New Living Translation
Psalms 68:16
16Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?
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.
- New International Version (NIV)why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever?
- 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.
Context of Psalms 68:16
14The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon. 15The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky. 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? 17Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary. 18When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.
Read all of Psalms 68Psalms 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 skipped like rams, the hills like lambs!
- Isaiah 2:2In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
- Psalms 132:13For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home.
- Deuteronomy 12:5Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored.
- 1 Kings 9:3The Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.
- Hebrews 12:22No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.
- Revelation 21:2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like 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
In the dictionaries
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
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