God at the head of His people in majesty
Psalm 68 follows on these psalms, being the celebration of the introduction of Israel into the position spoken of in them. Still it has a complete and individual character of its own. It begins with the formula employed when the camp broke up in the wilderness under the guidance of God, the pillar rising up and going before them. So it is now. God takes this place at the head of His people. It is thus introduced suddenly with great majesty. Let God arise-so His enemies are scattered before Him: as wax before the fire, the wicked perish at His presence. The righteous may be glad and rejoice before God, yea, exceedingly rejoice. He shall appear to the shame of the mighty wicked, and the righteous poor will be glorified. Thus the purport of this psalm is most clear. But the character of Him who thus interferes is further most beautifully unfolded. He is a father of the fatherless, a judge of widows. He makes the solitary to dwell in families, the rebellious in a dry land. Judgment is the true and gracious deliverance of the blessed God. And now His people can celebrate this goodness.
History is then recapitulated (vs. 7). Such was He when He brought forth Israel from Egypt. At Sinai the earth shook at His presence. But He refreshed the heritage of His weary people, when He had prepared of His goodness for the poor. But now present facts told that tale still more to their hearts. Adonai’s word went forth. The glad tidings were chanted by Israel’s daughters in a great company (vs. 11). Kings fled apace. What a sudden and complete deliverance it was! The quietest home-stayer divided the spoil, for it was the Lord’s doing. Then Israel came out in all her beauty, though they had been lying in poverty and wretchedness.1 In all the pretensions and striving of the nations, this is God’s will. God challenges these pretensions of human power: “Why leap ye, ye high hills?”-the seats of human power. Zion was God’s hill, He would make it His perpetual abode. For the sake of His remnant He scattered the kings. In the midst of them He would dwell. But whence all this deliverance? The Lord had ascended on high, received gifts as man and for men; yea, even for rebellious Israel, who was now in question, that Jehovah might dwell among them.
(1. The force of the word is much disputed; its sense, I suppose, is evident. It is used for the stables of sheep or cattle.)
Praise for the full restoration of Israel’s blessing and glory; its Source
This brings out praise to the God of their salvation; for their God was the God of salvation. Oh! how could Christ witness that? But they were still mortal men down here. The deliverance was earthly and temporal, though of saints. But He would be their guide always, even unto death. But He would destroy the wicked. What was really the occasion of all this burst of joy (of which the heart was too full to tell quietly the occasion) is now however drawn out; yet the exultation still casts its light and joy over it.
Israel was set up again in power; her enemies destroyed; the beauty of her temple-order restored. The tribes would come up, the kings bring presents. God had commanded strength, and they look to His strengthening what is wrought. The subjection of every enemy or mighty one follows. Princes would come out of Egypt, and Ethiopia stretch out her hands to God. The kingdoms of the earth are all called upon then to sing praises to Adonai. Strength is to be ascribed to God; but His excellency, that in which He is exalted, is over Israel, and, in the clouds of His dwelling-place in power, His strength watches over His people. It is the full restoration of Israel’s blessing and glory, and indeed much more than restoration; and this consequent upon the exaltation of the Lord to receive gifts as man.
The Lordship of Christ
But, while it is the intervention of God in the power of judgment, for the blessing of the remnant and putting down human power and every haughtiness of man’s will-“God’s arising” before His earthly people and His enemies fleeing-there are some points in it, which are brought out by this, which it is well to notice. First, the use of Adonai. His name Jah is introduced (vss. 4,18), but it is always Adonai is spoken of. It is not the covenant name of relationship, though Jah recall it, but power in exercise, Lordship-divine Lordship-but still Lordship. It is what Thomas owned when he saw the Lord, it would seem; not, Tell My brethren, “I ascend unto my Father and your Father,” etc. It is God; but as the Lord manifested here in power as Psalm 2:44He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:4); only there He is not redescended. Hence here we have His ascension as a past fact. It is not that God gives, but He who is Adonai has gone up and received gifts as, and in respect of, man. In His Adam (last Adam) character He has received them, having led the enemy captive (Acts 2:33-3633Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:33‑36)); here clearly the ascended man, though much more, and as head having received the gifts באדם (“in Man”)-the human head of glory-He shed forth the gifts (Acts 2; Eph. 4). But though as, and for, and in, man, yet there was also a special object added, yea, even for the rebellious, that Jah Elohim might dwell among them. Here the remnant, the Israel of our psalm, comes in. Hence the Apostle does not quote it, but stops halfway at His receiving them for man.
In the following psalms we find the humiliation of this blessed One. What a contrast! Yet how far indeed from being less glorious or of feebler interest in the eyes of us who have learned and know who He is.