The Meaning of Psalms 68:8 Explained

Psalms 68:8

KJV: The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

YLT: The earth hath shaken, Yea, the heavens have dropped before God, This Sinai -- before God, the God of Israel.

Darby: The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, yon Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

ASV: The earth trembled, The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God: Yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The earth  shook,  the heavens  also dropped  at the presence  of God:  [even] Sinai  itself  [was moved] at the presence  of God,  the God  of Israel. 

What does Psalms 68:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 68:1-11 - The Leader Of His People
This is one of the grandest odes in literature. It was probably composed when the Ark was brought in triumph from the house of Obed-edom to the newly acquired hill of the Lord, 2 Samuel 6:1-23. It is evidently a processional hymn, intended to be sung by bands of white-robed priests and Levites. In this paragraph the Ark was lifted to the shoulders of its bearers, while a measured strain was chanted, Psalms 68:1-6. Then, as the procession moved forward, the march through the wilderness was recited, Psalms 68:7-11.
Let God arise! These opening words are borrowed from the formula used by Moses, Numbers 10:35. Through the smoke of many a battlefield have they rung out! Cromwell's "Ironsides" charged to their music. In Psalms 68:5-6 we learn that God has a special care for lonely people and prisoners. The former He introduces to families, John 19:26-27. The latter are brought out into prosperity. Psalms 68:11, r.v. seems to have a modern fulfillment in the exodus of noble women from happy homes in Christian lands to publish the gospel of Christ to the heathen. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 68

1  A prayer at the removing of the ark
4  An exhortation to praise God for his mercies
7  for his care of the church
19  for his great works

What do the individual words in Psalms 68:8 mean?

The earth shook also the heavens dropped [rain] at the presence of God this Sinai [was moved] of God the God of Israel
אֶ֤רֶץ רָעָ֨שָׁה ׀ אַף־ שָׁמַ֣יִם נָטְפוּ֮ מִפְּנֵ֪י אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים זֶ֥ה סִינַ֑י אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

אֶ֤רֶץ  The  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
רָעָ֨שָׁה ׀  shook 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָעַשׁ 
Sense: to quake, shake.
אַף־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
שָׁמַ֣יִם  the  heavens 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
נָטְפוּ֮  dropped  [rain] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָטַף  
Sense: to drop, drip, distil, prophesy, preach, discourse.
מִפְּנֵ֪י  at  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
זֶ֥ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
סִינַ֑י  Sinai  [was  moved] 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סִינַי  
Sense: the mountain where Moses received the Law from Jehovah; located at the southern end of the Sinai peninsula between the horns of the Red Sea; exact site unknown.
אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֱלֹהֵ֥י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.