Rebuke the beast in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Parallel translations
- WEB Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
- KJV Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.
- NKJV Rebuke the beasts of the reeds, The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, Till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
- NASB Rebuke the animals in the reeds, The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, Trampling the pieces of silver; He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.
- NLT Rebuke these enemy nations— these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David asks God to rebuke hostile, war-loving nations and humble them into submission. It is a prayer for God to subdue proud powers and bring peace.
Overview
Using imagery of the wild beast among the reeds and herds of bulls, likely Egypt and other aggressive nations, David prays that God would scatter those who delight in war and bring them to tribute. The longing is for God's reign to overcome violent pride. Ultimately this points to Christ, the Prince of Peace, who will subdue all rebellious powers under his rule.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Ps 22:12–13Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
- Ps 89:10You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
- Rom 7:22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.
- Isa 37:1–38On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.
- Ps 18:44When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.
- 2 Chr 14:1–15Then Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place, and in his days the land was at peace for ten years.
- Ps 120:7I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.
- Ps 2:12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
- 2 Sam 10:1–19Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.
- Jas 4:1What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
- Isa 34:7And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat.
- Ezek 29:3Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’
- 2 Sam 8:1–18Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
- Job 40:21He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh.
- Jer 50:11“Because you rejoice, because you sing in triumph—you who plunder My inheritance—because you frolic like a heifer treading grain and neigh like stallions,
- 2 Chr 20:1–37After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.
- Jer 51:32–33The fords have been seized, the marshes set on fire, and the soldiers are terrified.”
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 68:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.