Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 68:33
To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, [which were] of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, [and that] a mighty voice.
33. To him that rideth &c.] The same God who “rides through the deserts” ( Psa 68:4) when He intervenes in human affairs is supremely exalted in the highest heavens (Deu 10:14; 1Ki 8:27; Neh 9:6), which like the mountains (Deu 33:15) are of primeval antiquity.
which were of old ] Better, with R.V., which are of old. Cp. Wordsworth’s “the most ancient heavens.”
he doth send out his voice ] R.V., he uttereth his voice, as Psa 46:6. Cp. Psa 29:3 ff.; Isa 30:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens – The highest heavens. The heaven of heaven would properly mean the heaven above that which is heaven to us; that is, the heaven above the sky. This is represented as the special dwelling-place of God. The Jews were accustomed to speak of three heavens:
(a) The aerial heaven, or the region above us, where the birds fly, and the winds blow;
(b) the starry heavens, or the firmament in which the stars are fixed; and
(c) the heaven above all, the abode of God and of angels.
The word rideth here means that he appears there as a conqueror, or that he moves in majesty and glory. See the notes at Psa 18:10.
Which were of old – The words of old refer here to the heavens, and denote their antiquity. He rides upon those ancient heavens. He occupies a position above those ancient works of his power.
Lo, he doth send out his voice – Margin, as in Hebrew, give. The reference is to thunder. The design of this is to increase the impression of his majesty and power.
And that a mighty voice – See the notes at Psa 29:3.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 33. Rideth upon the heavens] He who manages the heavens, directing their course and influence, he formed every orb, ascertained its motion, proportioned its solid contents to the orbit in which it was to revolve, and the other bodies which belong to the same system. As an able and skilful rider manages his horse, so does God the sun, moon, planets, and all the hosts of heaven.
He doth send out his voice] At his word of command they run, shed, or reflect their light; and without the smallest deviations obey his will.
Mighty voice.] He thunders in the heavens, and men tremble before him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Upon the heavens; upon the highest heavens, as Deu 10:14, his truest and best sanctuary; by which expressions he prevents all mean and carnal conceptions of God, as if he were confined to the ark or tabernacle, and lifteth up the minds, both of Jews and Gentiles, to heaven, and representeth God as dwelling there in infinite glory and majesty, and from thence looking down upon all the inhabitants of the earth, and ruling them by his almighty power, and therefore most fit to be owned and received by all kings and kingdoms, as their Lord and Governor.
Of old, i.e. from the very beginning of the world; whereas the ark was only some hundred years old. Or,
which are everlasting; for this Hebrew word answers to olam, which looks not only backward to time past; but forward to the future, of which this word is by divers understood, Deu 33:15. This is also opposed to the condition of the ark, and tabernacle, and temple; all which, as David by the Spirit of prophecy well knew, would be abolished and dissolved.
A mighty voice; by which he understands, either,
1. The thunder, called Gods voice, Psa 29:3, and elsewhere. Or rather,
2. His word, to wit, the gospel, published by Christ and by his apostles, assisted by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; which might well be called Gods voice, and that a mighty voice, because it produced such great and wonderful effects, as are here above mentioned, in converting all the kings and kingdoms of the earth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, [which were] of old,…. Or “eastward” q; the first, second, and third heavens, which were created from the beginning of time by Christ himself,
Ps 102:25 compared with Heb 1:10. These he rode upon when he ascended on high, even far above all heavens, as the apostle says, Eph 4:10; and so above the heaven of heavens, when he was made higher than they, and both Lord and Christ; and placed his throne in them, and from thence exercises his government over the whole world: and it may be observed, that it was from Mount Olivet, which was to the east of Jerusalem, that Christ ascended, and so to the eastern part of the heavens, Ac 1:12; see Re 7:2;
lo, he doth send out his voice; which is his Gospel, for that is the voice of Christ; which he utters by his ministers, and which his sheep, his people, hearken unto, and can distinguish from the voice of a stranger. This is a voice of love, grace, and mercy; it speaks of righteousness, peace, pardon, and salvation by him, and is very joyful and comfortable to hear. This he sent out by his apostles into all the earth, after his ascension to heaven; and which he has been, more or less, sending out in one place or another, by his ministers, ever since; and in the latter day will send it out more clearly, fully, and largely, by a set of ministers he will raise up for that purpose;
[and that] a mighty voice; or, “a voice of strength” r; a strong and powerful voice, such as the Gospel is, when accompanied with the power and Spirit of God. It is a soul shaking and awakening voice; it is an heartmelting and an heartbreaking one; it is a quickening and an enlightening voice; it quickens dead sinners, gives life unto them, and the entrance of it gives light to dark minds: it is a soul charming and alluring one; it draws to Christ, engages the affections to him, and fills with unspeakable delight and pleasure. The Targum interprets this of the voice of the spirit of prophecy; Aben Ezra understands this voice as saying what follows.
q “ab oriente”, Pagninus; “ad orientem”, V. L. so Sept. Eth. Syr. Arab. r “vocem fortitudinis”, Pagninus, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
33. The heavens of heavens The highest “heavens.”
Of old That is, the primeval heavens. He is God the Creator, ruling the worlds and “riding along in the primeval heavens of heavens.” A description of the glory and majesty of God anterior to the creation of man. See Deu 10:14; Deu 33:26; Psa 18:10. But when he connects his sovereignty with human history, he rides along the steppes, or desert plains. See on Psa 68:4.
His voice a mighty voice In nature the thunder, Psa 29:3-9; but it may allude to Sinai, Exo 20:18-19, and emphatically to his word and providences to the nations in all ages.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 68:33. To him that rideth upon the heavens, &c. The heavens which were of old, means, the heavens which existed from the beginning of the creation; and God is said to ride upon them, or through them, either to denote his omnipresence, or to signify that he is the proprietor and lord of them, and overrules all appearances in them, to serve the purposes of his own providence, and for the protection and safety of his people; as Moses expresses it: There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth on the heavens in thy help. Deu 33:26; Deuteronomy 1.e. “Who comes in the storms, the thunder and lightnings, the artillery of heaven, to thine assistance.” For thus it follows, Lo, he doth send out him voice, and that a mighty voice, literally, He will give with his voice a mighty voice. Thunder is described in Scripture as the voice of God; (Psalms 29.) and it is peculiarly awful and terrible in the eastern and warmer parts of the earth.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 68:33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, [which were] of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, [and that] a mighty voice.
Ver. 33. To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens ] i.e. The highest heaven, Deu 10:14 .
Which were of old
Lo, he doth send out his voice
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
rideth. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
of old. Compare 2Pe 3:5 and 2Pe 3:6 : referring to “the world that then was”.
His voice. Omit the italics, and then we have the Figure of speech Epizeuxis, “His voice a voice of strength”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
rideth: Psa 68:4, Psa 18:10, Psa 104:3
of old: Psa 93:2, Psa 102:25
send out: Heb. give
his voice: Psa 29:3-9, Psa 77:17, Psa 77:18, Eze 10:5, Joh 12:28, Joh 12:29, Rev 11:12, Rev 11:15, Rev 11:19
Reciprocal: Exo 15:7 – the greatness Deu 33:26 – rideth Job 37:4 – a voice Psa 2:4 – He that Psa 47:5 – God Isa 19:1 – rideth Isa 40:22 – It is he that sitteth Jer 10:13 – uttereth Jer 51:16 – he uttereth Eze 1:24 – as the voice
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
68:33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, [which were] of old; lo, he doth send out his {c} voice, [and that] a mighty voice.
(c) By his terrible thunders he will make himself be known as the God of all the world.