Psalm 68:8 kjv
The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Psalm 68:8 nkjv
The earth shook; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
Psalm 68:8 niv
the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
Psalm 68:8 esv
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
Psalm 68:8 nlt
the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
before you, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
Psalm 68 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:18 | Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire...the whole mountain trembled greatly. | Sinai trembling at God's presence |
| Deut 4:11-12 | And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and thick gloom. And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. | God's fearful manifestation at Sinai |
| Jdg 5:4-5 | O LORD, when you went out from Seir...the earth trembled; the heavens poured, the clouds indeed poured water. The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel. | Deborah's song echoing God's Sinai presence |
| Ps 18:7 | Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. | Earthquakes as a sign of divine power |
| Ps 77:18 | The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. | God's power causing earth to shake |
| Ps 97:4-5 | His lightnings lighten the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD... | Earth's reaction to God's appearance |
| Ps 114:7 | Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. | Direct call for creation to react to God |
| Isa 64:1-3 | Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down...that the mountains might quake at your presence— as when fire kindles brushwood... | Prayer for God to descend and shake the earth |
| Nah 1:5 | The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him... | God's formidable power over creation |
| Hab 3:3-6 | God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran...The mountains saw you and writhed... | Prophetic vision of God's majestic march |
| Zech 14:4-5 | And in that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives...and the Mount of Olives shall split in two... | Future cosmic quaking at God's return |
| Heb 12:18-21 | For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire, and to gloom and darkness and tempest, and to the blast of a trumpet... | Contrast between Old Covenant (Sinai) and New Covenant |
| Heb 12:26 | At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” | God's voice shaking earth and heavens, looking forward |
| Exod 20:18 | Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled... | People's terror at Sinai manifestation |
| Lev 9:24 | And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar... | God's consuming presence demonstrated |
| Jer 10:10 | But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth trembles, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. | God's universal power and wrath |
| Joel 2:10 | The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. | Earth/heavens reaction to divine presence/judgment |
| Rev 6:12-14 | ...and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its late figs...and every mountain and island were moved from their places. | Cosmic disturbance at divine judgment |
| Rev 11:13 | And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell... | Earthquake as a sign of God's presence in judgment |
| 2 Sam 22:8 | Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the heavens trembled and quaked, because he was angry. | Describing divine anger through cosmic upheaval |
| Ps 46:2-3 | Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea... | God as refuge despite cosmic upheaval |
| Acts 7:38 | This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. | Stephen's sermon referring to the Sinai event |
Psalm 68 verses
Psalm 68 8 Meaning
Psalm 68:8 vividly depicts God's majestic appearance at Mount Sinai, where His awesome presence caused the very earth to tremble and the heavens to discharge their moisture. It powerfully portrays the overwhelming might and holy majesty of God, particularly as He established His covenant with Israel and revealed His Law, confirming His absolute sovereignty over all creation.
Psalm 68 8 Context
Psalm 68 is a grand song of triumph, likely used in a liturgical procession or as a battle song, celebrating God's awesome power and His benevolent leadership of Israel. It recounts His victorious journey from Sinai to Zion, where He establishes His dwelling place. Verse 8 specifically refers to the foundational event of God's relationship with His people: His visible descent onto Mount Sinai as described in Exodus 19-20. This historical event served as the definitive moment God revealed His glory, His Law, and His covenant with Israel. The psalm reminds the audience of Yahweh's unmatched power over creation, a power that completely overshadowed the limited deities of surrounding nations and confirmed His sovereignty.
Psalm 68 8 Word analysis
- "The earth" (אֶרֶץ, `erets`): This Hebrew word refers to the physical ground and broadly to the inhabited world or land. In this context, it signifies all of creation's physical foundation, emphasizing the universal scope of God's impact.
- "trembled" (רָעָשׁ, `ra'ash`): A powerful Hebrew verb indicating a violent shaking, quaking, or trembling. It signifies a profound, often seismic, disturbance, commonly associated with the dramatic manifestation of divine power or judgment (e.g., Exod 19:18).
- "the heavens also" (שָׁמַיִם גַּם, `shamayim gam`): `Shamayim` means heavens or sky, encompassing the atmosphere and cosmic space above. `Gam` means "also," underscoring that both terrestrial and celestial realms were affected, testifying to the comprehensive reach of God's presence.
