John T. Willis

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

The composer of Psalm 68 continues the second main section of this psalm (verses 19-35), in which he/she summons hearers to praise Yahweh for his mighty works among human beings (which she/he described in verses 4-18), with a description of a typical worship processional ending at the Jerusalem sanctuary or temple in verses 24-27:

"You solemn processions are seen, O God,
the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary--
the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them girls playing tambourines:
'Bless God in the great congregation,
the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!'
There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in a body,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali."

1. After great victories, it was common to celebrate with magnificent processions. This was especially important when Yahweh won the victory. See the descriptions of the processions after the crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 15:20-21; after David killed Goliath and the Israelites defeated the Philistines in 1 Samuel 18:6-7; and after Nehemiah and his co-workers finished rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem in Nehemiah 12:27-43.
2. In the procession described in Psalm 68, the worshipers extol Yahweh for two things: (1) He is KING (verse 24b). He has proved this again by defeating Israel's enemies and their kings (see verses 11-14). (2) He is Israel's "FOUNTAIN" (verse 26b), that is, the source of Israel's life and strength (see Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13).
3. God encourages worshipers to use their best gifts when they praise him for his mighty acts. Verse 25 singles out three kinds of gifts: (a) singers (see Psalms 33:3a; 149:1); (b) musicians, that is, those who play musical instruments (see Psalms 33:2, 3b; 149:3); and (c) girls who play tambourines (which calls to mind Exodus 15:20; 1 Samuel 18:6).
4. Among God's people there is no distinction between who is greater and who is inferior. Mark 10:35-45 makes this very clear. See also James 2:1-13. So the smallest tribe numerically (Benjamin) leads the procession in worship.
Praise God for his great concern for all his peopl

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