Psalm 68:13 kjv
Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
Psalm 68:13 nkjv
Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with yellow gold."
Psalm 68:13 niv
Even while you sleep among the sheep pens, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold."
Psalm 68:13 esv
though you men lie among the sheepfolds ? the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold.
Psalm 68:13 nlt
Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures ?
doves with wings of silver
and feathers of gold.
Psalm 68 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 8:9 | a land where you will eat bread without scarcity... a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. | Land of abundance after wandering. |
| Exod 12:35-36 | The Israelites had done what Moses told them and had asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold... The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed... | Spoils taken from oppressors. |
| Judg 8:24-26 | Gideon asked them to give him each an earring from his share of the plunder... And Gideon made the gold into an ephod. | Spoils of victory displayed. |
| Ps 113:7-8 | He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes... | God elevates the humble. |
| Isa 61:3 | to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. | Divine reversal from shame to glory. |
| Zech 9:12 | Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. | Double blessing for past suffering. |
| Gen 13:2 | Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. | God's blessing bringing wealth. |
| 2 Cor 8:9 | For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. | Spiritual transformation from poverty to richness. |
| Jas 1:9 | The brother or sister of humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. | Elevation of the humble. |
| Hos 2:14-15 | Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards... | Restoration after affliction. |
| Isa 54:11-12 | "Afflicted city, storm-tossed and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli. I will make your battlements of rubies..." | God adorns His rebuilt people/city. |
| Ezek 16:13 | Thus you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothing was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth. | God's lavish adornment of Jerusalem/Israel. |
| Rev 21:18-21 | The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as clear as glass... The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. | New Jerusalem's magnificent beauty and wealth. |
| Song 1:15 | How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves. | Dove imagery for beauty. |
| Song 5:11 | His head is purest gold... His body is like polished ivory decorated with sapphires. | Imagery of rich adornment and precious materials. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. | God works humble circumstances for good and glory. |
| 1 Pet 5:10 | And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm... | Suffering leads to restoration and strength. |
| Isa 60:17 | Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and instead of iron I will bring you silver, and instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. | Transformation of materials to precious ones. |
| Job 2:8 | Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. | Literal "ash heap" and humble state. |
| Ezra 1:4 | And let everyone who is left, in any place where he sojourns, be assisted by the people of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts... | Provision for returning exiles, mirroring new wealth. |
| Neh 1:9 | ...if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there... | Restoration from exile/lowliness. |
| Jer 31:12 | They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion... and their souls will be like a well-watered garden... | Spiritual restoration and flourishing. |
Psalm 68 verses
Psalm 68 13 Meaning
Psalm 68:13 speaks of a dramatic divine transformation. It promises that those who have endured a lowly, perhaps unclean, or desolate existence—represented by "lying among the pots" or "sheepfolds"—will be splendidly adorned. Their humble state will be reversed into one of radiant beauty and wealth, symbolized by a dove's wings shimmering with silver and its feathers with glistening gold, signifying the honor and prosperity God bestows upon His delivered people.
Psalm 68 13 Context
Psalm 68 is a triumphant psalm celebrating God's powerful manifestation, His warrior nature, and His sovereign leadership over Israel, particularly as He establishes His dwelling in Zion. It frequently recalls past historical events such as the Exodus, the journey through the wilderness, and victories over enemy kings. Verses 11-12 speak of great companies of women proclaiming victory and the defeat and flight of kings, leaving spoils to be gathered by Israel, even by those "who stay at home." Verse 13 immediately follows this scene of overwhelming victory and abundant spoil. It contrasts the prior humble or difficult circumstances of God's people (whether literally in enslavement, battle camps, or poor dwellings) with the sudden, lavish beauty and wealth they are about to experience as a direct result of God's triumph. This transformation serves as a potent theological statement: God elevates the lowly and provides glorious recompense for past hardships, directly opposing the belief that powerful deities of surrounding nations were the source of ultimate wealth or dominion.
Psalm 68 13 Word analysis
- Though ye have lain among the pots (KJV):
- Though ye have lain: Refers to a state of previous condition or rest. It uses the second person plural, implying the people of Israel or the victorious ones who receive spoil.
- among the pots (בֵּין הַשְּׁפַתַּיִם – bêyn hashshᵊphattayim): This phrase is highly debated and pivotal.
