Bringing Up The Ark
Psalms 68
April 5, 2020
Psalms 68 can be a difficult Psalm to deal with
Because it has many allusions and statements
That are not greatly explained within it.
However, the key to understanding the Psalm
Is actually found through your cross-references.
That is to say, when you realize that several verses that David says here
Are actually quotations from earlier times.
In fact, there are really 2 passages of Scripture
That seem to greatly influence what David has to say here.
The first is:
Numbers 10:35 “Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, “Rise up, O LORD! And let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee before You.”
• This phrase was the statement of Moses, which he first made as the Ark of the Covenant was built and for the first time they moved from Sinai toward the Promised Land to claim their inheritance.
• It was likely the statement Moses made each time the glory cloud would move and Israel would follow.
You likely recognize it as verse 1 of Psalms 68
“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, And let those who hate Him flee before Him.”
The Second passage David recites is Judges 5.
• Judges 4 and 5 is the story of the judge Deborah and Barak.
The story goes like this.
• (4:1) “the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD”
• (4:2) “the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan”
• (4:2) “the commander of his army was Sisera”
• (4:3) “the sons of Israel cried to the LORD for…he had oppressed Israel for twenty years”
• (4:4-7) Deborah was a prophetess and judge and she summoned Barak to go and fight Sisera and the LORD “will give him into your hand”
• (4:8-10) Barak said, I’ll only go if you go with me, and she said OK, but God will give the glory of the battle to a woman.
• (4:11-6) So they went and “The LORD routed Sisera…”
• (4:17-22) Sisera fled on foot, a woman named Jael welcomed him into her tent where she gave him milk, he went to sleep, and she drove a tent peg through his temple.
And in Judges 5 we read Deborah and Barak’s song.
As they recount their victory they point out that
When God moved, He moved as a terrifying force.
Judges 5:4-5 “LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped, Even the clouds dripped water. “The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD, This Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.”
Perhaps you recognize that as verses 7&8 of Psalms 68
“O God, when You went forth before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah. The earth quaked; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.”
There are other allusions made in Psalms 68 that sound very familiar to what Deborah sang in Judges 5, but that is the direct quotation.
So first you simply understand that in this Psalm
David is recounting how when God is on the move
His enemies are scattered.
He remembers Moses requesting it.
He remembers Deborah testifying of it.
And in this Psalm David builds on their statements
To sing a new song about the blessed reality of having God’s presence.
Many see Psalms 68 as a song that might have been sung as David brought up the Ark of God to Jerusalem, and I see no reason to argue with that.
The story which is found in 1 Chronicles 13-16.
David desired to bring up the Ark of God.
1 Chronicles 13:3 “and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”
• And you also remember the story that they tried to move it on an ox cart, contrary to the way God had commanded it to be moved
• When it nearly fell because the oxen stumbled, Uzzah reached out and touched it and God killed him.
• David was angry and afraid and left the ark at the house of Obed-edom.
• For 3 months God blessed Obed for having the ark and so David went back to get it and this time moved it correctly.
1 Chronicles 15:13-15 “Because you did not carry it at the first, the LORD our God made an outburst on us, for we did not seek Him according to the ordinance.” So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. The sons of the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.”
• And as the Ark came up, David danced before it.
• 1 Chronicles 16 even contains a song of thanks that David sang once the Ark was in place.
WHY DID DAVID WANT IT?
The Ark symbolized the presence and thus the favor of God.
When God commanded it to be built and gave its specifications to Moses.
Exodus 25:21-22 “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. “There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.”
God promised to meet with them there.
Perhaps you remember after the golden calf incident
• That God commanded Moses to move the Ark outside of the camp
• Stating that I will not go with you into the Promised Land.
• This move greatly grieved the children of Israel.
And later prompted Moses to pray.
Exodus 33:15-16 “Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. “For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”
God’s Ark signified His presence and His favor.
We see the importance of God’s presence again in the book of Ezekiel
• When we actually read of God’s glory departed from the mercy seat, the temple, and ultimately the city.
• Nebuchadnezzar comes in and burns the temple to the ground and God’s people are exiled.
• They learned that they had nothing so valuable as the presence of God.
The ray of hope comes at the end of Ezekiel when the prophet sees the future city and says:
Ezekiel 48:35 “The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The LORD is there.'”
The point is that God’s presence means everything.
And David wants God near in Jerusalem.
So David sets out to move the Ark of God to Jerusalem
And sings this song as he goes.
It is lengthy and so we can’t spend a great deal of time on every verse, but I think you will see the overall purpose of the song.
There are 4 points to be made here.
#1 THE JOYFUL CONFIDENCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
Psalms 68:1-6
We already pointed out that David is here quoting Moses as the Ark of God set out from Sinai toward the land of promise.
