Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 68 (MT) / Psalm 67 (LXX) is one of the Psalter's most complex and exegetically-difficult chapters — a Davidic victory-procession celebrating YHWH's march from Sinai to Zion. The psalm's critical NT-citation is v. 18 (MT 19): 'you ascended on high, leading a host of captives; you received gifts from men' — which Paul cites at Ephesians 4:8 with the striking reversal 'gave gifts to men' (instead of 'received gifts'). This reversal is one of the most-studied textual-puzzles in NT-use-of-OT, likely reflecting an early-Jewish interpretive-tradition preserved in the Aramaic Targum Psalms. The psalm also contains v. 5 ('father of orphans, protector of widows') — foundational for the OT's social-justice theology.
Notable Variants
68:18 → Ephesians 4:8 — Paul's striking 'RECEIVED gifts' → 'GAVE gifts' reversal, likely reflecting a pre-Christian Jewish interpretive-tradition (preserved in Targum Psalms and Syriac Peshitta); 68:5 'father of orphans, protector of widows' as social-justice foundation; the Sinai-to-Zion divine-procession-theology.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 68 = LXX Ps 67. 36 verses (MT/LXX), 35 verses (English). One of the most textually difficult psalms.
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
Superscription tracks MT.
Let God rise up — let his enemies be scattered! Let those who hate him flee before him!
'God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered' tracks MT. Direct echo of Numbers 10:35 ('Arise, O LORD, let your enemies be scattered') — the ark-procession formula. The psalm opens with YHWH-on-march vocabulary.
As smoke is blown away, so blow them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked perish before God.
'As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away' tracks MT.
But the righteous are glad — they celebrate before God and overflow with joy!
'But the righteous shall be glad' tracks MT.
Sing to God! Make music to his name! Build a highway for the one who rides through the deserts — Yah is his name — and celebrate before him!
'Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts' tracks MT. 'Rides through the deserts' (LXX: epibebēkoti epi dysmōn, 'rides upon the west') — the divine-charioteer theology echoes Canaanite Baal-imagery transferred to YHWH. Jews and Christians have read this as procession-through-the-wilderness (Sinai-to-Canaan).
Father of the fatherless, defender of widows — God in his holy dwelling.
'Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation' tracks MT. FATHER-OF-ORPHANS theology. The 'father of the fatherless' (patēr tōn orphanōn) and 'judge of widows' (kritou tōn chērōn) foundation the OT's social-justice-for-the-vulnerable theology. James 1:27 ('religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction') directly extends.
God settles the lonely in families; he leads prisoners out into prosperity. But the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
'God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity' tracks MT. Solitary-settled and prisoners-led-to-prosperity — a proto-Jubilee theology. Luke 4:18 ('he has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives') extends.
God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wasteland — Selah —
'O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness' tracks MT. Exodus-wilderness-procession.
The earth shook; the heavens poured down rain before God — this Sinai itself trembled before God, the God of Israel.
'The earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel' tracks MT. Sinai-theophany — Exodus 19's thunder-fire-quake event.
You poured out generous rain, God; your inheritance was exhausted, but you restored it.
'Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished' tracks MT.
Your community settled in it; from your goodness, God, you provided for the poor.
'Your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy' tracks MT.
The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the news are a vast company.
'The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host' tracks MT. VICTORY-HERALD-WOMEN tradition — women-as-military-victory-announcers (cf. Exodus 15 Miriam, Judges 5 Deborah, 1 Sam 18 women celebrating Saul/David). Luke 24 and John 20's women-first-at-the-resurrection-tomb fulfills this OT herald-woman tradition.
Kings of armies flee — they flee! And the woman who stays home divides the plunder.
'The kings of the armies — they flee, they flee!' tracks MT.
Though you lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of a dove are covered with silver, its feathers with shimmering gold.
'Though you men lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold' tracks MT.
When the Almighty scattered kings there, it snowed on Zalmon.
'When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon' tracks MT.
The mountain of God — the mountain of Bashan! The many-peaked mountain — the mountain of Bashan!
'O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!' tracks MT.
Why do you look with envy, you many-peaked mountains, at the mountain God has chosen for his dwelling? Indeed, the LORD will live there forever.
'Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mountain that God desired for his abode, yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?' tracks MT. Mount-Zion-chosen-above-other-mountains theology — theologically-lower Zion preferred over higher Bashan.
The chariots of God are tens of thousands — thousands upon thousands. The Lord is among them; Sinai is in the sanctuary.
