Psalms 68:24

Psalm 68:24. They, &c. — When the ark was safely deposited, the sacrifices offered, the solemnity well nigh concluded, and the whole assembly about to return back, Dr. Chandler supposes the singers struck up and joined in the remaining part of this noble anthem. They have seen — Men saw and observed, thy goings, O God — The procession of the ark to Zion, the solemnity whereof is particularly described in the following verses. The word, goings, הליכותיךְ , halichotheicha, means, thy marches; the procession, it seems, stopping several times, and being performed in several sorts of periods, in proper succession, one after another, for the ease of those who bore the ark, and for performing some sacred rites, which were appointed on this occasion, 2 Samuel 6:13 ; 1 Chronicles 15:26 . Even the marches of my God, my King — He repeats it, because the words contain a sort of triumph on account of this great work of translating the ark being now happily accomplished, which he seems to have considered as a pledge and earnest of the mighty things God would do for them, having now, by this symbol of his presence, taken possession of the place prepared for him on mount Zion, and therefore of Jerusalem, the capital of the kingdom: in the sanctuary — Or, in holiness, for it was not a light and carnal, but a serious and holy procession: or, into the sanctuary, as the words may be rendered; or, holy tabernacle prepared for it; to which they had now carried the ark.

(24-27) These hopes of national deliverance are kept alive in the worship of the sanctuary, which the poet now proceeds to describe. A solemn procession advances to the Temple, and we have a description of it by one evidently as interested in this ritual as familiar with it. (24) Goings.—Better, processions. (Comp. Psalm 42:4.) In the sanctuary.—Rather, into the sanctuary.

24 They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. 25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels. 26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. 27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali. Psalm 68:24 "They have seen thy goings, O God." In the song the marchings of the Lord had been described; friends and foes had seen his goings forth with the ark and his people. We suppose that the procession was now climbing the hill, and entering the enclosure where the tabernacle of the ark was pitched; it was suitable at this moment to declare with song that 'the tribes had Seen the glorious progress of the Lord as he led forth his people. "Even the goings of my God, rail King, in the sanctuary." The splendid procession of the ark, which symbolised the throne of the great King, was before the eyes of men and angels as it ascended to the holy place; and the Psalmist points to it with exultation before he proceeds to describe it. All nature and providence are, as it were, a procession attending the great Lord, in his visitations of this lower globe. Winter and summer, sun and moon, storm and calm, and all the varied glories of nature swell the pomp of the King of kings, of whose dominion there is no end.

Psalm 68:25 "The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after." This was the order of the march, and God is to be worshipped evermore with due decorum. First the singers, and lastly the musicians, for the song must lead the music, and not the music drown the singing. In the midst of the vocal and instrumental band, or all around them, were the maidens: "among them were the damsels playing with timbrels." Some have imagined that this order indicates the superiority of vocal to instrumental music; but we need not go so far for arguments, when the simplicity and spirituality of the gospel already teach us that truth. The procession depicted in this sublime song was one of joy, and every means was taken to express the delight of the nation in the Lord their God. Psalm 68:26 "Bless ye God in the congregations." Let the assembled company magnify the God whose ark they followed. United praise is like the mingled perfume which Aaron made, it Should all be presented unto God.

Verses 24-27. - Again we find a transition. The conquest of Canaan is complete - God is gone up into his sanctuary. The nations are led captive or put to tribute Rebels are crushed; the last remnants of them sought out, brought back, and delivered into the hands of Israel. Now we have a description of God's "goings in the sanctuary" (ver. 24). Some critics suppose a particular occasion to be pointed at; but the expression "goings" rather indicates something habitual, or, at any rate, recurring. God is from time to time glorified in his sanctuary by ceremonies which the poet describes. Verse 24. - They have seen thy goings, O God; i . e . men have seen - friends and foes alike - even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary . God is at once both Israel's God and Israel's King. The monarchy has not wholly destroyed the theocracy. Psalm 68:24

24-27. The triumphal procession, after the deliverance, is depicted. They have seen—impersonally, "There have been seen." the goings of my God—as leading the procession; the ark, the symbol of His presence, being in front. The various bands of music (Ps 68:25) follow, and all who are—

They have seen: it is an indefinite expression; men saw and observed it, thy people to their comfort, and thine enemies with terror and astonishment. Thy goings; either, 1. How thou didst march before them through the Red Sea and the wilderness, even until thou didst bring them into Canaan, and afterward, as occasion was, and how thou didst subdue their enemies before them. Or rather, 2. The procession of the ark to Zion, the solemnity whereof is particularly described in the following verses. In the sanctuary; or, in holiness ; for it was not a light and carnal, but a holy pomp; or, in the holy place ; as the ark, in and with which God is supposed to go, might very fitly and truly be called. Or into the sanctuary , or holy tabernacle, prepared for it; whither the ark was now going.

24 . They have seen ] The subject is significantly indefinite: it includes all men, who have been the spectators of the conflict between God and His enemies. Cp. Psalm 98:1-3 ; Isaiah 40:5 . thy goings ] The festal procession which celebrates God’s victory on behalf of His people. He comes in triumph once more, as He came of old. my King ] The title is significant. He has again placed Himself at the head of His people and victoriously manifested His sovereignty. Cp. Psalm 44:4 ; Psalm 74:12 . in the sanctuary ] R.V. into the sanctuary, retaining A.V. in the marg. The preposition implies His rest there after His entry. It is possible also to render as in Psalm 68:17 , in holiness (R.V. marg. alt.). His triumph is the vindication of that holiness which is His supreme attribute and distinguishes all His action. Cp. Exodus 15:11 ; Psalm 77:13 . 24–27 . These verses describe a solemn procession of thanksgiving to the Temple. But is it past, present, or future? Delitzsch is right when he says that it is “not the rejoicing over a victory lately won, not the rejoicing over the deliverance at the Red Sea in the days of old, but the rejoicing of Israel when it shall have seen the judicial and redemptive act of its God and King.” It is an ‘ideal’ description. The poet’s imagination springs forward to the great celebration of the victory described in Psalm 68:21-23 . It rises before his eyes as an actual fact.