Commentary - Psalm 68:15-18

Bird's-eye view

This section of Psalm 68 is a triumphant declaration of God's chosen dwelling place and His victorious ascension. The psalmist, likely celebrating the bringing of the ark to Mount Zion, engages in a bit of sanctified taunting. He personifies the grand, imposing mountains of Bashan and asks why they look with envy at the humble hill of Zion. The answer is simple: greatness is not determined by geology, but by divine election. God chose Zion. This choice is then vindicated by a description of the Lord's majestic power, surrounded by myriads of angelic chariots. The passage culminates in a profound prophecy of Christ's ascension. The victorious King ascends on high, leading His conquered enemies captive, and receiving gifts, not for His own enrichment, but so that He, Yahweh-God, might dwell among His people, even among the rebellious. This is a glorious picture of God's conquest, grace, and condescension, finding its ultimate fulfillment in the enthronement of Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul quotes verse 18 directly in Ephesians 4:8 and applies it to the ascension of Jesus. This gives us apostolic warrant to read this entire psalm, and this section in particular, as messianic and typological. The procession of the ark to Zion was a shadow; the ascension of Christ into the heavenly Zion was the substance. The victory described here is not just over the Canaanites, but over sin, death, and the devil. The gifts received are not the plunder of earthly kings, but the gifts of the Holy Spirit poured out on the Church. And the ultimate goal is the establishment of God's dwelling place, no longer in a temple made with hands, but in the midst of a redeemed people, gathered from every tribe and tongue, including former rebels.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 68 is a great processional hymn, a victory chant celebrating God's triumphs. It begins with the ancient war cry of Israel from Numbers 10:35, "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered." The psalm recounts God's mighty acts, from the Exodus and the wilderness wanderings to the conquest of Canaan. It is a collage of historical snapshots of God's saving power. This specific section, verses 15-18, forms a theological peak in the psalm. After describing God's defeat of earthly kings (v. 14), the psalmist turns his attention to the establishment of God's permanent residence. The movement of the ark of the covenant to its resting place in Jerusalem is the immediate historical context. This event was a profound theological statement: God had chosen to place His name and presence in a specific location. These verses, therefore, are the celebration of that choice and a meditation on what it means for God to dwell with His people, a theme that ripples out through the rest of Scripture.

Key Issues

The Mountain of God's Choosing

There is a lesson in spiritual geography here. The world measures greatness by size, by impressiveness, by what we would now call shock and awe. The mountain of Bashan, likely referring to the massive Mount Hermon range, was a "mountain of God" in the sense of its natural grandeur. It was majestic, multi-peaked, and imposing. By any human standard, it was a far more suitable place for the throne of a great God than the dusty little hill of Zion. But God's ways are not our ways. He does not choose based on external qualifications. He chooses based on His good pleasure. The question the psalmist puts to the mighty mountains, "Why do you look with envy?", is a rebuke to all worldly standards of evaluation. God did not choose Zion because it was great; Zion became great because God chose it. This is the principle of election, and it runs through everything. He chooses the foolish things to shame the wise, the weak things to shame the strong. He chooses a stable in Bethlehem, a cross on Calvary, and a small band of disciples to turn the world upside down. The glory is never in the vessel, but always in the God who chooses to fill it.

Verse by Verse Commentary

15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

The psalmist begins by acknowledging the obvious. He is not denying the natural glory of Bashan. In the Hebrew way of thinking, a "mountain of God" can simply mean a great mountain, a majestic peak. He gives Bashan its due. It is high, rugged, and impressive, a mountain of "many peaks." It represents the best of what the natural world has to offer, the pinnacle of created strength and stability. This is the world's candidate for God's throne room.

16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, At the mountain which God has prized for His habitation? Surely Yahweh will dwell there forever.

Here is the turn, the divine surprise. The poet personifies these great mountains, imagining them seething with jealousy as they watch God pass them by to make His home on little Zion. The verb translated "look with envy" has the sense of looking askance, suspiciously, or leaping up in hostile rivalry. Why all this commotion? Because God has "prized" Zion. He has desired it, chosen it for His own. The world's standards have been overturned by a sovereign decree. And this is no temporary arrangement. "Surely Yahweh will dwell there forever." This points beyond the physical hill in Jerusalem to the true, heavenly Zion, the church of the firstborn, where God will indeed dwell with His people forever (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 21:3).

17 The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.

Lest anyone think that God's choice of a small hill implies a small God, the psalmist immediately pivots to a vision of His overwhelming power. God's army is not made of flesh and blood. His chariots are angelic, and they are innumerable, "myriads, thousands upon thousands." This is the host of heaven, the armies of the living God. And the Lord Himself, Adonai, the sovereign Master, is in their midst. The scene is compared to His appearance "at Sinai, in holiness." When God descended on Sinai, the mountain smoked and trembled; the people were terrified by His holy power. That same God, with that same majesty, is the one who now comes to dwell on Zion. But here is the gospel insight: at Sinai, the people were warned to keep their distance. At Zion, God has come to dwell among them. The holiness is not diminished, but grace has made a way for communion.

18 You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, Even among the rebellious also, that Yah, God, may dwell there.

This verse is the summit of the passage, and the Apostle Paul tells us explicitly that it is about Jesus (Eph. 4:8). "You have ascended on high" refers to Christ's ascension into heaven after His resurrection. He ascended as a victorious king returning to his capital city. "You have led captive Your captives" is a brilliant phrase. In his victory, Christ conquered all our spiritual enemies, sin, death, Satan, and hell. He took them captive. So now, those who were once held captive by these enemies are now the willing "captives" of Christ's grace. Our captivity to sin has been taken captive. "You have received gifts among men." The conquering king receives tribute. Paul, interpreting this, says that Christ gave gifts to men. There is no contradiction. Christ received the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Father in order to pour it out upon His church. He received the spoils of victory in order to distribute them to His people. And who are these people? "Even among the rebellious also." This is the heart of the gospel. The gifts are not for the deserving, but for rebels, for sinners, for enemies. And for what purpose? "That Yah, God, may dwell there." This is the ultimate goal of salvation. God conquers, Christ ascends, the Spirit is given, all so that the triune God might make His home not on a mountain of stone, but in the hearts of a redeemed and formerly rebellious people.

Application

First, we must learn to see the world through God's eyes. We are constantly tempted to be impressed by the mountains of Bashan, by worldly power, size, wealth, and influence. We can even do this in the church, envying the megachurch with its impressive facilities while despising the small, faithful congregation. This psalm reminds us that God's favor is what matters. Greatness is a result of God's presence, not a prerequisite for it. We should desire to be the place where God has prized to dwell, whether that makes us look impressive to the world or not.

Second, we must live in the reality of Christ's ascension. Our King is not defeated. He is not wringing His hands in heaven. He has ascended on high. He has conquered every foe. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, ruling and reigning until all His enemies are made His footstool. This is not wishful thinking; it is the central political fact of the universe. This should give us unshakable confidence as we face the "rebellious" of our own day. The battle has already been won.

Finally, we must recognize that we are the beneficiaries of this victory. We are the "rebellious" among whom God has come to dwell. The very fact that we can worship God, that we have spiritual life, that we possess any gift for service, is because the ascended Christ has poured out His Spirit. He received gifts for rebels. This should produce in us a profound humility and a boundless gratitude. Our salvation, from beginning to end, is a gift. And the purpose of that gift is communion, that Yah-God might dwell among us. Our lives, our families, and our churches ought to be shaped by this one staggering reality: we are the dwelling place of the holy, ascended, and victorious King.