What is the meaning of Psalm 68:15? A mountain of God • The psalmist opens with language that instantly lifts our eyes from the earthly to the divine. Throughout Scripture, mountains often mark places where God reveals Himself—Sinai blazed with His presence (Exodus 19:18), Zion is called “His holy mountain” (Psalm 48:1), and even the prophet Isaiah foresaw “the mountain of the house of the LORD” being exalted above all hills (Isaiah 2:2). • By calling Bashan “a mountain of God,” David is underscoring that every height ultimately belongs to the Creator (Psalm 24:1–3). He is also preparing us for the contrast that follows in verse 16: lofty as Bashan is, God will choose another mount—Zion—as His dwelling. • Key takeaway: God’s sovereignty extends over every imposing landscape; the grandeur of Bashan only mirrors, never rivals, His majesty. is Mount Bashan • Bashan lay east of the Jordan, famed for its lush pastures and soaring highlands (Deuteronomy 3:1–10). Israel first saw its might when Og, king of Bashan, confronted them—and fell (Joshua 12:4–6). • By naming Bashan specifically, David grounds his poetry in literal geography. These are the ridges that shepherds and warriors knew firsthand. Their tangible greatness provides a vivid canvas on which to paint the even greater glory of God. • Similar reminders appear in Psalm 29: “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood.” Creation’s most daunting features—sea, storm, mountain—are simply stages for His rule. a mountain of many peaks • Bashan was not a single summit but a range of volcanic cones and ridges. The phrase highlights: – Height: prominent elevations that commanded surrounding plains (Psalm 104:13). – Multiplicity: a cluster of peaks suggests abundance and strength (Job 40:20). – Stability: rock-solid bastions that feel immovable (Psalm 125:1–2). • By stressing “many peaks,” the psalmist magnifies the sense of sheer natural power—power soon shown to be small next to God’s choice of Zion (Psalm 68:16). is Mount Bashan • Repeating the name locks our attention on one of Israel’s grandest landforms, just before verse 16 asks, “Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks, at the mountain God chose for His abode?” • The comparison is deliberate: – Bashan = impressive, sprawling, humanly intimidating. – Zion = modest in elevation yet exalted by God’s presence (Psalm 132:13–14). • Cross references reinforce this pattern. God chooses Gideon’s tiny army (Judges 7), David the youngest son (1 Samuel 16), Bethlehem over mightier cities (Micah 5:2). Likewise, He selects Zion over Bashan, proving that His election, not human scale, determines true greatness. summary Psalm 68:15 piles up vivid geography to declare a simple truth: even the mightiest mountains—Bashan with its cluster of lofty peaks—owe their stature to God, and none can boast over the place He chooses for His dwelling. The verse sets the stage for Zion’s elevation in the next line, reminding us that divine selection turns the ordinary into holy ground, while humanly impressive heights remain merely impressive until God claims them. |
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