RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALMS 68
LESSON #22/P2
THE VICTORY SONG OF ASCENSION

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 68:1

• IN THE LAST 3 PSALMS WE GAINED A GOOD APPRECIATION FOR THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM TO COME. THIS PSALM GIVES US AN APPRECIATION OF THE RULER OF THAT MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, JESUS CHRIST.
• THIS PSALM WAS PROBABLY SUNG AT SOME GREAT VICTORY OF KING DAVID’S SUCH AS THE CONQUERING OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM OR MOST LIKELY THE OCCASION WHEN THE ARK OF THE COVENANT WAS MOVED AFTER 120 YEARS TO MT. ZION (1CHR 15). HOWEVER, BEYOND DAVID IS THE GREATER KING, JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, THIS PSALM IS PRIMARILY PROPHETIC.

• THE PRIMARY AND PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
• READ PSA 68:1-4 MAN’S RESPONSE TO THE COMING KINGDOM
• THE RESPONSE OF GOD’S ENEMIES TO THE COMING KINGDOM: (1-2)
• READ NUM 10:35
• EVERY DAY JUST BEFORE THE ISRAELITES BEGAN THEIR DAY OF MARCHING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, MOSES MADE A SIMILAR CRY TO PSA 68:1.
• THIS PSALM PROFETICALLY STATES THAT GOD’S ENEMIES WILL BE SCATTERED AND DESTROYED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. (1-2)
• THE RESPONSE OF GOD’S PEOPLE TO THE COMING KINGDOM: (3-4)
• GOD’S PEOPLE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD TO SEE CHRIST RETURN AND ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH.
• "HIS NAME JAH…" (4) = JEHOVAH.

• READ PSA 68:5-10 EXPLOITS OF THE GREAT KING (5-10)
• THE MESSIAH KING, IN LOVE, CARES FOR THE ORPHANS, THE LONELY WIDOWS, AND THE OPPRESSED. (5-6)
• THIS GROUP OF OFTEN-FORGOTTEN CITIZENS WERE FREQUENTLY ABUSED, SWINDLED, AND TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THE RELIGIOUS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN ISRAEL EVEN THOUGH GOD COMMANDED THE LEADERS TO PROVIDE FOR THEM. JESUS REBUKED THE PHARISEES FOR THEIR FAILURE TO OBEY GOD IN THIS REGARD IN MAT 23:14.
• IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, NO ONE WILL BE ALONE BUT ALL WILL BE GIVEN FAMILIES OF WHICH TO BE A PART. (6)
• THE MESSIAH KING, IN POWER, MARCHED THROUGH THE WILDERNESS WITH HIS PEOPLE. (7)
• "SELAH"
• WHAT SHOULD WE STOP AND THINK ABOUT HERE?
• GOD’S PRESENCE WAS VERY CLOSE TO HIS PEOPLE IN THE WILDERNESS. THEY COULD SEE HIS PRESENCE IN THE FORM OF A CLOUD BY DAY AND A PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHT.
• MANY PEOPLE TODAY THINK THAT IF THEY COULD JUST SEE GOD’S PRESENCE, THEY WOULD BELIEVE AND FOLLOW GOD. HOWEVER, THE ISRAELITES COULD SEE GOD’S PRESENCE AND YET THEY REBELLED AGAINST GOD.
• IN REALITY, WE HAVE IT BETTER TODAY THAN THE ISRAELITES IN THE WILDERNESS. WE DO NOT SEE GOD WITH OUR PHYSICAL EYES, BUT THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT THE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER HAS GOD LIVING INSIDE OF HIM. THAT MEANS HE IS CLOSER TO US THAN HE WAS TO THE ISRAELITES.
• WE ARE NEVER AWAY FROM HIS PRESENCE BECAUSE HE IS IN US!
• "THE EARTH SHOOK, THE HEAVENS ALSO DROPPED AT THE PRESENCE OF GOD…" (8)
• THIS IS REMINISCENT OF THE ISRAELITES EXPERIENCE IN THE WILDERNESS WHEN GOD CAUSED THE RED SEA TO DRY UP AND WHEN GOD SENT MANNA FROM HEAVEN TO FEED HIS PEOPLE.
• THIS IS ALSO PROPHETIC IN THAT THE EARTH WILL SHAKE AS NEVER BEFORE WHEN JESUS RETURNS AT THE SECOND COMING (ZEC 14:4-5), AND THE HEAVENS WILL ROLL UP LIKE A SCROLL. (REV 6:14)
• THE MESSIAH KING PROVIDES RAIN THAT PRODUCES ABUNDANCE FOR HIS PEOPLE. (9)
• WHEN THE ISRAELITES CAME INTO THE PROMISED LAND, GOD BLESSED THEM WITH GOOD HARVESTS AS A RESULT OF THE FORMER (IN THE AUTUMN) AND THE LATTER RAINS (IN THE SPRING).
• IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, THERE WILL BE RAIN FOR NATIONS THAT WORSHIP GOD AND NO RAIN FOR NATIONS THAT DO NOT. (ZEC 14:17)