- Shᵊphattayim is a dual noun. It can literally mean "two rows of pots," referring to household cooking vessels, implying a humble, perhaps smoke-stained, or even despised domestic condition. This could represent toil, servitude, or the mundane life of a common person.
- Other interpretations: "sheepfolds" (ESV), indicating a pastoral, simple, or exposed life; "campfires" (NIV), suggesting being bivouacked in the wilderness, possibly dirty and weary; "ash heaps," a place of mourning or extreme lowliness (cf. Job 2:8). The common thread is a lowly, unglamorous, or suffering state. It is a stark contrast to the glory that follows.
- yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
- yet shall ye be as: Signifies a dramatic, God-given transformation and future state.
- the wings of a dove (כְּנְפֵי יוֹנָה – k'naphêy yônāh): The dove (yonah) is a symbol of beauty, purity, swiftness, and gentleness in biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts. Here, it highlights aesthetic appeal and possibly peaceful flight, a stark contrast to the preceding lowly state. The emphasis is on the wings themselves, signifying majesty in motion or at rest.
- covered with silver (חֲפוּגָא בַכֶּסֶף – ḥāphûḡāh bakkéseph): Kesef (silver) is a precious metal, representing wealth, purity, and value. "Covered" implies an abundance of silver, suggesting a shimmering, magnificent appearance. This isn't merely having silver, but being overlaid with it, like a valuable adornment.
- and her feathers with yellow gold (וְאֶבְרוֹתֶיהָ בִּירוֹקָן בְּרָצוּעַ – v'ʾeḇrōwṯéyhā bîrôqân bᵊrâṣûaʿ):
- feathers (eḇrōwṯayhâ): Refers specifically to the larger wing feathers, the pinions.
- yellow gold (yeroqra chāruṣ from yaraq and ḥarūṣ): This signifies fine, pure, or shimmering gold. Yaraq often refers to a yellowish-green or verdant quality, possibly suggesting the burnished, gleaming appearance of freshly minted or worked gold. Ḥarūṣ (pure gold) emphasizes its valuable, exquisite nature. The phrase paints a picture of exceptional brilliance and wealth.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be...": This juxtaposes the past lowly or oppressed state with a guaranteed future state of glory. It's a promise of elevation and transformation, reflecting God's redemptive power to lift His people out of their misery and endow them with honor.
- "...as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.": This rich imagery of an adorned dove vividly illustrates the glory and prosperity awaiting the previously afflicted. It's not just a change in status but a visible, tangible demonstration of God's favor, portraying the magnificence of His liberated and blessed people. The colors silver and gold further emphasize preciousness, purity, and unparalleled beauty, symbolic of their restored dignity and splendor.
Psalm 68 13 Bonus section
- The collective feminine "ye" or "her" for Israel is a poignant literary device, casting the nation as God's bride or a delicate, beloved figure undergoing this profound transformation.
- Some rabbinic interpretations suggest that "pots" could refer to the communal eating places in the wilderness camp, indicating shared hardship before the glorious spoils were divided. Others link it to the sooty conditions of servitude in Egypt.
- The transition from a state associated with earth (pots, dust, ashes) to the soaring beauty of a dove, particularly one adorned with precious metals, symbolizes a heavenly bestowal of earthly blessings and divine elevation.
- This verse can be understood eschatologically as a prophetic vision of God's people—the church—ultimately receiving glory and riches from Him after enduring earthly trials and suffering, paralleling the heavenly Jerusalem's splendor.
Psalm 68 13 Commentary
Psalm 68:13 encapsulates God's redemptive power and generosity. It contrasts a past of obscurity, servitude, or humiliation—symbolized by "lying among the pots," possibly suggesting the drudgery of domestic toil, or "sheepfolds," implying an unadorned, simple existence—with a future of unparalleled splendor. This magnificent transformation, akin to a dove's wings shimmering with silver and its feathers radiant with pure gold, signifies God's bestowal of honor, wealth, and beauty upon those He delivers. The imagery is lavish, illustrating that divine restoration is not merely functional but gloriously abundant. It affirms that those who experience hardship under God's watchful eye will ultimately be elevated and adorned by Him, often through the very spoils of their oppressors, thus showcasing His covenant faithfulness and power to elevate the humble into monuments of His grace and victory.