A Study by Scott Sperling Psalm 68:7-14 - God of Power, God of Grace   7 When You went out before Your people, O God, when You marched through the wasteland, Selah 8 The earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 9 You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance. 10 Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, O God, You provided for the poor.   11 The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it: 12 “Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder. 13 Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of [my] dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.” 14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.   We continue this psalm, in which David, presumably as he moves the Ark of the Covenant, is recounting the greatness of God’s power and the greatness of His grace towards His people.  In this section, David looks back at examples of God’s grace in protecting His people.  “Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies and revive our grateful sense of them” [Henry]. David writes: “When You went out before Your people, O God, when You marched through the wasteland, …” (vss. 7).  David refers here to the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, when God literally and physically “went out before His people” in the form of a cloud.  The central event of the Old Testament is the redemption of His people out of Egypt.  It is referred to over and over throughout the Old Testament when God’s grace to His people is spoken of.  And this event points to and is a type of the central event of the New Testament (and human history), Christ’s redemption of humanity from the slavery of sin.  “That one work of the church’s delivery out of Egypt, representing the redemption of His people from the misery of sin and Satan’s bondage, is a sufficient proof forever of the Lord’s love, care, power, and faithfulness, to deliver His own out of all their misery; which the church, and every member thereof, should always make use of unto the end of the world:  whether we look upon that work in the type singly, or as it is a representation or pledge of the spiritual delivery of His people, this work we should often look upon, and still hold it up unto God” [Dickson, 398]. David continues:  “… The earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel” (vs. 8).  This refers to the time when God personally gave the Law to the children of Israel:  “On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.  Everyone in the camp trembled.  Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.  Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire.  The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder” (Ex. 19:16–18).  The giving of the Law was accompanied by an awesome display of God’s splendor and majesty.  “In the works of the Lord it is needful not only to look upon that which may foster faith in God and love toward Him, but also to set before us what may serve to keep our hearts in fear and awe of His dreadful majesty” [Dickson, 399].  God knew that we would be more apt to keep His law if we had a sense of fear of Him.  The fear of God is a good thing, keeping us on a straight path.  Yes, we must know of the grace and goodness of God, but we must also understand His power, might and majesty.  We must know of His ability to make the earth tremble, and to pour forth His judgment upon us. Certainly at times, God shows forth His power miraculously, but more often God provides and blesses His people in more ordinary ways, as David points out:  “You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance.  Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, O God, You provided for the poor”  (vss. 9-10).  “The ordinary sustaining of God’s people bodily and spiritually, in the possession of any benefit, temporal or spiritual, given unto them, should be observed, as well as the bestowing of any benefit in an extraordinary way, as here the ordinary sustaining of Israel in Canaan, is made a part of the song of praise, no less than their miraculous delivery out of the Egypt” [Dickson, 399]. When a nation turns to God, they are helped in a most important location:  on the field of battle.  God Himself speaks of this:  “The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:  ‘Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder.  Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold’” (vss. 12–13).  Then David adds:  “When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon” (vs. 14).  God can turn the tide in battle by causing “kings and armies to flee in haste.”  God even blesses His people as they “sleep among the campfires.”  “The victory was due to the Almighty arm alone; He scattered the haughty ones who came against His people, and He did it as easily as snow is driven from the bleak sides of Zalmon” [Spurgeon]. In this world, we, even the people of God, are faced with great afflictions and trials.  At times, we are locked in mortal combat.  