Psalm 68:9
ESV
Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished;
NIV
You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.
NASB
You made plentiful rain fall, God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.
CSB
You, God, showered abundant rain; you revived your inheritance when it languished.
NLT
You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land.
KJV
Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
NKJV
You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, When it was weary.
What does Psalm 68:9 mean?
Please see our chapter commentary on Psalm 68, verse-level content coming soon!Psalm 68:7–18 reflects on God's gracious, powerful victories on behalf of Israel. This includes their time in the wilderness as well as their early conquest of the Promised Land. At Sinai, the Lord had established a covenant with Israel. David later took the ark of the covenant to Mount Zion. This symbolized God's choice to "move" His presence to Jerusalem, in defiance of earthly enemies such as Og at Bashan (Numbers 21:33–35).
Prior psalms (Psalm 66—67) explored the idea of the Lord God of Israel being worshipped by the entire world, including the Gentile nations. Psalm 68 includes that idea, as well as a celebration of God's prior victories on Israel's behalf. The song uses dramatic imagery to praise God's power and grandeur. Mount Zion—the location of Jerusalem—is where the Lord chooses for His seat of power. The entire world should honor this; one day, the whole earth will do just that.
