Psalm 68:16 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.
Psalm 68:16 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.
Psalm 68:16 niv
why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever?
Psalm 68:16 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?
Psalm 68:16 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?
Psalm 68 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 12:5 | "But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose... for his name..." | God chooses a place for His name to dwell. |
| 2 Sam 6:12 | "...David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom... into the city of David with rejoicing." | Ark brought to Zion, symbolizing God's presence. |
| 1 Kgs 8:13 | "I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever." | Solomon's Temple in Zion for God's dwelling. |
| Psa 78:67-69 | "...he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved." | God's specific choice of Judah and Mount Zion. |
| Psa 132:13-14 | "For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: 'This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell...'" | Explicit statement of God's desire and eternal dwelling in Zion. |
| Isa 2:2-3 | "...the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains... and all nations shall flow to it." | Zion's future spiritual preeminence and magnetic draw for nations. |
| Mic 4:1-2 | Similar to Isaiah 2:2-3. | Prophet echoes Zion as a center for instruction. |
| Joel 3:17 | "So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain." | Affirmation of God's residence on Zion. |
| Zech 2:10-11 | "Sing aloud and rejoice, O daughter of Zion... for behold, I come and will dwell in your midst..." | Prophecy of God's dwelling among His people in Zion. |
| Exod 29:45 | "I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God." | God's general promise to dwell with His people. |
| Lev 26:11-12 | "I will make my dwelling among you..." | Covenant promise of God's continuous presence. |
| Ezek 37:26-28 | "...I will make a covenant of peace with them... And I will set my sanctuary in their midst forever." | Eternal dwelling of God's sanctuary among His people. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people..." | Ultimate fulfillment of God's eternal dwelling with His redeemed. |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory..." | God's dwelling realized in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. |
| Gen 4:5 | "...Cain was very angry, and his face fell." | Example of negative reaction/envy towards God's preference. |
| Psa 2:1-4 | "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?... against the Lord and against his Anointed..." | Earthly powers opposing God's chosen king/plan. |
| Isa 14:12-14 | "How you are fallen from heaven... I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north..." | Lucifer's proud ambition to rival God's heavenly dwelling, paralleling earthly mountains' envy. |
| Rom 11:11 | "...through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous." | God's choice causing envy in a different context, leading to broader salvation. |
| Heb 12:22-24 | "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem..." | Believers come to spiritual Mount Zion, heavenly reality, surpassing earthly types. |
| Zech 1:16-17 | "Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts..." | God's promise to rebuild and dwell in Jerusalem again. |
Psalm 68 verses
Psalm 68 16 Meaning
Psalm 68:16 addresses other grand, towering mountains, asking them why they look with envy or hostility at Mount Zion, which God Himself chose and desired as His perpetual dwelling place. It highlights the divine, sovereign choice of God for Zion, contrasting His desire with any inherent majesty or worldly significance of other mountains, and declares the enduring nature of His presence there. The verse emphasizes that God's presence is not based on geographical impressiveness but on His divine will and commitment.
Psalm 68 16 Context
Psalm 68 is a grand processional hymn celebrating God's glorious presence and triumphal victories on behalf of His people. It vividly portrays Yahweh as a divine warrior marching from Sinai, leading His people, subduing His enemies, and ascending to His sanctuary in Zion. Verse 16 fits within this triumphant procession, following God's ascent (implied in verses like 68:18). It serves as a polemic against the grandeur of other significant mountains like Bashan or Hermon, asserting Zion's supremacy not by its physical height, but by divine election. Historically, it likely relates to the establishment of Jerusalem as Israel's spiritual capital, particularly the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into the city by King David (2 Samuel 6) or later events celebrating God's established presence there. It reinforces the theological truth that God's choice overrides all human criteria and makes His chosen dwelling truly special.
Psalm 68 16 Word analysis
Why look with envy:
- Original Hebrew:
לָ֫מָּה תְּרַצְּדוּן(lamah tərattseḏûn). לָ֫מָּה(lamah): "Why," an interrogative adverb indicating perplexity or challenge.תְּרַצְּדוּן(tərattseḏûn): This verb is derived fromרָצַד(ratsad), which can mean "to leap," "to spring," "to watch," "to eye suspiciously," or "to cast an envious look." The context here strongly suggests "to look with envy" or "to eye jealously/hostilely," implying rivalry or competitive longing. This personifies the mountains, endowing them with emotions typically human. It sets up a contrast where human or natural greatness is subordinate to divine choice.
