Psalms 68:16

Psalms 68:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in; Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?

Context of Psalms 68:16

14When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon. 15Mount Bashan, majestic mountain, Mount Bashan, rugged mountain, why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever? 17The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. 18When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there.

Psalms 68:16 word by word

לָ֤מָּה׀ תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮ הָרִ֪ים גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥ים הָהָ֗ר חָמַ֣ד אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְשִׁבְתּ֑וֹ אַף־יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָנֶֽצַח׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Why leapרָצַדrâtsad · to watch with envyH7520
• ye, ye highגַּבְנֹןgabnôn · peakH1386
• hillsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• desirethחָמַדchâmad · to desireH2530
• to dwell inיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• yea, the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• will dwellשָׁכַןshâkan · to dwellH7931
• for everנֵ֫צַחnetsach nêtsach · perpetuityH5331

Cross-references for Psalms 68:16

• Psalms 114:4the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.
• Isaiah 2:2In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
• Psalms 132:13For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
• Deuteronomy 12:5But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go;
• 1 Kings 9:3The Lord said to him: “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
• Hebrews 12:22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
• Revelation 21:2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Commentaries on Psalms 68:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Why leap ye, ye high hills? - "God said, Why leap ye, ye high hills? It is not pleasing to me to give my law upon high and towering hills. Behold, Mount Sinai is low; and the Word of the Lord has desired to place on it the Divine majesty. Moreover, the Lord dwells for ever in the heaven of heavens." - Targum. The psalmist is speaking particularly of the mountains of Judea, and those of Gilead; the former were occupied by the Canaanites, and the others by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Why leap ye, ye high hills? - That is, with exultation; with pride; with conscious superiority. Why do you seem to regard yourselves as so superior to Mount Zion, in strength, in beauty, in grandeur? The Hebrew, however - רצד râtsad - rather means, “Why do ye watch insidiously? why do ye look askance at?” The word occurs only in this place. In Arabic it means to watch closely; to lie in wait for. This is the idea here. The mountains around Palestine…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 The ascension of Christ must here be meant, and thereto it is applied, Ep 4:8. He received as the purchase of his death, the gifts needful for the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of believers. These he continually bestows, even on rebellious men, that the Lord God might dwell among them, as their Friend and Father. He gave gifts to men. Having received power to give eternal life, the Lord Jesus bestows it on as many as were given…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Why do you gaze in envy: Bashan is more impressive than the mountains around Jerusalem, but it was not the Lord's home. Only Mount Zion had the honor of being God's dwelling place.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. Mountains are often symbols of nations (Psa 46:2; 65:6). That of Bashan, northeast of Palestine, denotes a heathen nation, which is described as a "hill of God," or a great hill. Such are represented as envious of the hill (Zion) on which God resides;Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 68:16

• God

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
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Commentaries on Psalms 68

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings