Psalms 68 · The Lantern

To the chief Musician, A Psalm [or] Song of David. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

As smoke is driven away, [so] drive [them] away: as wax melteth before the fire, [so] let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

As smoke fails, let them fail: not that they should be reduced to nothing, but that they should rest from their sins. As wax flows away before the face of fire. Just as wax is melted, and does not lose its nature, but grows soft: so let these too not perish, but lay aside their hardness, and thus turn to repentance, and be saved.

"As smoke vanishes, so may they vanish! As wax flows from the face of the fire, so may sinners perish from the face of God!" In those two verses, through a double simile, the punishment of sinners is foretold. The smoke is a dark gathering of mass that arises under that destructive flame. The higher the smoke rises up, the thinner it becomes throughout the void.

Concerning you, the defenders of idolatry, were these words spoken by the prophet. For a very, very little while and your place shall not be found, but "just as the smoke vanishes, and just as wax melts near a fire, so you will fail." But, as touching the divine wisdom of the gospel, the Lord says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." And again th…

But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yes, let them exceedingly rejoice.

Sing to God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

Sing to God, sing a psalm to his name. "Sing" — in Scripture this always signifies contemplation (theoria): that is, consider the mysteries and the meaning of divine Scripture.

Secondly, he turns himself to those very persons to whom he has given so great hope, and to them while here living he speaks and exhorts: "Sing ye to God, psalm ye to His name" [Psalm 68:4]. Already on this subject in the exposition of the Title we have before spoken that which seemed meet. He sings to God, that lives to God: He psalms to His name, that works unto His Glory.

Thus the Psalmist says to them: Make a way for him who ascends over the setting. For the Lord ascended over the setting because from that by which he fell in his passion, from that same thing he manifested his greater glory by rising again. He ascended over the setting, namely, because he trampled down by rising again the death which he had endured.

A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, [is] God in his holy habitation.

What do I mean? If you ever wish to associate with someone, make sure that you do not give your attention to those who enjoy health and wealth and fame as the world sees it, but take care of those in affliction, those in critical circumstances, those in prison, those who are utterly deserted and enjoy no consolation.

"Exult ye in the sight of Him," O ye to whom hath been said, "Sing ye to God, psalm ye to the name of Him, a way make ye to Him that hath ascended above the setting," also "exult in the sight of Him:" as if "sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing." For while ye make a way to Him, while ye prepare a way whereby He may come and possess the nations, ye are to suffer in the sight of men ma…

And we have learned this distinction from the Holy Books, and from them we have received the power to make the soul to dwell by itself in the house of the body, and therefore, as in a parable, the Spirit of God made this known, saying, "He maketh the solitary one to dwell in a house." Now here He calleth properly the good mind, "solitary one," for although it be domiciled in th…

God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those who are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry [land].

Who then is so profane and lacking in faith, who so insane by the fury of discord as either to believe that the unity of God, the garment of the Lord, the church of Christ can be torn asunder or to dare to do so?

God makes those of one manner to dwell in a house: those who are of one manner, and are not changed. Since indeed the just man is not changed, because once for all he has resolved to remain in righteousness.

O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

O God, when you went out in the sight of your people. This is according to the history, when God went before his people as they went out of Egypt. When you passed through in the desert. God does not linger in the desert, but passes through.

"O God, when You went forth before Your people" [Psalm 68:7]. His going forth is perceived, when He appears in His works. But He appears not to all men, but to them that know how to spy out His works.

"When you ventured forth in the midst of your people, O God, when you passed through the wilderness, earth shook and the heavens sent down drops." Symmachus rendered it thus, "O God, when you went before your people, moving through the uninhabited land, earth shook and heaven sent down drops." On the point of passing through that barren and uninhabited land, which had not yet f…

The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: [even] Sinai itself [was moved] at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

Again, Aeschylus the tragedian, setting forth the power of God, does not shrink from calling him the Highest, in these words:Place God apart from mortals; and think not That he is, like yourself, corporeal. You know him not.

The earth was moved, for the heavens dripped down from before the face of the God of Sinai. The heavens dripped down: that is, the manna. Sinai is interpreted as "temptation." Therefore God dwells in those who are tempted and overcome; but in those who are among delights, he does not dwell.

