Psalm 68:31 kjv
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
Psalm 68:31 nkjv
Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
Psalm 68:31 niv
Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God.
Psalm 68:31 esv
Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
Psalm 68:31 nlt
Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals ;
let Ethiopia bring tribute to God.
Psalm 68 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 22:27 | All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD... | All nations will worship the Lord. |
| Ps 72:9-11 | Let desert tribes bow before Him, and His enemies lick the dust... kings of Tarshish... present gifts; kings of Sheba and Seba bring tribute... | Kings and nations worldwide will pay homage. |
| Ps 86:9 | All the nations You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord... | Universal worship of God by all creation. |
| Isa 19:19-25 | In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt... | Egypt's future turning and worship of God. |
| Isa 45:14 | Thus says the LORD: "The toil of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush..." | Gentiles bringing wealth to God. |
| Isa 49:6 | "I will make you as a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach..." | Israel's mission to bring salvation to Gentiles. |
| Isa 60:3 | Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. | Nations attracted to God's glory through Israel. |
| Zep 3:10 | From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones... | Ethiopians bringing offerings to God. |
| Zec 8:20-23 | Peoples will come, even the inhabitants of many cities... saying, "Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD..." | Many nations seeking the Lord in Jerusalem. |
| Mal 1:11 | For from the rising of the sun to its setting My name will be great among the nations... | God's name revered globally. |
| Matt 28:19 | Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations... | Christ's command for worldwide evangelism. |
| Acts 8:26-39 | Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip... behold, an Ethiopian eunuch... | Fulfillment in the conversion of an Ethiopian. |
| Acts 10:44-45 | While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message... on the Gentiles also... | Holy Spirit poured out on Gentiles. |
| Rom 15:9-12 | "...that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy; as it is written..." | Gentiles glorifying God for His mercy in Christ. |
| Gal 3:8 | The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith... | Gospel proclaimed to Abraham as for all nations. |
| Eph 2:11-22 | ...you Gentiles in the flesh... were separate from Christ... but now in Christ Jesus... | Gentiles made fellow citizens and household members. |
| Rev 7:9-10 | After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages... | All nations worshipping before God's throne. |
| Ps 143:6 | I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You, as a parched land. | Stretching out hands in desperate prayer/longing. |
| 1 Tim 2:8 | Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands... | Lifting hands as a posture of prayer and worship. |
| Dan 7:14 | And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. | Universal reign given to the Son of Man. |
| Col 1:15-20 | He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created... | Christ's cosmic supremacy over all creation. |
Psalm 68 verses
Psalm 68 31 Meaning
Psalm 68:31 is a prophetic declaration envisioning a future time when powerful and historically significant nations, specifically represented by Egypt and Ethiopia, will willingly come forth to acknowledge, worship, and submit to the God of Israel. It signifies the global extension of God's kingdom and the universal recognition of His supreme authority, illustrating the inclusion of Gentiles into the worship of the one true God.
Psalm 68 31 Context
Psalm 68 is a grand processional hymn celebrating God's triumph and dwelling among His people. It vividly depicts God as a conquering warrior who scatters His enemies, protects the vulnerable, and leads His people from bondage into the Promised Land, ultimately taking up residence in Zion. The psalm’s overall theme is God's powerful manifestation, His righteous reign, and His establishment of a holy habitation among Israel. Within this context of divine victory and establishment, verse 31 extends the scope of God's dominion beyond Israel's immediate foes, prophesying that even powerful and distant Gentile nations, such as Egypt and Ethiopia, will willingly join in acknowledging and worshiping the God of Israel. It points to the universal aspirations of God's redemptive plan that transcends national boundaries.
Psalm 68 31 Word analysis
- Princes (שָׂרִים, sharim): This Hebrew term signifies high officials, leaders, or nobility. Its use here indicates that it will not merely be the common people, but those in positions of authority and power, who will come from Egypt. This highlights a profound and deliberate turning towards God by the highest levels of a major nation.
- Shall come out of Egypt (מִמִּצְרַיִם יֵאתָיוּ, mimmit͡srayim ye'tayoo): The phrase "out of Egypt" evokes memories of the Exodus, where Israel was brought out by God. Here, it is princes coming out of Egypt, suggesting a willing exodus from their own traditions and worship, or perhaps, coming from that once hostile land. This reversal emphasizes God's power to transform adversaries into worshippers.
- Egypt (מִצְרַיִם, Mitzrayim): Historically a powerful, self-sufficient empire and a traditional oppressor of Israel, symbolizing worldly power and often paganism. Its turning represents the spiritual conversion of mighty and established Gentile nations that once stood against God's people.
- Ethiopia (כּוּשׁ, Kush): Located south of Egypt, representing a distant and prominent African nation. Its inclusion with Egypt indicates a broad, comprehensive, and potentially worldwide inclusion of peoples, stretching the reach of God's worship to far-flung, powerful Gentile realms.
- Shall soon stretch out her hands (תַּרִץ יָדֶיהָ, taretz yadeiha): Literally "will cause her hands to run" or "will hasten her hands." This conveys a sense of eager willingness and quick, voluntary action, rather than being compelled. "Stretching out hands" is a common gesture of supplication, surrender, prayer, or worship. It denotes a humble seeking and reaching out to God.
- Unto God (לֵאלֹהִים, le'Elohim): Clearly specifies that the object of this supplication and worship is the one true God, Elohim, the God of Israel, thus ruling out any form of idolatry or syncretism.
Psalm 68 31 Bonus section
- This verse underpins the concept that God's redemptive plan is fundamentally inclusive and universal, not exclusive to any single ethnicity or nation in its ultimate scope.
- The pairing of Egypt and Ethiopia (Kush) is geographically significant, often representing the northern and southern extremes of the known world from Israel's perspective, symbolically encompassing "all nations" in their coming to God.
- The emphasis on "princes" and powerful nations implies that even earthly authority and worldly strength will ultimately yield and serve God, illustrating His supreme sovereignty over all governmental and national structures.
- The phrase "shall soon" (rendered "hasten" or "eagerly stretch out" from the Hebrew taritz) speaks to the eagerness and readiness with which these nations will seek God when His time for them comes.
Psalm 68 31 Commentary
Psalm 68:31 is a profoundly forward-looking statement within a psalm of victory and celebration, projecting God's sovereign reach far beyond Israel's immediate geographical or ethnic confines. It anticipates a global expansion of His kingdom, wherein powerful and representative Gentile nations like Egypt and Ethiopia will not merely be subdued, but will willingly turn and submit to the God of Israel. This prophecy emphasizes the universal, attractive nature of God's saving power. It signifies a profound spiritual reversal where nations once hostile or distinct from God's covenant people are drawn by His manifest glory and willingly enter into a relationship of worship. This verse finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament era with the widespread inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian church through the saving work of Christ, demonstrating that God's plan of redemption has always been for "all peoples, tribes, and languages" to worship Him. It illustrates that genuine spiritual turning involves eager, humble submission and dedication of one's power and influence to the Most High God.