- "dropped rain" (נָטְפוּ מַיִם, `natfu mayim`): The verb `natfu` means to distill, drip, or pour forth. `Mayim` means water. While seemingly gentle, when linked with the formidable Sinai event, it points to the atmospheric phenomena accompanying God's descent – the thick cloud, thunder, lightning, and powerful outpouring of water from the heavens as part of a divine storm-theophany (Exod 19:9, 16). It speaks to the heavens' responsive release in God's presence.
- "at the presence of God" (מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, `mippeney Elohim`): Literally, "from the face of God." This phrase definitively links the cosmic phenomena to God's immediate and unveiled manifestation. `Elohim` is the common Hebrew term for God, here denoting the One True God, whose very being compels creation's reaction.
- "Sinai itself trembled" (סִינַי זֶה רָעַשׁ, `Sinay zeh ra'ash`): The specific mention of Mount Sinai roots the cosmic event in a definitive historical and geographical location. `Zeh` ("this" or "itself") highlights the direct impact on the very mountain that bore the covenant revelation, reinforcing the specificity and reality of God's awe-inspiring encounter.
- "at the presence of God, the God of Israel" (מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, `mippeney Elohim Elohey Yisrael`): The repetition of "at the presence of God" reiterates the causal link. The addition of "the God of Israel" provides a crucial identification. This universal, all-powerful `Elohim` is uniquely connected by covenant to His chosen people, Israel, signifying that this display of cosmic power is intimately tied to His redemptive history and His faithfulness to His own.
- "The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped rain": This foundational statement immediately sets a cosmic stage, revealing God's power as impacting the entirety of creation. It demonstrates His absolute authority and sovereignty over both terrestrial and atmospheric realms.
- "at the presence of God": This critical phrase establishes the direct, singular cause of the monumental natural reactions. It is not an arbitrary event but a direct consequence of the Creator's manifest, holy being breaking into human experience, highlighting the immediate and overwhelming impact of His glory.
- "Sinai itself trembled": This powerful clause narrows the general cosmic upheaval to a precise, historically verifiable event – the theophany at Mount Sinai. By highlighting the mountain's direct response, the psalmist emphasizes the specific historical anchor of God's covenantal revelation to Israel, affirming its reality and profound significance.
- "the God of Israel": This final and crucial appellation identifies the cosmic God as the specific covenant-keeping God of His chosen nation. It personalizes the majestic, universal power witnessed at Sinai, affirming that the awesome Creator is the faithful Redeemer and Law-Giver who binds Himself to His people Israel. This connects divine omnipotence with divine purpose and relationship.
Psalm 68 8 Bonus section
The imagery in Psalm 68:8 is a classic biblical depiction of a theophany, where God reveals Himself to humanity. Such encounters are often characterized by storm clouds, thunder, lightning, fire, smoke, and seismic activity. These natural elements are not merely coincidental but serve as tangible manifestations of God's infinite power, consuming holiness, and the profound solemnity of His direct interaction with His creation. The "dropping rain" from the heavens can be further understood not just as part of the stormy atmospheric disturbance, but also symbolically pointing to God as the source of all life-giving sustenance, as well as the outpouring of divine blessings or judgments that come from His majestic presence. This verse functions as a powerful declaration of Yahweh's unmatched power, contrasting Him sharply with the impotent or localized deities worshiped by surrounding pagan nations.
Psalm 68 8 Commentary
Psalm 68:8 powerfully conveys the awe and terror of God's presence, specifically at Mount Sinai. It paints a picture of creation literally reeling from the unapproachable holiness and overwhelming might of the Almighty. The trembling earth signifies His supreme authority over the physical world, while the heavens "dropping" indicate that even the upper realms respond to His call, not just in natural phenomena but as part of a divine outpouring, whether of judgment, blessing, or simply acknowledging His glorious presence in a tempestuous cloud. This imagery roots God's power in a foundational historical moment for Israel, emphasizing that the same cosmic Creator is their covenant God. It reminds believers that His manifest presence commands ultimate reverence and trust, as nothing stands unaffected before Him. When God reveals Himself, the universe pays attention.