• READ PSA 68:11-14 ISRAELITES INHABIT THE PROMISED LAND
• ARMIES FLED WHEN ISRAEL MARCHED INTO THE PROMISED LAND UNDER JOSHUA, AND JOSHUA DIVIDED THE PROMISED LAND TO THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL BY CASTING LOTS. (12)
• AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, MEN WILL RUN FOR FEAR TO HIDE THEMSELVES AGAINST THE COMING CHRIST. (REV 6:15-17)
• VERSE 13 PRESENTS A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH INTERPRETATION. (JDG 5:16)
• IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES, DEBORAH SCOLDED THE TRIBE OF REUBEN FOR NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE BATTLE FOR THE LAND.
• DEBORAH USED THE SAME HEBREW WORD FOR, "POTS" IN PSA 68:13 BUT THERE IN THE JDG 5:16 THAT HEBREW WORD IS TRANSLATED "SHEEPFOLD".
• THE TRIBE OF REUBEN HAD AN APATHETIC ATTITUDE TOWARD OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S CALLING.
• ISREAL THROUGH HISTORY HAD AN APATHETIC ATTITUDE TOWARD OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S CALLING. NEVERTHELESS, GOD WILL BLESS ISRAEL ABUNDANTLY WITH WEALTH AND POSITION IN THE MILLENNIUM.
• "IT (ISRAEL) WAS AS WHITE AS SNOW IN SALMON (14)
• SALMON IS A MOUNTAIN NEAR THE CITY OF SHECHEM WHICH WAS STRATEGIC IN HELPING ISRAEL FIGHT AGAINST THE ENEMY. (JDG.9:48)
• AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, GOD WILL FORGIVE ISRAEL OF ALL HER PAST SINS AND SHE SHALL BE FORGIVEN, WHITE AS SNOW.
• READ ZEC 12:9-11; ZEC 13:1

• READ PSA 68:15-18 THE KING ASCENDS TO HIS THRONE
• THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD (15-16)
• "THE HILL OF GOD IS AS THE HILL OF BASHAN…" (15)
• THE HILL OF GOD IS MOUNT ZION IN JERUSALEM WHICH COMPARES TO THE HILL OF BASHAN.
• THE HILL OF BASHAN REFERS TO THE HERMON MOUNTAIN RANGE JUST NORTH OF THE CITY OF BASHAN IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.
• CHRIST WILL CHOOSE JERUSALEM AS HIS CAPITOL FOR HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ON EARTH.
• IN HIS CORONATION, HE WILL ENTER JERUSALEM WITH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ANGELS IN ATTENDANCE. (17)
• THE ASCENDANT LORD (18)
• "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them".
• THIS PSALM PICTURES THE LORD AS A CONQUERING KING ASCENDING TO HIS THRONE WITH CAPTIVE SLAVES THAT FOLLOW AND CARRY THE GIFTS OF THE SPOILS OF WAR.
• THIS VERSE IS QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IN EPH 4:8 AND GIVEN A VERY SIGNIFICANT MEANING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• READ EPH 4:8-13
• ACCORDING TO THE CONTEXT IN EPHESIANS, PAUL TELLS US THAT AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION, JESUS FIRST DESCENDED INTO SHEOL OR HADES AND RELEASED THE DEAD OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS WHO WERE CAPTIVE WAITING FOR THE FINAL JUDGEMENT. HE MOVED THEM TO A NEW PLACE IN HEAVEN THAT HE CALLED, PARADISE. (LUK 12:43) THEN HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND 50 DAYS LATER ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN.
• IN THIS PROCESS CHRIST GAVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS TO HIS BELIEVERS TO ENCOURAGE AND BUILD THEM UP IN THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST. THESE GIFTS TO THE BODY OF CHRIST ARE: APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS, PASTORS, AND TEACHERS.