Skeptics may mock when they hear it, but trust me, when you go into battle, you want to do so with God on your side.  There is a reason for all such trials.  “The Lord will sometimes exercise His church with wars, afflictions, and trials, when He intendeth not to punish them, but to give them the victory over their enemies, and that for His own glory” [Dickson, 400].  (The study of this psalm will continue in the next issue, D.V.)  ----------- Bibliography and Suggested Reading Alexander,    Joseph    Addison.    The    Psalms    Translated    and    Explained .        Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot, 1864.  Anonymous.        A    Plain    Commentary    on    the    Book    of    Psalms .    Philadelphia:        Henry Hooker and Co., 1857. Barnes,    Albert.        Notes    on    the    Book    of    Psalms .        New    York:        Harper    &    Brothers Publishing, 1871. Bonar,   Andrew.   Christ   and   His   Church   in   the   Book   of   Psalms .      New   York:      Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860. Calvin,   John.      A   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms .      3   Vols.      Oxford:   D.   A.   Talboys, 1840. (Originally published in Latin in 1557).  Clarke, Adam.   The   Holy   Bible   with   a   Commentary   and   Critical   Notes .      Vol.   III.      London:     William Tegg & Co., 1854.  (Originally published in 1831).  Cowles,   Henry.      The   Psalms   with   Notes,   Critical,   Explanatory   and   Practical .      New   York:     D. Appleton & Co., 1872. Darby,   John   Nelson.      Practical   Reflections   on   the   Psalms .      London:      Robert   L.   Allan, 1870. Delitzsch,   Franz.      Biblical   Commentary   on   the   Psalms.   Edinburgh:      T   &   T   Clark,   1892. (Originally published in 1860). Dickson,    David.    An    Explication    of    the    Other    Fifty    Psalms,    from    Ps.    50    to    Ps.    100. Cornhill, U.K.:  Ralph Smith, 1653.  Exell,   Joseph   S.   and   Henry   Donald   Spence-Jones,   eds.   The   Pulpit   Commentary .   Vols. 17, 18, & 19. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1884.  Hengstenberg, F. W.  Commentary on the Psalms .  Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1864. Henry,   Matthew.      An   Exposition   of   All   the   Books   of   the   Old   and   New   Testament .      Vol.   II.     London: W. Baynes, 1806. (Originally published in 1710). Horne,   George.   A   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms.       New   York:      Robert   Carter   & Brothers, 1854. Jamieson,     Robert;     Fausset,     A.     R.;     Brown,     David.          A     Commentary:     Critical, Experimental,    and    Practical    on    the    Old    and    New    Testaments.         Glasgow:        William Collins, Queen’s Printer, 1863. Kidner,   Derek.   Psalms    (in   2   Vols.).   Downers   Grove,   IL:   InterVarsity   Press,   2008   (first published in 1975). Kirkpatrick,   A.   F.   The   Book   of   Psalms   with   Introduction   and   Notes   –   Books   II   and   III   (from   The   Cambridge   Bible   for   Schools   and   Colleges).   Cambridge,   UK:   University Press, 1895. Lange,   John   Peter,   ed.   and   Philip   Schaff,   trans.      A   Commentary   on   the   Holy   Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical .  New York:  Charles Scribner & Co., 1865.  Maclaren, Alexander.   The   Psalms    (in   3   Vols.,   from   The   Expositor’s   Bible,   ed.   by   W.   R. Nicoll). New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1901. Perowne,   J.   J.   Stewart.      The   Book   of   Psalms:      A   New   Translation   with   Explanatory   Notes .     London:  George Bell & Sons, 1880. Plumer,   William   S.      Studies   in   the   Book   of   Psalms .      Philadelphia:      J.   B.   Lippincott   & Co., 1872. Scott, Thomas. Commentary on the Holy Bible , Vol. III. London: James Nisbet, 1866. Spurgeon,   Charles.      The   Treasury   of   David .      6   Vols.      London:   Marshall   Brothers,   Ltd., 1885. Tholuck,     Augustus.          A     Translation     and     Commentary     of     the     Book     of     Psalms .       Philadelphia:  Martien, 1858. Trapp,   John.      A   Commentary   on   the   Old   and   New   Testaments .   Vol.   II   (Ezra   to   Psalms).     Edmonton,   Canada:   Still   Waters   Revival   Books   (www.PuritanDownloads.com). (Originally published c. 1660). VanGemeren,   Willem   A.,   (Gaebelein,   Frank   E.,   ed).      Expositor’s   Bible   Commentary , Vol. 5 – Psalms to Song of Songs.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1991. -- Most    of    these    books    (those    in    the    public    domain)    can    be    downloaded,    free    of charge, from the Classic Christian Library,  at: http://www.ClassicChristianLibrary.com                          
© 1994-2017, Scott Sperling
