Psalm 68:32-35

Psalm 68 concludes with this summons to all nations to praise Yahweh as universal king in verses 32-35:

"Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
sing praises to the Lord,
O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel;
and whose power is in the skies.
Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!"

1. The God proclaimed throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is not an exclusivistic or isolated God restricted to one people. Since Yahweh created all that is, he is the universal God. So the psalmist calls on the "KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH" to sing praises to him. Yahweh is "KING" (verse 24), and so all the KINGDOMS of the earth are under his command (see further Jeremiah 10:7, 10; Psalms 2:1-6, 10-12; 46:4-11; and very often in the Psalms).
2. Like verse 4, verse 33 borrows an idea about Baal from the Ugaritic texts, and declares that Yahweh (not Baal) is the "rider upon the clouds," the "rider in the heavens." Yahweh's "voice," of course, is thunder (see Psalm 29:3-9; Job 37:5; and often).
3. The terms "power," "majesty," and "awesome" are all common terms to describe a king--see Exodus 15:11, 18; Deuteronomy 33:26; Psalms 47:2; 65:5-6; 66:3-5; 96:3-6; 99:1-5; etc.
4. Yahweh's "sanctuary" is simultaneously his abode in heaven and his abode in the temple--see Psalms 27:4; 29:9-11; 76:1-2; 78:67-69; 84:1-4; 132:1-14; etc.
Our God is the universal king. He is in control of his world and the peoples who live on it, whether we realize and acknowledge it or not. May we gladly take our place at his feet as his servants and followers.

John Willis