Commentary - Psalm 68:32-35

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 68 is a triumphant, thunderous declaration of God's victorious power. It begins with the ancient war cry of Israel, "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered," and it marches through redemptive history, recounting God's mighty deeds from Sinai to the establishment of His dwelling place in Zion. The psalm is a processional, a victory parade for the King of all creation. This final section, verses 32-35, is the grand crescendo. Having detailed God's specific victories for His people Israel, the psalmist now throws the doors open wide and issues a global invitation. The call to worship is extended to all the kingdoms of the earth. The God of Israel is not a tribal deity; He is the sovereign Lord of all, riding the ancient heavens and speaking with a voice of power. The psalm concludes by grounding this universal call in a particular reality: this cosmic King is the God of Israel, who dwells in His sanctuary and gives strength and power to His particular people. It is a glorious paradox, the universal King is known through His covenant faithfulness to His chosen people, and out of that particular relationship, blessing flows to the entire world.

The movement is from the specific to the universal and back to the specific. God's mighty acts for Israel are the basis for the whole world's worship. The conclusion is a potent reminder that God's cosmic authority does not diminish His intimate involvement with His people. Rather, His universal power is the very source of the strength He gives to them. The final "Blessed be God!" is the only appropriate response to such a majestic vision of who God is.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 68 stands as one of the great mountain peaks in the Psalter. It is a mosaic of historical allusions, celebrating God's triumphs from the Exodus and wilderness wanderings (vv. 7-8) to the conquest of Canaan (v. 12) and the establishment of worship in Jerusalem (v. 29). It is a psalm of the ascended King, which is why the apostle Paul quotes verse 18 in Ephesians 4, applying it directly to the ascension of Jesus Christ. The psalm is filled with martial imagery; God is a warrior who shatters the heads of His enemies (v. 21) and leads captivity captive (v. 18). The entire song builds toward this final, explosive chorus of praise. After detailing God's specific covenant history with Israel, the lens pulls back to reveal the global implications of that history. This movement from the particular (Israel) to the universal (the kingdoms of the earth) is a key theme throughout the Psalms, pointing forward to the Great Commission, when the God of Israel would send His people to disciple all nations.

Key Issues

The Global Doxology

This psalm has been marching, and now it arrives. The procession has reached the holy hill, the enemies have been routed, and the spoils of victory have been distributed. What is left to do? The only thing left to do is to sing. But this is not a private affair for Israel alone. The victory of Israel's God is a world-altering event, and so the invitation to the party must be a global one. The nations that were previously seen as adversaries, the Egypts and Ethiopias (v. 31), are now summoned to the choir. This is the end game of redemption. God saves a particular people in order to be the God of all peoples. The praise that begins in Jerusalem is intended to echo in every corner of the earth. This is not a call for the nations to praise their own gods; it is a summons for them to abandon their dead idols and to sing praises to the one true Lord, the God of Israel.

Verse by Verse Commentary

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, Sing praises to the Lord, Selah.

The scope here is breathtaking. After a long recitation of God's faithfulness to His covenant people, the psalmist turns his face to the entire world. This is not a suggestion; it is a command. Sing to God. All of you. Every last kingdom, every principality, every tribe and tongue. The God who brought Israel out of Egypt is not some local deity to be filed away in a pantheon of other gods. He is God, full stop. And therefore, He is the proper object of worship for everyone, everywhere. The command is repeated for emphasis: Sing praises to the Lord. The name here is Adonai, the Lord, the sovereign master. The nations are being called to acknowledge their true king. The Selah invites us to pause and let the weight of this sink in. Consider the audacity. A small nation in the ancient Near East, surrounded by massive empires, declares that its God is the King of all the other kings. This is either madness or it is the truest thing ever said. The gospel reveals it to be the latter.

33 To Him who rides upon the highest heavens, which are from ancient times; Behold, He gives forth His voice, a voice that is strong.