A Study by Scott Sperling Psalm 68:7-14 - God of Power, God of Grace   7 When You went out before Your people, O God, when You marched through the wasteland, Selah 8 The earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 9 You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance. 10 Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, O God, You provided for the poor.   11 The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it: 12 “Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder. 13 Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of [my] dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.” 14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon.   We continue this psalm, in which David, presumably as he moves the Ark of the Covenant, is recounting the greatness of God’s power and the greatness of His grace towards His people.  In this section, David looks back at examples of God’s grace in protecting His people.  “Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies and revive our grateful sense of them” [Henry]. David writes: “When You went out before Your people, O God, when You marched through the wasteland, …” (vss. 7).  David refers here to the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, when God literally and physically “went out before His people”  in the form of a cloud.  The central event of the Old Testament is the redemption of His people out of Egypt.  It is referred to over and over throughout the Old Testament when God’s grace to His people is spoken of.  And this event points to and is a type of the central event of the New Testament (and human history), Christ’s redemption of humanity from the slavery of sin.  “That one work of the church’s delivery out of Egypt, representing the redemption of His people from the misery of sin and Satan’s bondage, is a sufficient proof forever of the Lord’s love, care, power, and faithfulness, to deliver His own out of all their misery; which the church, and every member thereof, should always make use of unto the end of the world:  whether we look upon that work in the type singly, or as it is a representation or pledge of the spiritual delivery of His people, this work we should often look upon, and still hold it up unto God” [Dickson, 398]. David continues:  “… The earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel” (vs. 8).  This refers to the time when God personally gave the Law to the children of Israel:  “On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.  Everyone in the camp trembled.  Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.  Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire.  The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder” (Ex. 19:16–18).  The giving of the Law was accompanied by an awesome display of God’s splendor and majesty.  “In the works of the Lord it is needful not only to look upon that which may foster faith in God and love toward Him, but also to set before us what may serve to keep our hearts in fear and awe of His dreadful majesty” [Dickson, 399].  God knew that we would be more apt to keep His law if we had a sense of fear of Him.  The fear of God is a good thing, keeping us on a straight path.  Yes, we must know of the grace and goodness of God, but we must also understand His power, might and majesty.  We must know of His ability to make the earth tremble, and to pour forth His judgment upon us. Certainly at times, God shows forth His power miraculously, but more often God provides and blesses His people in more ordinary ways, as David points out:  “You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance.  Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, O God, You provided for the poor” (vss. 9-10).  “The ordinary sustaining of God’s people bodily and spiritually, in the possession of any benefit, temporal or spiritual, given unto them, should be observed, as well as the bestowing of any benefit in an extraordinary way, as here the ordinary sustaining of Israel in Canaan, is made a part of the song of praise, no less than their miraculous delivery out of the Egypt” [Dickson, 399]. When a nation turns to God, they are helped in a most important location:  on the field of battle.  God Himself speaks of this:  “The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:  ‘Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder.  Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold’” (vss. 12–13).  Then David adds:  “When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon”  (vs. 14).  God can turn the tide in battle by causing “kings and armies to flee in haste.”  God even blesses His people as they “sleep among the campfires.”  “The victory was due to the Almighty arm alone; He scattered the haughty ones who came against His people, and He did it as easily as snow is driven from the bleak sides of Zalmon” [Spurgeon]. In this world, we, even the people of God, are faced with great afflictions and trials.  At times, we are locked in mortal combat.  Skeptics may mock when they hear it, but trust me, when you go into battle, you want to do so with God on your side.  