Psalms 68:1-35

68:1 | This psalm echoes the Song of Deborah in Judges 5: the presence of the wicked on the earth is an affront to the holiness of God.

68:4 | The false god Baal was called “the rider of the clouds,” so using the title here for God emphasizes God’s superiority over all other gods (Deut. 33:26). Yah is a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh (translated “I AM” as in Ex. 3:14-15).

68:18 | This verse is quoted somewhat enigmatically in Ephesians 4:8-11 to describe how the exalted Christ distributed gifts to believers after His ascension. Here the focus is on God the conqueror, while Paul emphasizes the benefits of Christ’s victory for God’s people (Acts 2:33; 1 Cor. 12:4-11).