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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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.
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 have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
- Ps 89:10You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
- Rom 7:22For I delight in God’s law after the inward man,
- Isa 37:1–38When king Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into Yahweh’s house.
- Ps 18:44As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
- 2 Chr 14:1–15So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days, the land was quiet ten years.
- Ps 120:7I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.
- Ps 2:12Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
- 2 Sam 10:1–19After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
- Jas 4:1Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
- Isa 34:7The wild oxen will come down with them, and the young bulls with the mighty bulls; and their land will be drunken with blood, and their dust made greasy with fat.
- Ezek 29:3Speak and say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the middle of his rivers, that has said, ‘My river is my own, and I have made it for myself.’
- 2 Sam 8:1–18After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
- Job 40:21He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
- Jer 50:11“Because you are glad, because you rejoice, O you who plunder my heritage, because you are wanton as a heifer that treads out the grain, and neigh as strong horses;
- 2 Chr 20:1–37After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
- Jer 51:32–33So the passages are seized. They have burned the reeds with fire. The men of war are frightened.”
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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.