Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 68:34
Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency [is] over Israel, and his strength [is] in the clouds.
34. Ascribe &c.] Lit. as in Psa 29:1, give. Acknowledge by the tribute of your praises the power which is His and which He exercises in the world.
His excellency, or majesty, is over Israel to protect and bless, and his strength is in the skies, supreme not on earth alone, but throughout the universe. This and the last verse are based upon Deu 32:26,
“There is none like God ( El), O Jeshurun,
Who rideth upon the heavens as thy help,
And in his excellency on the skies.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ascribe ye strength unto God – literally, give. That is, Acknowledge him as a God of power. Recognise his omnipotence in your worship. See the notes at Psa 29:1.
His excellency is over Israel – His majesty; his glory; his protecting care. The idea is, that his glorious character – his majesty – was manifested particularly in his protection of his people.
And his strength is in the clouds – Margin, heavens. The Hebrew word rather means clouds. The idea is, that while his character as Protector was evinced particularly in his care of his people, his power was particularly seen in the clouds – the storm – the thunder – the lightning. Thus, all the manifestations of his character, alike in nature, and toward his people, are adapted to produce a deep and solemn impression in regard to his majesty and glory, or to lay the just foundation of praise.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 34. His strength is in the clouds.] This refers to the bursting, rattling, and pounding of thunder and lightning; for all nations have observed that this is an irresistible agent; and even the most enlightened have looked on it as an especial manifestation of the power and sovereignty of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ascribe ye strength unto God; acknowledge that he is mighty and able to do whatsoever he pleaseth for his people, or against his and their enemies.
His excellency; his excellent power and goodness.
Is over Israel; dwells among them, and is employed for them, as occasion requires. He is indeed the universal Lord of the whole heaven and earth, but in a special and excellent manner he is the God of Israel.
In the clouds; or, in the heavens, He hath two dwellings and thrones, the one in his church and people, and the other in heaven. See Isa 57:15.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Ascribe ye strength unto God,…. The Messiah; by asserting him to be the mighty God, even the Almighty; by attributing works of strength and power to him: such as the creation of all things; upholding all things in their being; the redemption and preservation of his people; the resurrection of the dead, c. by applying to him, and exercising faith on him for spiritual strength, and giving him the glory of it: so the Targum,
“give the glory of strength to God.”
Moreover, this may be understood of ascribing dominion and power to him by the kingdoms of the earth, who are here addressed, when they shall be converted to him and who, upon this enlargement of his kingdom, will be congratulated by his people, for taking to himself his great power and reigning, Re 11:15;
his excellency [is] over Israel; the spiritual Israel, such who are Israelites indeed. Over these his glorious Majesty in his kingdom rules; they are subject to him, and acknowledge him for their King; and among them is his Shechinah, or divine Presence. Or over Israel, literally understood; when they shall, as at this time the prophecy refers to, be all called, converted, and saved: they shall seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and he shall be Prince over them;
and his strength [is] in the clouds; which are round about him, the chariots in which he rides, and in which he shows his strength; by sending forth from thence the rain of his strength, the terrible lightning and thunder. In these he went up to heaven, and in these he will come again to judgment. They may be mystically understood of the ministers of the Gospel, especially in the latter day, who may be compared to clouds for their numbers, they will then be many; for their swiftness in moving to and fro, and spreading the Gospel; and for their being full of the doctrines of grace, comparable to rain; see Isa 5:6. And the Lord’s strength will be seen in them, who will greatly strengthen them to do their work; his strength will be made perfect in their weakness; the excellency of the power attending their ministrations, to the large conversion of sinners, will appear to be of God, and not of man.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
