Psalm 68 34

Psalm 68:34 kjv

Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

Psalm 68:34 nkjv

Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, And His strength is in the clouds.

Psalm 68:34 niv

Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens.

Psalm 68:34 esv

Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.

Psalm 68:34 nlt

Tell everyone about God's power.
His majesty shines down on Israel;
his strength is mighty in the heavens.

Psalm 68 verses

Psalm 68 34 Meaning

Psalm 68:34 calls upon all to acknowledge and declare the supreme and inherent strength of God. It affirms that His majestic glory is not merely abstract but powerfully manifested over Israel, demonstrating His specific covenantal care and authority. Furthermore, it proclaims that His might extends beyond the earthly realm, reaching into the celestial sphere, symbolically represented by the clouds, underscoring His universal and transcendent dominion.

Psalm 68 34 Context

Psalm 68 is a grand triumphal hymn, celebrating God's awesome power and His benevolent leadership over Israel, particularly emphasizing His victorious procession from Sinai to Zion. The psalm recalls past divine interventions, such as the Exodus, the conquest of Canaan, and the establishment of His dwelling in Jerusalem. It anticipates a future day when all nations will recognize and worship Him. Verse 34 comes within a section (Ps 68:32-35) that extends an invitation or command to all the kingdoms of the earth to sing praises to God. It culminates this universal call by asserting God's unique attributes—strength, majesty, and transcendence—as the reason for such worship, contrasting Him with the limited and false gods of other nations. The historical backdrop includes the experience of God leading His people in warfare and peace, constantly demonstrating His incomparable power.

Psalm 68 34 Word analysis

• Ascribe:
  • Hebrew: תְּנוּ (t'nu). This is an imperative verb, literally meaning "Give" or "Render."
  • Significance: It signifies an active, deliberate act of attributing, declaring, and acknowledging what is rightfully God's. It's not about giving God something He lacks, but recognizing and declaring His inherent attributes that already exist. It's a call to worship and praise, not an act of bestowing power.
  • Polemics: This call to "give" strength to the true God likely stands in contrast to nations "giving" honor or power to their idols, implying their futility.
• strength:
  • Hebrew: עֹז ('oz). This term denotes powerful might, robust force, invincible power, and inherent vigor. It's often associated with God's ability to deliver, defend, and rule.
  • Significance: It's a core attribute of God, foundational to His being and actions. His strength is not temporary or reliant on external sources but is intrinsic and eternal.
• to God:
  • Hebrew: לֵאלֹהִים (l'Elohim). This uses the plural form Elohim (a common name for God, emphasizing His greatness and power) with the preposition "to."
  • Significance: It emphasizes that the ascription of strength is directed specifically to the one true God, setting Him apart from any other being or deity.
• His majesty:
  • Hebrew: גַּאֲוָתוֹ (ga'avato). Derived from a root meaning "to be high, exalted." While sometimes translated as "pride" in negative human contexts, when referring to God, it signifies glorious eminence, majestic splendor, unapproachable dignity, and supreme exaltation.
  • Significance: It highlights God's unique loftiness, His inherent worth, and the awe-inspiring grandeur of His person and nature. His majesty is seen in His glory and power.
• over Israel:
  • Hebrew: עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל ('al Yisra'el). The preposition "over" indicates sovereignty, dominion, and protective oversight.
  • Significance: God's majesty is not distant but is intimately displayed in His covenantal relationship with His chosen people. His strength and glory are evident in how He rules, protects, and delivers Israel, making His presence tangibly felt in their history and daily lives. This signifies His specific love and governance.
• And His strength:
  • Hebrew: וְעֻזּוֹ (v'uzzo). A repetition of 'oz ("strength") with the conjunctive "and" and a possessive suffix.
  • Significance: The reiteration underscores the pervasive nature of God's power. It links the specific manifestation of His majesty over Israel to His universal, cosmic dominion, indicating consistency and breadth of His might. This is a deliberate parallelism to amplify the divine attribute.
• in the clouds:
  • Hebrew: בַּשְּׁחָקִים (bash'chakim). Refers to the "skies," "heavens," or "lofty heights" where clouds dwell.
  • Significance: The clouds are a frequent biblical symbol of God's transcendent presence, His glory, His mysterious workings, and His coming in power or judgment (e.g., Mount Sinai, the Shekinah glory, Christ's ascension and return). This phrase conveys God's boundless dominion, extending beyond the earthly sphere. It highlights His sovereign control over cosmic phenomena and emphasizes His transcendent, all-encompassing power, inaccessible yet revealed.
  • Words-group analysis:
    • "Ascribe strength to God": A foundational theological statement and worship command. It calls for proper attribution of power and sovereignty where it truly resides. This implies an exclusive recognition, setting God apart from all other purported powers.
    • "His majesty is over Israel": This defines the locus of God's manifest glory. It is specifically within His chosen nation, highlighting His covenant faithfulness and special relationship. This doesn't limit His majesty but points to a primary sphere of its visible display.
    • "And His strength is in the clouds": This extends God's domain. While His majesty is seen over Israel, His strength is simultaneously in the highest heavens, denoting universal dominion and transcendent power that is both immanent (with Israel) and transcendent (over all creation). This forms a parallel structure, reinforcing His omnipresent and omnipotent power.

Psalm 68 34 Bonus section

The literary parallelism in Psalm 68:34—linking "His majesty...over Israel" with "His strength...in the clouds"—is significant. It demonstrates that God's active sovereignty is simultaneously manifested in specific historical relationships (His chosen people) and in universal, cosmic control (the heavens). This twin emphasis paints a comprehensive picture of a God who is both deeply personal and universally powerful. The ancient Near Eastern context suggests a subtle but direct polemic against gods like Baal, often associated with storms and cloud-riding. By asserting God's strength "in the clouds," the psalmist explicitly attributes true cosmic power to the Lord, implicitly debunking the claims of false deities. This verse functions as an essential part of the psalm's triumphant climax, inviting global recognition of God's unique kingship before His final blessings in verse 35.

Psalm 68 34 Commentary

Psalm 68:34 serves as a clarion call for humanity, especially the nations, to worship and acknowledge the unique supremacy of God. It highlights three pivotal aspects of divine character: His intrinsic strength, His manifest majesty, and His universal transcendence. The command to "ascribe strength" is not a plea for God to receive power, but a declarative worship, urging recognition that strength belongs solely to Him. This foundational attribute distinguishes Him from any earthly or pagan deities.

His "majesty is over Israel" underscores God's active, personal, and covenantal relationship with His people. This isn't just an abstract truth but a historical reality, seen in His leading, protecting, and dwelling among Israel. It points to a particular sphere where His glory and rule are specifically exercised and visibly displayed. This aspect highlights God's immanence – His nearness and involvement with His creation, particularly His chosen nation.

Finally, "And His strength is in the clouds" broadens the scope to God's cosmic and transcendent dominion. Clouds symbolize the divine presence, mystery, and overwhelming power, signifying that God's might is not confined to Israel or Earth but extends to the entire cosmos, sovereign over natural phenomena and unseen realms. This reiteration of "strength" after "majesty" emphasizes the inexhaustible and pervasive nature of His power, establishing Him as the supreme sovereign over both history (Israel) and creation (clouds). This verse beautifully marries God's immanent care with His transcendent rule, compelling a humble and universal reverence for His incomparable might.