- Original Hebrew:
O many-peaked mountain:
- Original Hebrew:
הָרִים גַּבְנֻנִּים(hārîm gabbĕnunnîm). הָרִים(hārîm): "Mountains," plural.גַּבְנֻנִּים(gabbĕnunnîm): Fromגַּבְנֻן(gabbnun), meaning "hunchback," "protuberance," or "summits." It describes mountains that are high, impressive, and possibly multi-peaked (like the mountains of Bashan mentioned earlier in the Psalm). This term emphasizes their natural grandeur, which stands in contrast to the divinely chosen Zion's significance. It highlights that no amount of natural majesty can compete with God's sovereign choice.
- Original Hebrew:
at the mount that God desired for His abode:
- Original Hebrew:
הָהָר חָמַד אֱלֹהִים לְשִׁבְתּוֹ(hahār ḥām̄aḏ ʾĕlōhîm ləšivtô). הָהָר(hahār): "The mountain," specifically referring to Mount Zion.חָמַד(ḥām̄aḏ): "Desired," "longed for," "coveted," "loved." This strong verb emphasizes God's personal and active choice of Zion. It is not an arbitrary selection but one driven by divine desire and affection, setting Zion apart from all other mountains. It also carries a sense of exclusive preference.אֱלֹהִים(ʾĕlōhîm): "God," the plural form used as an intensive singular, emphasizing the majesty and power of the divine being making the choice.לְשִׁבְתּוֹ(ləšivtô): "For His dwelling," "for His habitation," or "for His settling down." This refers to God making it His permanent dwelling place. It points to the establishment of the temple in Jerusalem as the physical locus of His presence among His people.
- Original Hebrew:
surely the Lord will dwell in it forever:
- Original Hebrew:
אַף יְהוָה יִשְׁכֹּן לָנֶצַח(ʾap̄ YHWH yiškon lāneṣaḥ). אַף(ʾap̄): "Indeed," "surely," "moreover." An emphatic particle underscoring the certainty of the statement.יְהוָה(YHWH): "The Lord," the covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal commitment and faithfulness.יִשְׁכֹּן(yiškon): "He will dwell," "he will tabernacle." This verb is related toשָׁכַן(shakan), which gives usשְׁכִינָה(Shekinah), the divine presence. It signifies a profound and intimate abiding of God among His people.לָנֶצַח(lāneṣaḥ): "Forever," "eternally," "perpetually." This term seals the divine commitment to Zion, affirming the permanence of God's presence, not just for a season but for all time.
- Original Hebrew:
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Why look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,": This phrase personifies the other mountains, highlighting their inferiority. It presents a divine challenge to their inherent greatness, which pales in comparison to God's deliberate choice. This subtly argues against any pagan notion of divine presence residing in inherently grand natural structures without sovereign election.
- "at the mount that God desired for His abode": This contrasts God's sovereign desire and active choosing (
חָמַד) with the "envy" (תְּרַצְּדוּן) of the other mountains. It underscores that Zion's greatness comes solely from God's personal affection and election, not from its physical attributes. - "surely the Lord will dwell in it forever": This concluding affirmation declares the permanence and unshakeable nature of God's dwelling in Zion. It asserts His faithfulness to His chosen place, ensuring His presence despite any rival claims or earthly impermanence. It solidifies Zion as the everlasting seat of divine activity and covenant presence.
Psalm 68 16 Bonus section
The "many-peaked mountains" in the Psalm (often associated with Bashan from earlier verses) represented a challenge to Israel due to their impressive height and sometimes association with pagan worship of fertility deities like Baal. Psalm 68:16 directly confronts this by proclaiming that despite their natural eminence, these mountains hold no spiritual authority compared to Zion. God actively "desired" Zion, a unique and personal selection that subverted the ancient Near Eastern perception that deities naturally dwelled on the highest peaks. This served as a polemic not just against their physical grandeur but against any implied spiritual competition from the gods associated with those elevated places. The permanency ("forever") reinforces God's enduring covenant and contrasts with the transient nature of human kingdoms or pagan deities.
Psalm 68 16 Commentary
Psalm 68:16 articulates a powerful theological truth: God's presence and blessing are not determined by human or natural grandeur but by His sovereign choice. The "many-peaked mountains," symbolizing earthly majesty or even pagan cultic sites (like the mountains of Bashan), are personified as looking with envy upon Mount Zion. Zion, though not physically imposing, is the mountain "God desired for His abode." This highlights that what makes a place sacred is God's selection and presence, not its inherent characteristics. The verse culminates with an emphatic declaration that Yahweh's dwelling in Zion is eternal, signifying His unwavering commitment to His people and the place He has consecrated. This choice speaks to God's humility (choosing a lesser mountain) and His supreme authority, establishing His kingdom on foundations of grace and divine purpose rather than worldly power or natural impressiveness.Practical usage example: Believers understand that our worth and significance, like Zion's, come from being chosen by God and having His Spirit dwell within us, rather than from our own strength, talents, or outward achievements.