Psalms 68:22

The Lord said,.... Within himself, in his own heart; he resolved upon it in his mind; or he said it in council and in covenant; he undertook and engaged to do what follows; or he spoke of it in

The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea: The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan; I will bring (my people) again from the depths

The Lord said; either within himself, he purposed or he promised; for so he had done by divers of his prophets, though not in the same words which are here used, yet to the same purpose. I will bring again from Bashan; I will repeat my ancient favours, and give my people as great deliverances as I formerly did, when I saved them from that great giant Og king of Bashan, who came out against them with all his forces, ; whom I delivered into their hand, as it there follows; which deliverance is oft mentioned in succeeding scriptures as one of the most eminent. From the depths of the sea; from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, and from the Red Sea itself, through which I brought them with honour and safety, when it overwhelmed their enemies.

Psalms 68:22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring [my people] again from the depths of the sea:Ver. 22. The Lord said] That is assurance good enough. I will bring again from Bashan] Og the giant’ s country, where Israel was in no small distress and danger till that monster was taken out of the way, Numbers 21:33 Deuteronomy 3:1-2 : q.d. I will, if need require, and as occasion serveth, do as much for mine again as I did once at Bashan, and at the Red Sea. Some interpret this and the following verses of the calling of the Jews. The glorious things (saith one) which God will effect in their behalf are here reduced to five heads: First, the bringing of them home from most extreme difficulties, naming Bashan, because of the slaughter spoken of, Psalms 68:14, and the deep of the sea, alluding to Exodus 14:16, peradventure he meaneth the drying up of Euphrates before them. For this first head aimeth at those times, the beginning of the Jews’ repair unto their country. The second head is, the great and famous victory that God will give, delivering them out of those difficulties and distresses, Psalms 68:22. See Isaiah 63:1-4. The third head is, the Jews’ thorough conversion, by occasion of that singular mercy of God, Psalms 68:23, and the form of a goodly Church (under the type of the old synagogue) set up among Jacob’ s posterity, Psalms 68:24, the ten tribes as well as the tribe of Judah; which is concluded by acknowledging their strength to come from God, a prayer to perfect his work begun, and a spur to put into these kings of the east (as they are so called, Revelation 16:12), to present in the temple at Jerusalem (in the public congregation) testimonies of their thankfulness, Psalms 68:25-28. The fourth head is, the taming of their proud enemies, and the forcing them at least to counterfeit a subjection, Psalms 68:29. The fifth head is, the general calling of all the kingdoms of the earth to join themselves unto the Church of Christ, which shall follow the conversion of the Jews. And this he shutteth up with provoking all nations to give unto God the praises that are due unto him for it; and his own particular thanksgiving, Psalms 68:30-34. Thus he.

(22) I will bring.—The meaning of this verse is very obscure. It is plainly another fragment of some ancient song quoted, we can hardly doubt, with reference to the return from captivity. “Bashan” and the “depths of the sea” (comp. Amos 9:1-10) may, in the quotation, only stand generally for east and west, the sea being here the Mediterranean. But most probably the original verse referred to the passage of the Red Sea and the contest with the king of Bashan.

Verse 22. From the depths of the sea] All this seems to speak of the defeat of the Egyptians, and the miraculous passage of the Red Sea.

22. The Lord said] The Psalmist either quotes some ancient promise, like that of Num 21:34, or proclaims a fresh message from God with the authority and in the language of a prophet:—The Lord saith. But what is the object of the verb I will bring again? (1) If with A.V. we supply my people, the meaning will be that God will bring the Israelites back to their own land from all the places in which they have been scattered, in order that they may witness a complete and final triumph over their enemies (cp. Micah 4:11-13). This is the interpretation of the Targ., and Delitzsch quotes from the Talmud a touching story which shews that it was current in early times. When, after the destruction of Jerusalem, a number of young and noble captives were being conveyed by ship to Rome, where a fate worse than death awaited them, they all flung themselves from the ship into the sea, trusting to the promise of these words. (2) But the context makes it more natural to supply, as R.V., them, i.e. the enemies spoken of in Psalms 68:21; Psalms 68:23. Though they hide themselves in the rock fastnesses of Bashan, nay in the very depths of the sea, they shall not escape, but be brought back to suffer a righteous vengeance. Cp. Amos 9:2-3, where Jehovah warns the sinful Israelites that no hidingplace will avail to shelter them from judgement. Bashan may be mentioned with allusion to Og, the depths of the sea with allusion to Pharaoh (Exodus 15:4 ff.).

The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan - On the situation of Bashan, see the notes at Psalms 68:15. There may be an allusion here to the victory achieved over Og, king of Bashan, in the time of Moses, Numbers 21:33-35.

22. I will bring again from Bashan—Bring whom? The verb has no object.