In Psalm 67, David looked at the possibility of life as being like the angels sang to shepherds when Jesus was born: “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased”. But in Psalm 68, David looked at the reality in his day.
While there is trouble in life, David said in verses 3-4, “But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy. Sing praises to God and to His name! Sing loud praises to Him who rides the clouds. His name is the LORD – rejoice in His presence! In verses 5-6, he listed some of the ways God takes care of His people. In verses 7-10, David recalled the trials Israel went through in the desert yet God was always watching over them and brought them into the promised land.
This psalm may have been written about the time David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. In verses 11-18, he poetically described incidents in the wilderness and how God appeared to His people on Mt. Sinai but has now moved into Jerusalem where the Tabernacle had been erected. In verses 19-31, he pictured the triumphal march into Jerusalem with priests, musicians, and singers. (Ref. 2 Samuel 6).
David ended this psalm with praise directed to God. He said that all people should sing praises to God, should tell of God’s great power, and recognize that “God is awesome in His sanctuary”.