'The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary' tracks MT. The divine-chariots-in-the-myriads — angelic-host imagery. Hebrews 12:22 ('you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God … and to innumerable angels in festal gathering') extends.
You ascended to the heights; you took captives captive; you received gifts among people — even among the rebellious — so that Yah God might dwell there.
Masoretic (WLC)
עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם שָׁבִיתָ שֶּׁבִי לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם וְאַף סוֹרְרִים לִשְׁכֹּן יָהּ אֱלֹהִים
You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there
Septuagint (LXX)
ἀνέβης εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσας αἰχμαλωσίαν ἔλαβες δόματα ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ γὰρ ἀπειθοῦντες τοῦ κατασκηνῶσαι κύριος ὁ θεὸς εὐλογητός
You ascended on high, you led captivity captive, you received gifts in man; and indeed the disobedient that you might dwell — the Lord God blessed
EPHESIANS 4:8 CITATION — THE MOST STRIKING REVERSAL IN THE NT. Ephesians 4:8 cites this verse with one critical change: Paul writes 'GAVE (edōken) gifts to men' where both MT ('RECEIVED gifts from men') and LXX ('took [elabes] gifts in man') have received/took. This is one of NT's most-studied textual-puzzles.
THE RESOLUTION. The 'reversal' is not Paul's invention but reflects an ancient Jewish interpretive-tradition: the Aramaic Targum Psalms on 68:18 reads 'you gave gifts to the sons of man,' and the Syriac Peshitta similarly reads 'you gave gifts' — both pre-Christian or early-Christian-era translations sharing the reading. The received-gifts / gave-gifts interpretation emerges from the ambiguous Hebrew laqachta mattanot ba'adam: the verb laqach can mean both 'take' and 'take-for-purposes-of-distribution' (take to distribute). The giving-sense is an interpretive-expansion on received-to-give-out.
APPLICATION TO ASCENSION. Paul reads the psalm's divine-ascent to Zion as Christ's ascension; the gifts-given-to-men become the ascended-Christ's apostolic-charismatic-gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers — Eph 4:11). The 'captives led captive' (aichmalōsian ēchmalōteusen) Paul reads as Christ's conquering of death, sin, and the demonic powers (cf. Col 2:15).
Blessed be the Lord! Day after day he bears our burden — the God of our deliverance. Selah.
'Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation' tracks MT.
Our God is a God of acts of deliverance; and to the LORD, the Lord, belong the escapes from death.
'Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong escapes from death' tracks MT.
God will crush the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of the one who walks in his guilt.
'But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways' tracks MT.
The Lord said, "I will bring them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea."
'The Lord said: I will bring them back from Bashan' tracks MT.
so that your foot may strike through blood, the tongue of your dogs have its share from the enemies.
'That you may strike your feet in their blood' tracks MT.
They see your processions, God — the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
'Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary' tracks MT. Divine-procession imagery — the ark-procession to Zion that 2 Sam 6 records.
Singers go in front, musicians behind, with young women playing tambourines in the middle.
'The singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines' tracks MT.
"Bless God in the assemblies — the Lord, from the fountain of Israel!"
'Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel's fountain!' tracks MT.
There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them; the princes of Judah in their throng; the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
'There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali' tracks MT. Four-tribe listing — north and south represented.
Your God has decreed your strength. Show your strength, God — the strength you have displayed for us.
'Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us' tracks MT.
Because of your temple above Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.
'Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you' tracks MT. KINGS-BRING-GIFTS-TO-ZION theology — anticipating Isaiah 60:5–14 and Matthew 2:11's Magi tribute to the Davidic-newborn.
Rebuke the beast of the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the peoples, until they grovel with bars of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
'Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds' tracks MT. Beasts-among-reeds imagery — Egypt-as-crocodile metaphor.
Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will stretch out its hands to God.
'Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God' tracks MT. Egypt-and-Cush joining Israel's praise — foreshadows Acts 8's Ethiopian-eunuch conversion as proto-fulfillment.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God! Make music to the Lord! Selah.
'O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord' tracks MT.
Sing to the one who rides the highest, most ancient heavens! He sends out his voice — a voice of power!
'To him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice' tracks MT.
Ascribe power to God! His majesty is over Israel, and his strength is in the skies.
'Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies' tracks MT.
Awesome is God from his sanctuaries! The God of Israel — he gives power and strength to the people. Blessed be God!
'Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel — he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!' tracks MT. Closing doxology — power-to-the-people theology (laō / people) becomes Pauline ecclesiology (1 Cor 12 distribution of spiritual-gifts). The Eph 4:8 citation-effect is visible in this closing: God-distributing-power-to-his-people.