34. Give strength unto God over Israel The expression is in allusion to the sentence which went before, and in which God was said to send forth a strong or mighty voice. Not that, properly speaking, we can give anything to Him, but, disposed as we are to withhold that honor which is his due, David subjoins to what he had said of his thundering with a mighty voice, an injunction that we should, on our part, be ready to sound forth his praises. To guard the Gentile nations against those false ideas upon religion in which they were accustomed to indulge, he brings them back to the doctrine of the Law, in which God had specially revealed himself, and intimates that, if they would not lose themselves in error, they must advance by necessary steps from the creation and government of the world, to that doctrine in which God had condescended to make a familiar revelation of himself to men. So much is included when God is spoken of here as the God of Israel But he does not satisfy himself with enjoining them to celebrate the power of God with praises of the voice. He exhorts them to the exercise of faith, for in reality we cannot better ascribe strength unto God, than by reposing in his protection as all-sufficient. Thus, after having said that his strength is in the clouds; (62) he adds, that he is terrible out of his holy places, by which is meant, that he exerts a power in his temple which is sufficient to confound his enemies. Some understand heaven and earth to be the holy places intended, but this does not agree with the context, for it is immediately added, that the God of Israel would give strength unto his people. It is evident, therefore, that the Psalmist speaks of God’s protection of his Church. The plural number is used in speaking of the sanctuary, here as in other places, because the tabernacle was divided into three parts. He points, in short, to the ark of the covenant, as that which the believing people of God should recognize as a symbol of confidence, remembering the promise, “I will dwell in the midst of you,” and thus resting with security under the wings of the Divine protection, and confidently calling upon his name. Any right which Israel might have in distinction from others to trust in the guardianship of God, rested entirely upon that covenant of free grace by which they had been chosen to be God’s peculiar heritage. Let it be remembered, however, that God continues to exert in behalf of his Church still these terrible displays of his power of which the Psalmist speaks.
(62) “This refers to the phenomena of thunder and lightning; for all nations have observed that the electric fluid is an irresistible agent — destroying life, tearing towers and castles to pieces, rending the strongest oaks, and cleaving the most solid rocks; and the most enlightened nations have justly considered it as an especial manifestation of the power and Sovereignty of God.” — Greenfield.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 68:34. His excellency is over Israel His highness or majesty: he is the universal sovereign; but his kingdom is exalted over Israel in a particular manner. He hath taken them for his peculiar inheritance; and by them alone he is acknowledged as universal Creator; the supreme Lord of heaven and earth. His power is in the clouds: he who is exalted in an especial manner over Israel, is that mighty God who dwells in the heavens, and manifests his power in the clouds thereof; when he sends forth his voice in the dreadful thunder.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 68:34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency [is] over Israel, and his strength [is] in the clouds.
Ver. 34. Ascribe ye strength unto God ] The high thunderer, (Altitonans); acknowledge your own nothingness, submit to his government.
His excellency is over Israel, and his strength, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ascribe: Psa 29:1, Psa 29:2, Psa 96:6-8, 1Ch 16:28, 1Ch 16:29, Rev 19:6
his excellency: Deu 33:26, 2Pe 1:17
and his strength: This refers to the phenomena of thunder and lightning; for all nations have observed the electric fluid is an irresistible agent – destroying life, tearing towers and castles to pieces, rending the strongest oaks, and cleaving the most solid rocks; and the most enlightened nations have justly considered it as an especial manifestation of the power and sovereignty of God.
clouds: or, heavens
Reciprocal: 1Ch 29:12 – give strength Psa 62:11 – power Isa 19:1 – rideth Amo 8:7 – sworn Zec 10:12 – I will Zec 12:5 – The inhabitants Rev 4:11 – to receive
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 68:34. Ascribe ye strength unto God Acknowledge that he is mighty, and able to do whatsoever he pleaseth for his people, or against his or their enemies. His excellency is over Israel His excellent power and goodness; Hebrew, , gaavatho, his highness, or majesty; this dwells among them, and is employed for them, as occasion requires. He is indeed the universal Lord of the whole heaven and earth, but in a special and excellent manner he is the God of Israel, and his kingdom is particularly exalted over them. He hath taken them for his peculiar inheritance; and by them alone he is adored and worshipped as the universal Creator, the supreme Lord of heaven and earth. His strength is in the clouds Hebrew, , in the heavens, or skies. He hath two dwellings and thrones, the one in his church and among his people, and the other in heaven, and in both these he manifests his power; redeeming, preserving, and sanctifying the former, and directing and governing the mighty orbs of the latter in all their motions, and from thence upholding and influencing the whole universe, animate and inanimate, rational and spiritual, and sending forth both the thunder of his power, and the great and small rain of his strength.