And David is simply recounting that when God moves, He wins.
No one can stand in His way.
“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, And let those who hate Him flee before Him.”
Moses said it and David agrees.
David even adds some analogies to aid in the picture.
(2) “As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish before God.”
The picture is that the world can hate God and stand in opposition to God,
BUT THEY CANNOT STOP GOD.
They will be like “smoke” trying to defy the wind
Or like “wax” seeking to defy the fire.
They just won’t stand.
Moses knew it and so did David.
BUT DAVID ALSO KNEW THAT
While God’s presence is terrifying for His enemies,
It is an absolute blessing for His people.
(3-4) “But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him.”
If you are the wicked you should greatly fear the approach of the LORD,
But if you are the righteous, this is a joyful occasion.
Verse 4 reads “Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts”
• However you will notice the word “song” is italicized which means it is not in
the Hebrews.
• Many have noted that perhaps the word “highway” is a better fit.
“Lift up a highway for Him who rides through the deserts.”
Isaiah 57:14 “And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
Isaiah 40:3-4 “A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. “Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;”
It brings to mind the ministry of JOHN THE BAPTIST who would go before the Lord and tell everyone to “make His paths straight”.
• A glorious King is on the way.
• A glorious God is coming through.
• Lift up the highway
• Make His way straight.
“and exult before Him”
Praise Him as He comes!
BUT DAVID STILL ISN’T DONE.
• He wants the people to see why having God’s presence is such a blessing.
• Here is why we want Him so badly.
(5-6) “A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”
Just follow the analogies.
• “a father of the fatherless” we see His great compassion.
• “a judge for the widows” we see His great defense
• “God makes a home for the lonely” we see a great friend and companion
• “He leads out the prisoners into prosperity” we see Him as a deliverer
Why wouldn’t you want a God like that in your midst?
One who pleads for the orphan, the widow, the outcast, and the captive…
He is a gracious God and His presence is good.
The only ones who don’t receive His favor are those who rebel against Him.
“Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”
BUT YOU SEE THE THEME AND POINT OF DAVID.
God we are happy to bring You to dwell among us!
And instantly coming to our mind are all the Psalms
That boast of the wonder and joy of God’s presence.
Psalms 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”
Or we remember Psalms 48 where David walked around Jerusalem, saw all her buildings, and boasted in the security of God.
Psalms 48:1-3 “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King. God, in her palaces, Has made Himself known as a stronghold.”
We remember Asaph learning the futility of riches and ultimately saying:
Psalms 73:28 “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.”
Or that famous 84th Psalm in which David sings:
Psalms 84:10-11 “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
The point is simply that there is joy in the presence of God.
Even in the New Testament as Jesus reminds us that He is the vine and we are the branches and that we must abide in Him.
John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
You can hear that same excitement in David
As he prepares to move the Ark from the house of Obed-edom
Up to the city of Jerusalem.
The Joyful Confidence of God’s Presence
#2 THE REMEMBERED CONQUEST OF GOD’S PRESENCE
Psalms 68:7-18
In the first parts of the Psalm David and Moses both remind that
God’s enemies have no chance of standing before Him.
In these 12 verses we see that historically that has been true.
We can divide this section out a little further.
1) FROM EGYPT TO SINAI (7-10)
Now, as we pointed out, this was part of what Deborah sang
After Sisera was defeated before them.
She recounted the utter terror of God
Which was first demonstrated at Sinai
And how it sent a ripple effect of fear to all the enemies of God.
“O God, when You went forth before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah.”
(pause for reflection)
“The earth quaked; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.”
It was a terrifying scene!
Even for the children of Israel.
Hebrews 12:18-21 “For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.”
And the ripple effects of God’s power rattled the earth.
Remember when the spies arrived in Jericho?
Joshua 2:8-11 “Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. “When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”
God terrified the world.
He made a declaration to His enemies.
And not just that, but at the same time HE MINISTERED TO THE NEEDS OF HIS PEOPLE.
(9-10) “You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched. Your creatures settled in it; You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.”
When God’s presence moved from Egypt to Sinai
He did so with a mighty hand and with a compassionate arm.
He terrified the nations while caring for His people.
That has been historically who God is.
But that was just the first leg of the conquest of His presence.
2) FROM SINAI TO SHILOH (11-14)
God’s presence went several places from Sinai,
I just mention Shiloh because it ended up there during the time of Samuel.
But really we are talking about the times of
The Wilderness Wanderings, the Conquest, and the period of the Judges.
It was a wild time in which Israel encountered many enemies
Who would have gladly wiped them off the face of the earth,
BUT TIME AFTER TIME GOD DELIVERED.