Why should the kingdoms of the earth sing to Him? Because of who He is. He is the one who rides upon the highest heavens. This is an image of effortless, absolute sovereignty. He is not struggling to maintain control; He is riding the cosmos like a war horse. And these heavens are not a recent construction; they are from ancient times, from of old. He is the ancient of days, the eternal one, whose authority is aboriginal. And from this place of supreme authority, He acts. How? He gives forth His voice. God's primary instrument of power is His speech. He spoke, and the worlds were made. He speaks, and kings are overthrown. And this is no timid whisper. It is a voice that is strong, a mighty voice. When God speaks, things happen. The thunder is but a faint echo of this voice. This is the voice that will one day command the dead to rise. The nations are to sing to Him because His authority is ultimate, ancient, and powerfully effective.

34 Ascribe strength to God; His majesty is over Israel And His strength is in the skies.

To ascribe strength to God does not mean we are giving Him strength He doesn't already possess. You cannot give a billionaire a dollar and make him rich. To ascribe strength is to acknowledge, recognize, and declare the truth of the matter. It is to give Him the glory for the strength that is inherently His. It is a command to get your theology right. And where do we see this strength displayed? In two realms. First, His majesty is over Israel. God's glory and excellency are uniquely revealed in His dealings with His covenant people. If you want to see what God is like, look at the history of Israel. Look at the Exodus, the Law, the Temple. And in the new covenant, if you want to see the majesty of God, you look to the Church, which is the Israel of God. But His power is not limited to His people. Second, His strength is in the skies. The word can mean clouds or the heavens. His power is manifest in the natural world, in the thunderclouds and the expanse of the heavens. He rules both the realm of grace (Israel) and the realm of nature (the skies). His reign is total.

35 O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and might to the people. Blessed be God!

The psalmist, overwhelmed by the vision he has described, breaks into direct address. O God, You are awesome. The word for awesome here is the word for terrible or dreadful. It is a fearsome thing to behold the living God. And where is this awesome presence located? It proceeds from Your sanctuary. The holy place, the temple, is the epicenter of His manifest presence on earth. God is everywhere, but He is not everywhere in the same way. He condescends to dwell in a particular place among His people. And from that place of awesome holiness, He does not hoard His power. No, The God of Israel Himself gives strength and might to the people. This is the stunning conclusion. The sovereign Lord of all creation, the one whose voice is power, takes His own strength and gives it to His people. He does not just rule over them; He empowers them. He strengthens them for the fight. Our strength is not our own; it is a gift from the God of Israel. And what can one say in response to all this? Nothing remains but the final, explosive benediction: Blessed be God!

Application

This passage is a direct assault on every form of small-minded Christianity. Our God is not a manageable, tidy deity who exists to help us with our personal problems. He is the rider of the ancient heavens, whose voice is raw power, and to whom every king on earth owes absolute allegiance. Our worship should reflect this. It should be robust, confident, and global in its scope. We are not singing to a tribal chief; we are singing to the King of all creation.

This passage also teaches us where to look for God's strength. We see it in the heavens, in creation that declares His glory. But we see His majesty most clearly displayed "over Israel," in the story of His redemption. For us, this means we see the ultimate display of God's majesty in the face of Jesus Christ, the true Israel. The cross and resurrection are the central exhibition of the awesome power and majesty of God. It was there that God's strength was displayed in what looked like weakness. It was there that His mighty voice was heard in the cry, "It is finished."

And finally, we must lay hold of the promise that this awesome God gives strength and might to His people. We are not left to face our enemies, our temptations, or our duties in our own power. The same omnipotence that holds the galaxies in place is made available to us. The God of Israel Himself is our strength. Therefore, when we are weak, we should not despair. We should, like the psalmist, learn to ascribe strength to God, confessing our weakness and relying entirely on His. And the only fitting response to this glorious reality is to join the global chorus, now and forever, saying, "Blessed be God!"