Psalm 68:4 kjv
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
Psalm 68:4 nkjv
Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him.
Psalm 68:4 niv
Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him?his name is the LORD.
Psalm 68:4 esv
Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!
Psalm 68:4 nlt
Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the LORD ?
rejoice in his presence!
Psalm 68 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 33:1-3 | Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!...Sing to him a new song... | Call to sing praise and rejoice in God. |
| Ps 95:1-2 | Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise... | Invitation to enthusiastic singing and praise. |
| Ps 100:1-2 | Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!...come into His presence with singing! | Universal call to joyful worship and entering God's presence. |
| Ps 147:1 | Praise the Lord!...for it is pleasant and becoming to praise Him. | Emphasis on the beauty and fittingness of praising God. |
| Ps 149:1 | Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song... | Another direct call for new songs of praise. |
| Eph 5:19 | addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs... | New Testament instruction for communal singing to the Lord. |
| Col 3:16 | teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns... | New Testament parallel to congregational singing of praises. |
| Exod 3:14-15 | God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”...This is my name forever... | Revelation of God's eternal and unique name, YHWH. |
| Exod 6:3 | I appeared to Abraham...by the name God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. | Distinguishes between El Shaddai and the revelation of YHWH. |
| Isa 42:8 | I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other... | God's exclusive claim to the name YHWH and His glory. |
| Phil 2:9-10 | Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name... | The name above all names, ultimately bestowed upon Jesus. |
| Deut 33:26 | There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens... | God riding through the heavens as a sign of unique majesty and power. |
| Ps 18:9-10 | He bowed the heavens and came down...He rode on a cherub and flew... | God's divine presence depicted riding through the heavens. |
| Ps 104:3 | He lays the beams of His chambers on the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot... | God using clouds as His celestial chariot, a sign of sovereign rule. |
| Isa 19:1 | An oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud... | God's powerful, sovereign intervention symbolized by riding a cloud. |
| Dan 7:13 | behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man... | Prophetic vision of a heavenly figure (Messiah) arriving on clouds. |
| Matt 24:30 | then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth...will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven... | Jesus' Second Coming described as Him coming on the clouds. |
| Rev 1:7 | Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him... | Prophetic fulfillment of Jesus' return, akin to His divine arrival. |
| Ps 16:11 | ...in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. | The joy and pleasure found in God's presence. |
| Ps 32:11 | Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy... | Exhortation to be joyful and shout praises to God. |
| Hab 3:18 | yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. | Personal commitment to rejoice in God despite difficult circumstances. |
| Phil 4:4 | Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. | New Testament command to maintain joy in the Lord consistently. |
Psalm 68 verses
Psalm 68 4 Meaning
Psalm 68:4 issues a resounding call to worship and celebrate the one true God, highlighting His majestic transcendence and His unique, personal name. It instructs believers to joyfully praise Him with song, to exalt Him as the sovereign ruler over creation who "rides on the clouds," and to revel in His glorious presence, acknowledging Him by His powerful name, "the Lord" (Yah). The verse combines enthusiastic human response with the awe-inspiring nature of God's dominion.
Psalm 68 4 Context
Psalm 68 is a complex, triumphal psalm, often described as a "military hymn" or a "processional song" celebrating God's great victories and His sovereign reign. It likely commemorates the movement of the Ark of the Covenant, representing God's presence, into Jerusalem, or recounts Israel's triumphant history, particularly God leading them from Sinai and conquering enemies. The verse, "Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds—His name is the Lord—Be jubilant before Him," acts as a grand summons for the gathered assembly to respond in worship to the God who is actively revealing His power and leading His people in triumph. It sets a tone of enthusiastic adoration suitable for the Lord of Hosts.
Psalm 68 4 Word analysis
- Sing (Hebrew: שִׁירוּ, shiru): An imperative plural, meaning "you all sing." This is a fundamental call to vocal, musical praise. It emphasizes an active, expressive form of worship.
- to God (לֵֽאלֹהִים, le'Elohim): Directs the worship specifically to God (Elohim), a general but powerful name for the Deity, establishing the unique object of adoration.
- sing praises (זַמְּרוּ, zammeru): Another imperative plural, often associated with making music with stringed instruments or accompanied by song. It implies a joyful, skilled, and intentional act of musical devotion, not just vocalizing.
- to His name (שְׁמוֹ, sh'mo): "His name" represents His revealed character, attributes, and presence. Praising "His name" is to praise all that God is and all that He has revealed about Himself.
