Finding Yourself in the Psalms

Psalm 68

A Psalm For Rejoicing in God’s Victory

EMPHASIS = Jerusalem

Victory in battle

Various names of God speak of HIS STRENGTH

Messianic Psalm

Part I – God’s Past Victories

I. God’s Victory for the HELPLESS. 68:1-6
A. V. 5-6 Fatherless, widows, lonely, prisoners
B. Elohim (1) C. Jay (4)
II. God’s victory for His Chosen Ones. 68:7-14
A. Wilderness wanderings (7-10) B. Conquest of the Land (11-14) C. Almighty: El Shaddai (14)
III. God’s Protection over Jerusalem. 68:15-18
A. Significance of Jerusalem
1. Psalm 132:13 “For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his

dwelling”

2. Psalm 48:1-3 “Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. 2)It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. 3)God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress."
3. Psalm 68:16 "Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever?"
4. Luke 21:24 “They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."
B. Times of the Gentiles
1. Rome 70-300
2. Religious Roman Empire (Byzantium) 300-700
3. Islam 700-1100
4. Crusaders 1100-1500
5. Ottoman/Turkish Empire 1517-1917
6. British 1917-1948
7. Secular Israel. 1948-present . . . BUT Jerusalem under Islamic control.
8. The Palestinians have systematically removed evidence of Jewish antiquity below the Temple Mount
C. The Importance of Jerusalem in Prophesy
1. Mat 24:1-3
2. Zechariah 8:3 "This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.”
3. Zechariah 14:1-4
4. Isaiah 51:11 “The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."
D. SATAN’S PLAN – destroy Jerusalem!
1. Block the Eastern Gate
2. Eliminate the Jewish people
3. Give control of Jerusalem to the Palestinians
4. Nuclear weapons!
E. If God can protect JERUSALEM, He can PROTECT YOU!
1. V. 15-16 “Led captivity captive”
2. CHRIST’S PROVISON
a. Eph 4:7-10. The CHURCH
b. 2 Cor 2:14-16. The CHRISTIAN
PART II- God’s Future Victories
IV. The PROMISE for Victory. 68:19-23
A. Adonai Yeshya “Lord, Our Savior” (19)
B. YHWH Adonia. Sovereign Lord (20). Lit, “Lord God”
V. The PROMISE for Israel. 68:24-31
VI. The Promise for ALL. 68:32-35