New Living Translation
Psalms 68:21
21But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
Psalms 68:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
- New International Version (NIV)Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But God will wound the head of His enemies, The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.
Context of Psalms 68:21
19Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude 20Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death. But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways. 22The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea. 23You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!”
Read all of Psalms 68Psalms 68:21 word by word
אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִמְחַץ֮ רֹ֤אשׁ אֹ֫יְבָ֥יו קָדְקֹ֥ד שֵׂעָ֑ר מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ בַּאֲשָׁמָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- shall woundמָחַץmâchats · to woundH4272
- the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of his enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- the hairyשֵׂעָרώê‛âr ώa‛ar · hairH8181
- scalpקׇדְקֹדqodqôd · crownH6936
- of such an one as goeth on stillהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
- in his trespassesאָשָׁם'âshâm · guilt (offering)H817
Cross-references for Psalms 68:21
- Psalms 110:6He will punish the nations and fill their lands with corpses; he will shatter heads over the whole earth.
- Habakkuk 3:13You went out to rescue your chosen people, to save your anointed ones. You crushed the heads of the wicked and stripped their bones from head to toe.
- Mark 12:4The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head.
- Psalms 55:23But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.
- Psalms 68:18When 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.
- Psalms 7:12If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.
- Proverbs 1:24“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
- Ezekiel 18:27And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives.
- Luke 13:5No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
- Hebrews 2:1So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
- Hebrews 12:25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
- Revelation 2:14“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.
Commentaries on Psalms 68:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The hairy scalp - שער קדקד kodkod sear . Does this mean any thing like the Indian scalping? Or does it refer to a crest on a helmet or headcap? I suppose the latter.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21But God shall wound the head of his enemies - More properly, “God shall crush the head,” etc. The idea is that of complete destruction, - as, if the head is crushed, life becomes ex tinct. See Genesis 3:15; compare Psalm 110:6. And the hairy scalp - More literally, “the top of the hair.” The Hebrew word used here for “scalp” means the vertex, the top, the crown, as of the head, where the hair “divides itself;” and the idea is properly, “the dividing of…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. 21God will crush the heads of His enemies: Compare Genesis 3:15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2119-21. God daily and fully supplies us. The issues or escapes from death are under His control, who is the God that saves us, and destroys His and our enemies.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 68:21
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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