"When You went by in the desert, the earth was moved" [Psalm 68:8]. A desert were the nations, which knew not God: a desert they were, where by God Himself no law had been given, where no Prophet had dwelled, and foretold the Lord to come.

Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, by which thou didst confirm thy inheritance, when it was weary.

Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

The Lord gave the word: great [was] the company of those that published [it].

For the word of God declares that the preaching (although in itself true and most worthy of belief) is not sufficient to reach the human heart, unless a certain power be imparted to the speaker from God, and a grace appear upon his words; and it is only by the divine agency that this takes place in those who speak effectually.

The Lord will give the word to those who preach the gospel with great power. In the Hebrew it has "the women who preach the gospel"; that is, to those women who were made evangelists to the apostles, where he says "Go, tell my brothers," and the rest. Or else it signifies the souls which have believed in Christ.

"The Lord shall give the Word" [Psalm 68:11]: to wit, food for His animals which shall dwell therein. But what shall these animals work to whom He shall give the word? What but that which follows? "To them preaching the Gospel in much virtue." With what virtue, but with that strength wherein He leads forth men fettered?

Kings of armies fled apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.

Though ye have lain among the pots, [yet shall ye be as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was [white] as snow in Salmon.

The hill of God [is as] the hill of Bashan; a high hill [as] the hill of Bashan.

Why leap ye, ye lofty hills? [this is] the hill [which] God desireth to dwell in; yes, the LORD will dwell [in it] for ever.

The chariots of God [are] twenty thousand, [even] thousands of angels: the Lord [is] among them, [as in] Sinai, in the holy [place].

This, according to David, is God's chariot. "The chariot of God," he says, "is multiplied ten times a thousand times"; that is, it is incalculable, infinite, immeasurable. Under the yoke of the natural law that was given to all, some things are checked, as though they were drawn back by reins; whereas others are driven forward, as though they were urged on by slackened reins.

[Daniel 7:10] "There were millions ministering unto Him, and a billion stood by His side." This was not intended to be a specific number for the servants of God, but only indicates a multitude too great for human computation.

Thus cometh to pass that also which followeth: "The Chariot of God is of ten thousands manifold:" or "of tens of thousands manifold:" or, "ten times thousand times manifold." For one Greek word, which hath there been used, μυριοπλάσιον, each Latin interpreter hath rendered as best he could, but in Latin it could not be adequately expressed: for a thousand with the Greeks is cal…

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yes, [for] the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [among them].

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

You have ascended on high, you have taken captivity captive. You have ascended into the heavens: you have taken us captive, we who were held captive by the devil. You have received gifts among men. He said it well, "you have received." From the Father he received: he receives as man, he gives as God; and what he received, he received for men, that he might give.

Concerning this again he says, "Ascending on high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts to men." For ascending on high, He led captivity captive, because He absorbed our corruption by the power of His incorruption.

Blessed [be] the Lord, [who] daily loadeth us [with benefits], [even] the God of our salvation. Selah.

[He that is] our God [is] the God of salvation; and to GOD the Lord [belong] the issues from death.

But God will wound the head of his enemies, [and] the hairy scalp of such one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

But nevertheless God will shatter the heads of his enemies: of the devil, and all his powers. "You have shattered the heads of the dragon in the water." As many as the sins are, so many heads does the devil have. The crown of the hair of those who walk in their own trespasses.

You ask what is meant by these words in Psalm 67 [LXX]: "But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins." It seems to me it means simply that God will break the heads of his enemies who are too overwhelming, who rise too high in their sins.

"Nonetheless, God shattered the heads of his enemies and of those who walk in their sins through a head of hair." Lest the evils of the obstinate be thought to be unpunished, he says, "Nonetheless God shattered the heads of his enemies," so that you would recognizes that punishment also comes upon the treacherous and obstinate.

The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring [my people] again from the depths of the sea.

That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies, [and] the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

That your foot may be dipped in blood. Because his own foot was dipped in his own blood. "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the nations there was no man with me." And again: "Who is this who ascends from Edom? his garments red from Bosor." Edom is interpreted "blood," Bosor "flesh": it signifies our Lord himself crucified.

