Lexical Summary ratsad: To leap, to spring Original Word: רָצַד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance leap A primitive root; probably to look askant, i.e. (figuratively) be jealous -- leap. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to watch (stealthily) NASB Translation look with envy (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [רָצַד] verb Pi`el watch stealthily, or with envious hostility (Arabic  watch or wait (often lie in wait) for; ירצר Ecclus 14:22 observe stealthily, so once Aramaic רְצַר LevyNHWB iv. 464); — only Imperfect2masculine plural תְּרַצְּדוּן Psalm 68:17 (figurative of mountains, with accusative). Topical Lexicon Root Meaning and Nuanced Connotations רָצַד portrays an agitated movement that can be either physical (skipping, bounding) or emotional (restless envy). In Psalm 68:16 the restlessness is inward: lofty ridges “gaze in envy” at Zion, revealing an unsettled, even jealous, response to divine preference. The verb therefore carries the ideas of jealous watching, covetous eagerness, and uneasy movement. Biblical Context Psalm 68 rehearses the LORD’s march from Sinai to Zion, celebrating His victories, His care for the vulnerable, and His enthronement in Jerusalem. Verse 16 addresses rival heights—perhaps the forested heights of Bashan (verse 15)—and rebukes their discontent: “Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God desires for His dwelling; the LORD will dwell there forever.” (Psalm 68:16) God chose Zion, not because it was the tallest, but because of His sovereign pleasure (Psalm 132:13-14). רָצַד underscores the contrast between mountains that fidget under divine rejection and the calm permanence of the hill God elects. Theological Significance 1. Sovereign Election: The verb exposes the futility of challenging God’s choices. Geography, status, or human estimation cannot overturn His decree (1 Kings 8:44; Isaiah 14:24). Intertextual Themes • Mountains personified: Isaiah 55:12; Habakkuk 3:6. Historical Interpretation Early Jewish commentators viewed the “leaping” mountains as Bashan exalting itself against Zion. Church fathers extended the image to worldly powers contending against the Church. Reformers stressed God’s free election: Zion’s modest hill illustrates salvation by grace, not merit. Practical Ministry Applications • Guard the heart from ministry envy. Churches or servants may secretly “skip” in restless comparison; Psalm 68:16 calls for humble celebration of God’s varied assignments (Romans 12:3-8). Christological and Eschatological Echoes Hebrews 12:22 points believers to “Mount Zion, the city of the living God,” fulfilled in the heavenly Jerusalem. Earthly ranges that once “leaped” in envy prefigure nations resisting Christ’s reign (Psalm 2). Revelation 14:1 shows the Lamb standing on Zion, confirming the permanency promised in Psalm 68:16 and ending all restless rivalry. Devotional Implications When ambition or comparison unsettles the soul, רָצַד offers a mirror: the more we fixate on what God has not assigned, the more we fidget. Contentment flows from embracing God’s sovereign placement, confident that “the LORD will dwell there forever.” Forms and Transliterations תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮ תרצדון tə·raṣ·ṣə·ḏūn təraṣṣəḏūn teratztzeDunLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 68:16 HEB: לָ֤מָּה ׀ תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮ הָרִ֪ים גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥ים NAS: Why do you look with envy, O mountains KJV: Why leap ye, ye high hills? INT: Why look mountains with peaks 1 Occurrence |
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