Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvindoubt his intention to influence the minds of the people of God to the contrary dispositions ofclemency and mercy, as being that frame of spirit in the exercise of which they might expect toreceive the Divine assistance. The more violently their enemies raged, and the more lawless theirattempts might prove, they had only the more reason to expect the interposition of God, who humblesthe proud and the mighty ones of this world. Such being the character of God, let us learn from thisprayer of David to resort to him with confidence when the objects at any time of unmeritedpersecution, and to believe that he is able to deliver us at once from all our enemies.Psalm 68:31-3531. Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out [or, shall hasten to stretchout] her hands unto God. 32. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing praises to the Lord.Selah. 33. To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which were of old, [literally the heavensof ancientness;] lo! he shall send forth in his voice a mighty voice. 34. Give strength unto Godover Israel; his excellency and his strength are in the clouds. 35. O God! thou art terrible out ofthy holy places: the God of Israel himself shall give strength and power unto his people. Blessedbe God!31. Princes shall come out of Egypt. He resumes the strain of thanksgiving, and confirms whathe had previously asserted, that kings would come and pay tribute unto God. The examples whichhe brings forward are those of the Egyptians and Ethiopians. This sufficiently proves that theprediction must be extended to Christ, by whom the Egyptians and Ethiopians were brought underthe sway of God. The word , tarits, translated, shall soon stretch out, might have been rendered,shall cause to run. 61 But it seemed necessary to soften the harshness of the figure. It is doubtfulwhether the allusion be to the promptness with which they should yield subjection, or whether hemeans that they would stretch out their hands to entreat pardon, this being an attitude common tosuppliants. According to either interpretation, it is their submission which is intended, and it isenough to know that David asserts that Ethiopia and Egypt would come under the power of God,and not they only, but the most distant parts of the world.In the next verse he goes farther than before, and calls upon the kingdoms of the earth to praiseGod, language which implies that those who had once been distinguished by their hostility to himwould be ranked amongst his willing worshippers. There must be the knowledge of God, as I haveremarked elsewhere, before men can celebrate the praises of his name; and we have a proof of thecalling of the Gentiles, in the fact that Moses and the prophets invite them to offer sacrifices ofpraise. That it might not seem a strange and incredible thing to speak of the extension of the worshipof God from one land, within which it had been hitherto confined, to the whole world, David insistsupon God’s rightful dominion over all parts of the earth. He rideth upon the heaven of heavens;that is, as we have observed at the beginning of the psalm, he has supreme power over all creatures,and governs the universe at his will. This truth is one which, even in its general application, is well61 “The Hebrew is very emphatic: — ‘Cush will cause her hands to run out to God.’ She will with great alacrity and delightsurrender her power and influence unto God.” — Dr Adam Clarke.25