The Meaning of Psalms 68:21 Explained

Psalms 68:21

KJV: But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

YLT: Only -- God doth smite The head of His enemies, The hairy crown of a habitual walker in his guilt.

Darby: Verily God will smite the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth on still in his trespasses.

ASV: But God will smite through the head of his enemies, The hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his guiltiness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But God  shall wound  the head  of his enemies,  [and] the hairy  scalp  of such an one as goeth on still  in his trespasses. 

What does Psalms 68:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 68:12-25 - Their Mighty Deliverer
The processional march still continues. Presently Mount Zion comes in sight, and the neighboring hills are depicted as eying it enviously for its selection in preference to themselves. In Psalms 68:17-18 the glad throng begins to climb the sacred slopes of Zion, amid still more triumphant strains; and in Psalms 68:19, etc., the gates of the sanctuary stand wide open to welcome the festal crowds.
How great the contrast between the blackened appearance of a smoky caldron, and the lustrous sheen of a bird's pinions as they flash in the sunlight! Psalms 68:13. Yet that is the contrast between what we were, and what we now are. Zalmon, Psalms 68:14 -perhaps a reference to the wooded hill near Shechem, mentioned in Judges 9:48. The hostile kings were scattered as snowflakes are driven before the wind and melt in the sun. The hill Bashan, Psalms 68:15, is a snow-clad summit, but Zion is greater, since God is there. In the triumphant words of Psalms 68:18, the singer quotes Judges 5:12, and they are applied in Ephesians 4:8 to our Lord's ascension. Note the r.v. rendering of Psalms 68:19 -that the Lord daily beareth our burdens. Singers, minstrels, and girls with timbrels, Psalms 68:25 -all have a share in the Church's joy. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 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 68:21 mean?

But God will wound the head of His enemies the scalp of hairy the one who still goes on in His trespasses
אַךְ־ אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִמְחַץ֮ רֹ֤אשׁ אֹ֫יְבָ֥יו קָדְקֹ֥ד שֵׂעָ֑ר מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ בַּאֲשָׁמָֽיו

אֱלֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִמְחַץ֮  will  wound 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָחַץ  
Sense: to smite through, shatter, wound severely.
רֹ֤אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
אֹ֫יְבָ֥יו  of  His  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
קָדְקֹ֥ד  the  scalp 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָדְקֹד  
Sense: head, crown of head, top of head, hairy crown, scalp.
שֵׂעָ֑ר  of  hairy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׂעָר  
Sense: hair.
מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ  the  one  who  still  goes  on 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בַּאֲשָׁמָֽיו  in  His  trespasses 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָשָׁם  
Sense: guilt, offense, guiltiness.