible out of thy holy places. God is to be admired and adored with reverence and godly fear by all those that attend him in his holy places, that receive his oracles, that observe his operations according to them, and that pay their homage to him. He displays that out of his holy places which declares aloud that he will be sanctified in those that come nigh unto him. Out of heaven, his holy place above, he does, and will, show himself a terrible God. Nor is any attribute of God more dreadful to sinners than his holiness.

V. Because of the grace bestowed upon his people: The God of Israel is he that gives strength and power unto his people, which the gods of the nations, that were vanity and a lie, could not give to their worshippers; how should they help them, when they could not help themselves? All Israel's strength against their enemies came from God; they owned they had no might of their own, Ch2 20:12. And all our sufficiency for our spiritual work and warfare is from the grace of God. It is through Christ strengthening us that we can do all things, and not otherwise; and therefore he must have the glory of all we do (Psa 115:1) and our humble thanks for enabling us to do it and accepting the work of his own hands in us. If it be the God of Israel that vies strength and power unto his people, they ought to say, Blessed be God. If all be from him, let all be to him.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 32–35. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 68
"Give ye glory to God, above Israel is the magnificence of Him" [Psalm 68:34]. Of whom says the Apostle, "Upon the Israel of God." [Galatians 6:16] For "not all that are out of Israel, are Israelites:" [Romans 9:6] for there is also an Israel after the flesh. Whence he says, "See ye Israel after the flesh." [1 Corinthians 10:18] "For not they that are sons of the flesh, are sons of God, but sons of promise are counted for a seed." [Romans 9:8] Therefore at that time when without any intermixture of evil men His people shall be, like a heap purged by the fan, [Matthew 3:12] like Israel in whom guile is not, [John 1:47] then most pre-eminent "above Israel" shall be "the magnificence" of "Him: and the virtue of Him in the clouds." For not alone He shall come to judgment, but with the elders of His people: [Isaiah 3:14] to whom He has promised that they shall sit upon thrones to judge, [Matthew 19:28] who even shall judge angels. [1 Corinthians 6:3] These be the clouds.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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