Psalm 68:11-23 NKJV 11 The Lord gave the word;
Great was the company of those who proclaimed it:
12 “Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home divides the spoil.
13 Though you lie down among the sheepfolds,
You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And her feathers with yellow gold.”
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
It was white as snow in Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks?
This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in;
Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
Even thousands of thousands;
The Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place.
18 You have ascended on high,
You have led captivity captive;
You have received gifts among men,
Even from the rebellious,
That the Lord God might dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Selah
20 Our God is the God of salvation;
And to God the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 But God will wound the head of His enemies,
The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 That your foot may crush them in blood,
And the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
Psalm 68 begins, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered. Let those who hate Him flee before Him… Let the wicked perish at the presence of God.” And then in the verses assigned for today, there is a beautiful and powerful prophecy of Christ, that He shall rise, ascend to heaven, give his spirit, send his apostles, let Himself be preached, and rescue poor sinners from death.
In v. 21, David writes prophetically that “God will wound the head of His enemies.” This reminds us of God’s promise in the Garden of Eden that the Seed of the woman – ultimately Christ – “will bruise/crush” the head of the serpent who is the devil. Ultimately that promise came to fruition when Christ suffered and died on the cross and rose again thus defeating/crushing the devil’s plans, purpose, and powers.
As is the case with all of God’s holy Word, all His promises are and will be fulfilled. Christ indeed ascended on high after His victorious death and resurrection. He indeed took captivity captive when He descended to hell to proclaim His victory over the devil. God always “loads us with benefits,” which are the spoils of His victory – His preached Word, His sacramental gifts, and our daily bread which includes “everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body” (meaning to the Fourth Petition in the Small Catechism).
Dear Christian, pray this psalm regularly, even sing it. Let God’s Words from David strengthen and encourage you amid all the things that bear down on you in this troubled and sin-sick world. Your God “is the God of salvation, and to God the Lord belong escapes from death,” especially spiritual death as through faith in Christ you will not die eternally but rise with Christ on the Last Day, soul reunited with a sinless body, to reign with Him forever.
Let us pray: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.