As noted earlier, Deborah certainly sang this song as God delivered from Sisera,
But in reality God did this repeatedly for them.
(11) “The Lord gives the command; The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:”
The picture there is of the women singers
Who go before the Ark of God celebrating His great victory.
“proclaim the good news” when translated in Greek is the same word we use for evangelism. These women just travel telling of all the great things God has done.
And that happened numerous times in Israel.
Their rejoicing is because:
(12) “Kings of armies flee, they flee, And she who remains at home will divide the spoil!”
One incident that comes to mind is in Numbers 31
• After God pronounced judgment on the Midianites for the way they deceived
Israel under Balak and Balaam.
• The defeat was so severe and the plunder was so much that even the women
at home enjoyed the riches of the spoils.
Numbers 31:26-27 “You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ households of the congregation take a count of the booty that was captured, both of man and of animal; and divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation.”
It was just a scene that happened over and over.
God continually caused nations to flee
As He defended and provided for His people.
(13) “When you lie down among the sheepfolds, You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And its pinions with glistening gold.
Most likely it is just a reference to the women receiving their spoils
And enjoying the bounty which the Lord provided.
Verse 14 is a tough one.
(14) “When the Almighty scattered the kings there, It was snowing in Zalmon.”
• The only “Zalmon” we have was the mountain where Abimelech (corrupt son of Gideon) chopped down wood so he could burn down the tower of Shechem.
• It is more likely a translated word, not a proper name, which would be “shady mountain” and a reference to the Jebel Druze mountains of Bashan.
• Where in Numbers 21, after killing Sihon, King of the Amorites, God also delivered Og king of Bashan into the hand of Israel.
But the simple reality is that the history of having God’s presence
Is that when God is with us our enemies are defeated.
There was just the belief that
When God is with us, our enemies cannot prevail.
• If you will remember, that was part of the sinful confidence that the children of Israel had in the days of Jeremiah who even though Jeremiah was promising judgment the people kept saying, “The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD”
Their history had taught them that
No foreign army was coming into Jerusalem.
They had failed to understand that God was leaving.
But the point is that God’s presence had always brought victory.
From Egypt to Sinai God made a declaration to His enemies.
From Sinai to Shiloh God defeated His enemies.
3) FROM SHILOH TO ZION (15-18)
This is David now carrying up the Ark of God
And promising that God will have continued dominance over His enemies.
Verse 15 also has a regrettable translation.
• “mountain of God” should just be rendered “mighty mountain”
“A mighty mountain is the mountain of Bashan; A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.”
• He is just noting that as far as size and grandeur, there were none in the region that could match the majesty of the mountains of Bashan.
And yet, they were about to be JEALOUS
Of this much smaller mountain in Jerusalem.
(16) “Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, At the mountain which God has desired for His abode? Surely the LORD will dwell there forever.”
The mountains of Bashan might have height and majesty,
But Mt. Zion had the presence of God!
(17-18) “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness. You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, Even among the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.”
God has ascended Zion in holiness.
• He has settle there with His might army
• He has freed the captives.
• He is worshiped and honored.
I hope that verse rings a bell in your mind because
Paul quoted it to speak of an even GREATER CONQUEST than this.
Paul used to speak of Christ Jesus ascending to the throne of Heaven.
Ephesians 4:8-10 “Therefore it says, “WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.” (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)”
David saw the presence of God ascending to Zion
As the ultimate picture of strength and deliverance for His people.
Paul saw the ascension of Christ to Heaven where He sent back His Spirit
As an even greater ascension.
But in both cases we are talking about
The greatness of the presence of God.
GOD’S PRESENCE MEANS JOY AND DELIVERANCE
AND THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY TRUE.
So David is moving the ark and we see:
• The Joyful Confidence of God’s Presence
• The Remembered Conquest of God’s Presence
#3 THE ANTICIPATED CONSEQUENCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
Psalms 68:19-31
• Moses said that God’s presence would mean deliverance.
• Deborah recounted that historically God’s presence had always meant deliverance.
• So David now gives His announcement of what God’s presence will mean for Jerusalem.
1) DAILY DELIVERANCE (19-23)
(19-20) “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. Selah. God is to us a God of deliverances; And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.”
What a blessing to have a God in our midst who is not a burden to us,
But rather One who bears our burdens.
But Israel has a God who says, “Come to Me, all you are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
Our God is a burden bearer.
• He is “our salvation”
• He is “a God of deliverances” (plural)
• “and to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death”
• How many times has our God delivered us?
• How many burdens has He borne?
• How many times has He saved us from death?
Over and over.
And in that deliverance He continues to defeat our foe.