• READ PSA 68:19-23 THE MERCIFUL AND VICTORIOUS KING
• THE MERCIFUL KING LOADS US, HIS PEOPLE, WITH BENEFITS, EVEN SALVATION. (19)
• "SELAH"
• THAT THOUGHT IS WORTH STOPPING FOR TO GIVE HIM THANKS FOR ALL THE BENEFITS HE LOADS UPON US.
• THE MERCIFUL KING HOLDS THE ISSUES OF DEATH. (20)
• THIS VERSE TELLS US WHY IT IS WRONG TO COMMIT SUICIDE. THE ISSUES OF LIFE AND DEATH ARE NOT IN OUR HANDS. THEY ARE IN HIS HANDS. AND ONCE WE DIE, IT IS IN HIS HANDS TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE ARE TRULY BELIEVERS, SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, OR WHETHER WE ARE NON-BELIEVERS.
• THE VICTORIOUS KING WILL TRIUMPH OVER ALL ISRAEL’S ENEMIES. (21-23)
• THE ENEMY WITH THE "HAIRY SCALP" IS A REFERENCE TO THE ANTI-CHRIST OF THE FUTURE TRIBULATION PERIOD. HE WILL BE DEFEATED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. (REV 19:20)
• THE LAST GREAT BATTLE ON EARTH WILL OCCUR AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST WHEN MILLIONS OF MILLENNIUM-BORN PEOPLE WILL REBEL AGAINST CHRIST’S RULE ONLY TO SUFFER COMPLETE AND IMMEDIATE DEFEAT.
• READ REV 20:7-10

• READ PSA 68:24-27 THE FINAL VICTORY PROCESSION
• "THEY HAVE SEEN MY GOINGS…" (24)
• AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS OF LIVING UNDER CHRIST’S RULE, MANKIND WILL HAVE SEEN THE DIFFERENCE IN LEADERSHIP ACCORDING TO MAN’S STYLE AND LEADERSHIP ACCORDING TO GOD’S STYLE.
• THE TRIBES OF BENJAMIN AND JUDAH ARE MENTIONED AS THEY REPRESENT THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.
• THE TRIBES OF ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI ARE MENTIONED AS THEY REPRESENT THE NORHTERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.

• READ PSA 68:28-31 GOD’S POWER IN THE PRESENT DAY
• DAVID CALLS ON GOD TO DEMONSTRATE HIS POWER TO DEFEAT THE ENEMIES OF DAVID’S DAY, SPECIFICALLY EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA.

• READ PSA 68:32-35 A CALL TO SING TO GOD
• DAVID COMMANDS ALL THE NATIONS TO SING PRAISE TO GOD. (32)
• "SELAH"
• IF WE STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT, IN LIGHT OF THE CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE PSALM, THIS IS A COMMAND WITH A SUBTLE WARNING BEHIND IT. IN OTHER WORDS, NATIONS THAT DON’T PRAISE GOD ARE DOOMED, WHILE NATIONS THAT DO PRAISE GOD ARE BLESSED.
• "TO HIM THAT RIDETH UPON THE HEAVENS…" (33)
• THIS IS VERY POETIC WAY OF DECLARING THE SUPREME POWER, POSITION AND AUTHORITY OF GOD WHO SEES ALL AND KNOWS ALL FOR HE IS ABOVE ALL.
• SING TO THE GOD OF STRENGTH (34-35)
• THE WORD, STRENGTH, OCCURS 3 TIMES IN JUST THESE LAST 2 VERSES AFTER GOD’S COMMAND TO STRENGTHEN IN VERSE 28.
• GOD GIVES STRENGTH AND POWER TO HIS PEOPLE. BLESSED BE GOD!

• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• THIS PSALM GIVES US A REVIEW OF GOD’S PAST VICTORIES FOR ISRAEL AND INCLUDING CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. iT ALSO TELLS US OF CHRIST’S FUTURE VICTORIES ON BEHALF OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE.
• BECAUSE WE BELONG TO CHRIST, WE ARE HEIRS OF HIS POWER AND STRENGTH THAT WE NEED IN OUR DAILY LIVES TO LIVE FOR HIS GLORY. WE CAN BE ENCOURAGED BECAUSE OUR GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE.
• BECAUSE THIS PSALM GIVES US A REVIEW OF GOD’S VICTORIES, WE ALSO SEE IN IT THE CHARACTER OF GOD.
• DISCUSSION: WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD DO WE SEE IN THIS PSALM?

• APPLICATION OF PSA 68:
• LOOK AT YOUR LIST OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD THAT YOU FOUND IN THIS PSALM. WHICH OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS SPECIFICALLY MEETS A PERSONAL NEED IN YOUR LIFE TODAY?

• PRAY AND THANK GOD THAT HE HAS THIS CHARACTERISTIC AND THAT HE IS WILLING TO EXPRESS IT ON YOUR BEHALF.

• PREPARATION FOR PSA 69 AND PSA 70
• READ PSA 69:1-36
• IN WHAT SPECIFIC WAYS DO YOU THINK THIS PSALM RELATES TO JESUS CHRIST AND HIS SUFFERING?

• READ PSA 70:1-5
• COMPARE IT WITH PSA 40:13-17

• MEMORY VERSE: 1PET 3:14