There is a reason for all such trials.  “The Lord will sometimes exercise His church with wars, afflictions, and trials, when He intendeth not to punish them, but to give them the victory over their enemies, and that for His own glory” [Dickson, 400].  (The study of this psalm will continue in the next issue, D.V.)  ----------- Bibliography and Suggested Reading Alexander,   Joseph   Addison.   The   Psalms   Translated   and Explained .  Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot, 1864.  Anonymous.      A   Plain   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms . Philadelphia:  Henry Hooker and Co., 1857. Barnes,   Albert.      Notes   on   the   Book   of   Psalms .      New   York:     Harper & Brothers Publishing, 1871. Bonar,   Andrew.    Christ    and    His    Church    in    the    Book    of Psalms .  New York:  Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860. Calvin,   John.      A   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms .      3 Vols.          Oxford:     D.    A.     Talboys,     1840.     (Originally published in Latin in 1557).  Clarke,   Adam.   The   Holy   Bible   with   a   Commentary   and Critical   Notes .      Vol.   III.      London:      William   Tegg   &   Co., 1854.  (Originally published in 1831).  Cowles,     Henry.          The     Psalms     with     Notes,     Critical, Explanatory   and   Practical .      New   York:      D.   Appleton   & Co., 1872. Darby,   John   Nelson.      Practical   Reflections   on   the   Psalms .     London:  Robert L. Allan, 1870. Delitzsch,    Franz.        Biblical    Commentary    on    the    Psalms. Edinburgh:      T   &   T   Clark,   1892.   (Originally   published in 1860). Dickson,   David.   An   Explication   of   the   Other   Fifty   Psalms, from   Ps.   50   to   Ps.   100.   Cornhill,   U.K.:      Ralph   Smith, 1653.  Exell,   Joseph   S.   and   Henry   Donald   Spence-Jones,   eds. The   Pulpit   Commentary .   Vols.   17,   18,   &   19.   New   York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1884.  Hengstenberg,     F.     W.          Commentary     on     the     Psalms .       Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1864. Henry,   Matthew.      An   Exposition   of   All   the   Books   of   the Old   and   New   Testament .      Vol.   II.      London:   W.   Baynes, 1806. (Originally published in 1710). Horne,   George.   A   Commentary   on   the   Book   of   Psalms.      New York:  Robert Carter & Brothers, 1854. Jamieson,    Robert;    Fausset,   A.    R.;    Brown,    David.        A Commentary:   Critical,   Experimental,   and   Practical   on   the Old   and   New   Testaments.       Glasgow:      William   Collins, Queen’s Printer, 1863. Kidner,   Derek.   Psalms    (in   2   Vols.).   Downers   Grove,   IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008 (first published in 1975). Kirkpatrick,   A.   F.   The   Book   of   Psalms   with   Introduction and   Notes   –   Books   II   and   III    (from   The   Cambridge   Bible for      Schools      and      Colleges).      Cambridge,      UK: University Press, 1895. Lange,    John    Peter,    ed.    and    Philip    Schaff,    trans.        A Commentary   on   the   Holy   Scriptures:   Critical,   Doctrinal, and   Homiletical .      New   York:      Charles   Scribner   &   Co., 1865.  Maclaren,   Alexander.   The   Psalms    (in   3   Vols.,   from   The Expositor’s   Bible,   ed.   by   W.   R.   Nicoll).   New   York:   A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1901. Perowne,    J.    J.    Stewart.        The    Book    of    Psalms:        A    New Translation   with   Explanatory   Notes .      London:      George Bell & Sons, 1880. Plumer,    William    S.        Studies    in    the    Book    of    Psalms .      Philadelphia:  J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1872. Scott,   Thomas.   Commentary   on   the   Holy   Bible ,   Vol.   III. London: James Nisbet, 1866. Spurgeon,    Charles.        The    Treasury    of    David .        6    Vols.      London: Marshall Brothers, Ltd., 1885. Tholuck,   Augustus.      A   Translation   and   Commentary   of the Book of Psalms .  Philadelphia:  Martien, 1858. Trapp,    John.        A    Commentary    on    the    Old    and    New Testaments .    Vol.    II    (Ezra    to    Psalms).        Edmonton, Canada:           Still           Waters           Revival           Books (www.PuritanDownloads.com).                     (Originally published c. 1660). VanGemeren,    Willem    A.,    (Gaebelein,    Frank    E.,    ed).      Expositor’s   Bible   Commentary ,   Vol.   5   –   Psalms   to   Song of Songs.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1991. -- Most   of   these   books   (those   in   the   public   domain)   can be    downloaded,    free    of    charge,    from    the    Classic Christian Library,  at: http://www.ClassicChristianLibrary.com                          
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