(21-23) “Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies, The hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds. The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the depths of the sea; That your foot may shatter them in blood, The tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
That is a graphic picture to say the least.
• “shatter the head”
• “your dogs may have its portion from your enemies”
I’m going to crush their head and feed them to your dogs.
That’s intense.
It is a promise of God to those who afflict His people.
YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE.
• I will catch you
• I will crush you
• I will feed you to the wild beasts
Incidentally, we saw that promise spoken of this morning
As we looked at the Second Coming.
God delivers His people daily.
2) CONTINUAL BLESSING (24-27)
Here we see that great procession which led the Ark of God into the city.
• The singers, the musicians, the maidens beating tambourines.
They are all blessing God and rejoicing in His coming.
(26) “Bless God in the congregations, Even the LORD, you who are of the fountain of Israel.”
God is called “the fountain”
That is to say, He is the source.
As we see in the book of Ephesians and the book of James,
Everything good gift comes from Him and through Him to us.
We don’t have anything without Him.
One would do good to remember here
• That apostate church at Laodicea
• Who thought themselves to be rich and well-clothed and to have good
eyesight,
• But they didn’t’ even know they were miserable and poor and blind and naked.
Why?
Because they didn’t have Christ.
He was outside knocking trying to get in.
Apart from Christ we have nothing.
Apart from the fountain we have nothing.
David is rejoicing because God’s presence is the fount of every blessing.
Daily Deliverance, Continual Blessing
3) GLOBAL TRIBUTE (28-31)
Here we see David asking God to “Show Yourself strong”
That is to say, “God, put Your power on display here in Jerusalem.”
Because in doing so You will draw the world to Yourself.
• (29) “Because of Your temple at Jerusalem Kings will bring gifts to You.”
• In verse 31 “Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.”
It is not only a picture of tribute,
But also a picture of GENTILES flocking to God for salvation.
And one day the entire world will bow to the God of Israel.
Isaiah 60:10-14 “Foreigners will build up your walls, And their kings will minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, And in My favor I have had compassion on you. “Your gates will be open continually; They will not be closed day or night, So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, With their kings led in procession. “For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, And the nations will be utterly ruined. “The glory of Lebanon will come to you, The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I shall make the place of My feet glorious. “The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”
Those who don’t will be scattered.
• They are alluded to in verse 30 as “beasts in the reeds” or those who “delight in war”.
• Those who will not submit to Israel’s God will be destroyed by Him.
But you see David here recounting
The wonderful consequences of having God in their midst.
This is why we want You God.
• Your Deliverance
• Your Blessing
• Your Glory and Tribute
The Joyful Confidence of God’s Presence
The Remembered Conquest of God’s Presence
The Anticipated Consequence of God’s Presence
#4 THE FITTING CELEBRATION OF GOD’S PRESENCE
Psalms 68:32-35
Here all the kingdoms of the earth are called to sing.
• They are to give glory to “Him who rides upon the highest heavens”
• That is to honor the greatest and most high God.
• They are to honor the God who “speaks forth with His voice, a might voice”
• They are to “Ascribe strength to God” whose “majesty is over Israel and [whose] strength is in the skies.”
IN OTHER WORDS
• They are to honor the Most High God
• They are to honor the Living God
• They are to honor Israel’s God (saving God)
• They are to honor the God of creation
And David closes with his declaration of praise.
(35) “O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!”
He is the God who “gives strength and power to the people.”
Now, I know that is a long song and sort of a rapid way to cover it,
But let’s sort of take a breath now and get the gist of what David is saying.
God has made Him King and David has built a capitol city.
But David knows that there is nothing so valuable to this city as the presence of God.
• God’s presence is their defense
• God’s presence is their joy
• God’s presence is their fount of blessing
• God’s presence is their salvation
• God’s presence is their main attraction
• God’s presence is their strength
Without Him they have nothing.
We make an easy application there and the church easily sings this song.
• We sing it, not only remembering the Ark of God’s presence which ascended to Jerusalem.
• We sing it remembering the Son of God who ascended to Heaven and who sent us His Spirit so that we are now the temple of God.
God doesn’t simply dwell WITH us, God dwells IN us.
And His presence means for us the same thing it meant for David.
Defense, Joy, Blessing, Salvation, Attraction, Strength
• We also have testimonies of deliverance and victory.
• We also have testimonies of Him bearing our burdens and saving.
• We also have testimonies of Him being a father to the fatherless and releasing captives.
• We also have testimonies of Him defeating our enemies and glorifying His name.
His presence is also the most important thing to us.
We, like David, have nothing apart from the presence of God.
So we also sing a song of rejoicing
That God is willing to dwell with us and in us.
“O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!”
