Psalms 68:32
in Psalms 68Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord— Selah
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; Oh sing praises unto the Lord; [Selah
KJV
Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:
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This verse in Psalms 68
Commentary
10 notes on this verseAnd so, since God is spiritual light and Christ in sacred Scripture is called "Sun of Justice" and "orient," the east should be dedicated to his worship. For everything beautiful should be dedicated to God from whom everything that is good receives its goodness. Also, the divine David says, "Sing to God, all you kingdoms of the earth: sing to the Lord; who mounts above the heaven of heavens, to the east."
This site's exposition
Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth
on Psalms 68:32-35
The call widens to every kingdom of the earth. Verse 34 tells them to ascribe the power to God, and verse 35 says He gives that same strength and power to His people. The last line is Blessed be God.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth,.... Not only the Egyptian and Ethiopian kingdoms, but all the kingdoms of the world; which will now be converted to Christ, and become his, even all the Papal, Pagan, and Mahometan kingdoms; see Rev 11:
): Let the kingdoms of the earth sing praises to the Lord; they all ought to do it, and, when they become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, they will do it. God is here proposed to them as the proper object of praise upon several accounts: I.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. 4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
To Him who is presented as riding in triumph through His ancient heavens and proclaiming His presence--to Him who, in nature, and still more in the wonders of His spiritual government, out of His holy place (Ps 43:3), is terrible, who rules His Church, and, by His Church, rules the world in righteousness--let all nations and kingdoms give honor and power and dominion evermore.
Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth. Glorious shall that song be in which whole empires join. Happy are men that God is one who is consistently the object of joyous worship, for not such are the demons of the heathen. So sweet a thing is song that it ought to be all the Lord's; a secular concert seems almost a sacrilege, a licentious song is treason. O sing praises unto the Lord. Again and again is God to be magnified; we have too much sinning against God, but cannot have too much singing to God. Selah. Well may we rest now that our contemplations have reached the millennial glory. What heart will refuse to be lifted up by such a prospect!
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth. Glorious shall that song be in which whole empires join. Happy are men that God is one who is consistently the object of joyous worship, for not such are the demons of the heathen. So sweet a thing is song that it ought to be all the Lord's; a secular concert seems almost a sacrilege, a licentious song is treason. O sing praises unto the Lord. Again and again is God to be magnified; we have too much sinning against God, but cannot have too much singing to God. Selah.
Sing unto God - All the inhabitants of the earth are invited to sing unto God, to acknowledge him as their God, and give him the praise due to his name.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth - That is - that acknowledge the true God - celebrate his praise. The psalmist sees the conversion of the world to God to be so certain an event that he calls on all nations to join in the song.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַמְלְכ֣וֹת | mamlekhot | O kingdoms of | H4467 → | 117 times |
| הָ֭אָרֶץ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| שִׁ֣ירוּ | shiru | sing | H7891 → | 86 times |
| לֵאלֹהִ֑ים | lelohim | to God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| זַמְּר֖וּ | zameru | sing praises to | H2167 → | 45 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| סֶֽלָה׃ | selah | Selah | H5542 → | 74 times |
מַמְלְכ֣וֹתO kingdoms of
mamlekhotH4467 →117 times
הָ֭אָרֶץthe earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
שִׁ֣ירוּsing
shiruH7891 →86 times
לֵאלֹהִ֑יםto God
lelohimH430 →2601 times
זַמְּר֖וּsing praises to
zameruH2167 →45 times
אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
סֶֽלָה׃Selah
selahH5542 →74 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 15:4Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
it leads to
- Psalms 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
- Jeremiah 10:7
Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
- Malachi 1:11
For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name…
- Psalms 22:27
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
- Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
- Psalms 86:9
Through
Deuteronomy 32:43Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries…
it leads to
- Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- Revelation 19:2
For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her…
- Revelation 6:10
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”
- Romans 12:19
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Damascene, ORTHODOX FAITH 4:12; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.