Psalms 68:33

To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, [which were] of old,.... Or "eastward" (q); the first, second, and third heavens, which were created from the beginning of time by Christ himself,

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: -All the kingdoms of the earth are exhorted to praise the God of Israel (Psalms 66:1). Verse 32,33.

Upon the heavens; upon the highest heavens, as , his truest and best sanctuary; by which expressions he prevents all mean and carnal conceptions of God, as if he were confined to the ark or tabernacle, and lifteth up the minds, both of Jews and Gentiles, to heaven, and representeth God as dwelling there in infinite glory and majesty, and from thence looking down upon all the inhabitants of the earth, and ruling them by his almighty power, and therefore most fit to be owned and received by all kings and kingdoms, as their Lord and Governor. Of old, i.e. from the very beginning of the world; whereas the ark was only some hundred years old. Or, which are everlasting; for this Hebrew word answers to olam, which looks not only backward to time past; but forward to the future, of which this word is by divers understood, . This is also opposed to the condition of the ark, and tabernacle, and temple; all which, as David by the Spirit of prophecy well knew, would be abolished and dissolved. A mighty voice; by which he understands, either, 1. The thunder, called God’ s voice, , and elsewhere. Or rather, 2. His word, to wit, the gospel, published by Christ and by his apostles, assisted by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven; which might well be called God’ s voice, and that a mighty voice, because it produced such great and wonderful effects, as are here above mentioned, in converting all the kings and kingdoms of the earth.

Psalms 68:33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, [which were] of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, [and that] a mighty voice.Ver. 33. To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens] i.e. The highest heaven, Deuteronomy 10:14. Which were of old] And do still remain in the same state. Lo, he doth send out his voice] i.e. Thundereth, as Psalms 29:3; whensoever, therefore, we hear it thunder, Sciamus Deum ipsum loqui, hoc est sensibilem reddi. Let us know that God himself speaks, this is to restore us to our senses.

Verse 33. Rideth upon the heavens] He who manages the heavens, directing their course and influence, he formed every orb, ascertained its motion, proportioned its solid contents to the orbit in which it was to revolve, and the other bodies which belong to the same system. As an able and skilful rider manages his horse, so does God the sun, moon, planets, and all the hosts of heaven. He doth send out his voice] At his word of command they run, shed, or reflect their light; and without the smallest deviations obey his will. Mighty voice.] He thunders in the heavens, and men tremble before him.

33. To him that rideth &c.] The same God who “rides through the deserts” (Psalms 68:4) when He intervenes in human affairs is supremely exalted in the highest heavens (Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Nehemiah 9:6), which like the mountains (Deuteronomy 33:15) are of primeval antiquity. which were of old] Better, with R.V., which are of old. Cp. Wordsworth’s “the most ancient heavens.” he doth send out his voice] R.V., he uttereth his voice, as Psalms 46:6. Cp. Psalms 29:3 ff.; Isaiah 30:30.

To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens - The highest heavens. The heaven of heaven would properly mean the heaven above that which is heaven to us; that is, the heaven above the sky.

33. The heavens of heavens—The highest “heavens.” Of old—That is, the primeval heavens.