Likewise, in the same psalm, where it says, "the tongue of your dogs from the enemies by the same," dogs should not always be taken in an evil sense, otherwise the prophet would not blame "dogs not able to bark and loving to dream": 18 doubtless they would be praiseworthy dogs if they both knew how to bark and loved to watch.

But on the other hand, dogs licked the wounds of the poor man lying there. Sometimes in sacred speech preachers are understood by dogs.

They have seen thy goings, O God; [even] the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.

I think that here none but the apostles can be meant by the rulers of Naphtali. For thence our Lord and Savior called them according to the quotation from Matthew. The Scripture is prophesying the coming of the Word of God to human beings and his incarnate sojourn here, when it says, "Your goings [solemn processions], O God, have been seen," and that which follows.

They have seen your entrances, O God: because in the sight of five hundred men and all the apostles and the cherubim and all the angels you ascended into the heavens. The entrances of my God, of my king who is in the holy place.

"There have been seen Thy steps, O God." The steps are those wherewith Thou hast come through the world, as though in that chariot Thou wast going to traverse the round world; which chariot of clouds He intimateth to be His holy and faithful ones in the Gospel, where He saith, "From this time ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds." Leaving out that coming wherein He…

The singers went before, the players on instruments [followed] after; among [them were] the damsels playing with timbrels.

Bless ye God in the congregations, [even] the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.

There [is] little Benjamin [with] their ruler, the princes of Judah [and] their counsel, the princes of Zebulun, [and] the princes of Naphtali.

Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

Confirm this, O God, which you have worked in us. This salvation, which you have granted us through your passion, confirm, and give aid; because we are men, and we cannot advance in the virtues, if we have not obtained your help.

"Command, O God, Your Virtue" [Psalm 68:28]. For one is our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, [1 Corinthians 8:6] and we in Him, of whom we read that He is "the Virtue of God and the Wisdom of God." [1 Corinthians 1:24] But how does God command His Christ, save while He commends Him?

Therefore we know both the will to do good and the ability to do good come from God. David agrees completely with this, showing that by the command of divine generosity the grace of a good will is granted: "Our steps are made firm by the Lord when he delights in our way." We have no good works in us unless they come from God, and we bear witness that it is done in God, saying,…

Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents to thee.

Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, [till every one shall] submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people [that] delight in war.

Princes shall come out of Egypt; Cush shall soon stretch out her hands to God.

Legates shall come out of Egypt. Egypt is interpreted "darkness": out of the darkness of this world. Ethiopia shall stretch out her hand before to God. Because we who were black with sins and passions went before the Israelite people, and believe in the Savior: just as she who had a flow of blood went before the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, and is healed.

"There shall come ambassadors out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall prevent the hands of Him" [Psalm 68:31]. Under the name of Egypt or of Ethiopia, he has signified the faith of all nations, from a part the whole: calling the preachers of reconciliation ambassadors.

"Arise and go to the south." It is well that it was in the south that this man was sought, found and washed clean. Burning with devotion in his breast, he deserved to be consecrated to God as, so to speak, the firstfruits of the Gentiles. In him especially was fulfilled that saying of the psalmist, "Ethiopia will stretch out its hands to God."

Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises [to] the Lord; Selah:

To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, [which were] of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, [and that] a mighty voice.

Ascribe ye strength to God: his excellence [is] over Israel, and his strength [is] in the clouds.

O God, [thou art] terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel [is] he that giveth strength and power to [his] people. Blessed [be] God.

God is wonderful in his holy ones. In this God is wonderful, because he so loved the human race that he works signs through his holy ones. In these God is more wonderful than in the rest of the creatures.

Lastly, lest of anything else the clouds be understood, he hath in continuation added, "Wonderful is God in His saints, the God of Israel" [Psalm 68:35]. For at that time even most truly and most fully there shall be fulfilled the name Israel itself, which is one "seeing God:" for we shall see Him as He is.

If we wish to describe fortitude rightly, we must note that it is from heaven. "God is wonderful in his saints; the God of Israel, he himself shall give power and strength to his people." Therefore fortitude is a gift of God.

Psalms68