- Extol (סֹלּוּ, solu): An imperative plural. The root salal means "to cast up," "to build a highway," or "to exalt." Here, it carries the sense of clearing the way for, making straight the path, or lifting high/exalting Him. It implies preparing oneself or a path for God's grand procession or acknowledging His elevated status.
- Him who rides (לָרֹכֵב, la-rokhev): "To the rider." The one who takes His seat and moves with supreme authority and power. This image of "riding" denotes majesty, control, and victorious progress.
- on the clouds (בָּֽעֲרָבוֹת, ba'aravot): The word aravot can mean "desert plains" or "clouds/heavens." Given the context of God's majesty and heavenly dominion (and cross-references like Psa 104:3, Isa 19:1, Dan 7:13), "clouds" or "heavens" is the predominant and most fitting interpretation here, emphasizing God's transcendence and control over the elements. This image contrasts God with other deities who might be limited to earthly domains, portraying Him as enthroned in the celestial realms. It's a powerful statement of divine sovereignty, often connected to the storm-god motif in the ancient Near East, but here attributed to Yahweh as the sole and supreme sovereign.
- His name is the Lord (בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ, b'Yah sh'mo - literally "in Yah is His name" or "by Yah is His name"): This clause powerfully affirms the specific, covenantal name of God. Yah is the shortened, poetic form of YHWH (the tetragrammaton, often translated "LORD" in English Bibles), indicating the eternally existing, personal God who revealed Himself to Israel. Its presence in "Hallelujah" (Praise Yah) signifies its deep connection to praise. The KJV's "by his name JAH" accurately captures the original Hebrew.
- Be jubilant (וְעִלְזוּ, v'ilzu): An imperative plural from alaz, meaning "to exult," "to rejoice," "to triumph," often with a sense of exuberant and outward expression of joy.
- before Him (לְפָנָיו, l'fanav): "In His presence." This emphasizes that the joyous celebration is not for human benefit alone but is directed consciously and openly in the presence of the Lord Himself, acknowledging His majesty and inviting His favorable gaze.
- "Sing to God, sing praises to His name": This phrase emphasizes both vocal (shiru) and instrumental (zammeru) praise, directed towards God's essence and revealed character (His name). It's a comprehensive command for heartfelt, musical worship.
- "Extol Him who rides on the clouds—His name is the Lord": This group highlights God's unique transcendence and sovereignty. "Extol" suggests both preparation and reverence for His coming. The "one who rides on the clouds" is an image of ultimate power, control over creation, and divine judgment, deliberately establishing Yahweh's supremacy above any purported pagan deity who might claim such attributes. The explicit mention of "His name is Yah/the Lord" solidifies that this supreme divine being is the specific covenant God of Israel.
- "Be jubilant before Him": This concludes with an injunction for enthusiastic, triumphant joy in God's immediate presence. It underscores that true worship involves not just reverence but also unbridled gladness.
Psalm 68 4 Bonus section
The Hebrew word Yah is often preserved in liturgical shouts like Hallelujah, meaning "Praise Yah!" Its use in Psalm 68:4 links this majestic declaration of God's transcendence directly to the ancient and ongoing tradition of praise in Israel. The image of God riding on the clouds or heavens is found throughout ancient Near Eastern literature, but in the biblical context, it uniquely establishes YHWH's uncontested sovereignty and distinctness from created elements, proclaiming His mastery over cosmic forces and presenting Him as the divine warrior and King who comes in power. The threefold imperative – "sing," "sing praises," and "extol/be jubilant" – underlines the commanded nature of worship, not as a burdensome task, but as an expected and appropriate response to the Lord's supreme greatness.
Psalm 68 4 Commentary
Psalm 68:4 is a clarion call to robust and holistic worship. It invites the gathered assembly to engage in singing and musical praise, directing their adoration towards God’s revealed character as embodied in "His name." The injunction to "extol Him who rides on the clouds" elevates worship beyond mere vocal expression to an acknowledgment of God's majestic, transcendent sovereignty over creation and all powers. This phrase serves as a powerful polemic against any pagan storm-gods or false deities, asserting Yahweh as the one supreme God, who is in control of all things, represented by His power over the heavens. The explicit mention of "His name is the Lord" (Yah) firmly identifies this mighty Sovereign as Israel's covenant God, grounding the cosmic truth in a personal relationship. Finally, "Be jubilant before Him" stresses the communal, exuberant joy that should characterize the worship of such a magnificent God. It calls for joyful anticipation and triumph in God's presence, signifying a deep-seated delight in who He is and what He has done.