God’s resplendent majesty and His countless hosts inspire awe, reminding us that His presence offers both protection and the assurance of victory.
In this verse, David proclaims, “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.” (v.17). The use of “chariots” suggests God’s boundless strength and authority, recalling other scriptural passages that portray the LORD in warrior imagery and highlight His supremacy over all creation. Throughout Scripture, chariots symbolize formidable power, as seen when the prophet Habakkuk spoke of God riding His chariots in a display of divine intervention to rescue His people. David describes God’s “myriads, thousands upon thousands” in the same sense John does in Revelation when speaking of innumerable angelic hosts proclaiming praise before the throne.
Here, David also reminds the people that “the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.” (v.17). Mount Sinai is located in the southwestern region of the Sinai Peninsula, traditionally dated around 1446 BC for Moses’s encounter with God in that place. At Sinai, the Lord revealed His holiness and established a covenant with Israel, demonstrating glorious majesty through thunder, lightning, and thick cloud (Exodus 19:16-18). By referencing Sinai, Psalm 68:17 underscores that the same God who once descended with miraculous wonder upon the mountain is still powerfully present with His people, surrounded by countless spiritual forces ready to accomplish His will.
For believers in every generation, this verse pictures a faithful and majestic God who reigns in holiness, leading His abundant host for the righteous cause of deliverance. Ultimately, the image looks forward to Christ’s eternal rule, where all creation will worship Him and where the full heavenly host will triumph through His redeeming work (Revelation 5:13-14).
Set to dark mode
Psalms 68:17 meaning
In this verse, David proclaims, “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.” (v.17). The use of “chariots” suggests God’s boundless strength and authority, recalling other scriptural passages that portray the LORD in warrior imagery and highlight His supremacy over all creation. Throughout Scripture, chariots symbolize formidable power, as seen when the prophet Habakkuk spoke of God riding His chariots in a display of divine intervention to rescue His people. David describes God’s “myriads, thousands upon thousands” in the same sense John does in Revelation when speaking of innumerable angelic hosts proclaiming praise before the throne.
Here, David also reminds the people that “the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.” (v.17). Mount Sinai is located in the southwestern region of the Sinai Peninsula, traditionally dated around 1446 BC for Moses’s encounter with God in that place. At Sinai, the Lord revealed His holiness and established a covenant with Israel, demonstrating glorious majesty through thunder, lightning, and thick cloud (Exodus 19:16-18). By referencing Sinai, Psalm 68:17 underscores that the same God who once descended with miraculous wonder upon the mountain is still powerfully present with His people, surrounded by countless spiritual forces ready to accomplish His will.
For believers in every generation, this verse pictures a faithful and majestic God who reigns in holiness, leading His abundant host for the righteous cause of deliverance. Ultimately, the image looks forward to Christ’s eternal rule, where all creation will worship Him and where the full heavenly host will triumph through His redeeming work (Revelation 5:13-14).