God Deserves to be Extolled

In the early Old Testament days, God was with the Israelites in the moveable tabernacle, which was a tent. He met with the priest in the holy of holies in which was the ark of the covenant, which represented God (everything inside it represented Christ). When the Israelites wandered around in the wilderness, they were led by a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. When the cloud moved, it was time to pack up the tabernacle and everything in it and move with God. The ark went on before them. Here’s the picture:  And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them…. And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. (Numbers 10:33, 35) God was coming through.

Now in Psalm 68, David is following behind the ark, and he’s praising God. In verses 1-3, he, like Moses, told God’s enemies to be scattered. Then he gave God specific praise for his greatness and goodness in verses 4-6. So, in the context, God is moving His people. It’s a time for praise. Let’s look at how David did it.

Psa 68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.	It’s natural to sing praises to God (It was part of the tabernacle experience. When it was time to move the tabernacle, the instruments were packed up and moved with it. See Num. 4:12) Extol means to lift up. Lift up God, who rides upon the heavens, a fact David knew and appreciated from reading Deut. 33:26. David praised God for that several times throughout Psalms.  He praised God by his name JAH, which is short for Jehovah. It signifies God’s self-existence. He was not created. He always was. So, first David praises God for who He is.
(5)  A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.	Now David moves on to praise God for who He is in relation to us. For those who don’t have a father, God is a father. The overlooked widow has a judge in God, who lives in his holy habitation.
(6)  God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.	God knows we are social creatures. He made us that way. Loneliness is one of the most painful things to endure. God puts the solitary in families. The family of God is important and necessary for singles. Include them. God also looses those bound by chains. But we must know Him. For if we are rebellious, living apart from Him, we’ll live in a dry land. A life without God is dry and withering. One who doesn't know God has nothing to extol Him for. Those of us who do know Him, get to extolling! God is worthy of praise. Think of a song or hymn and sing it.