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Psalm 68:18
You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among people, yes, among the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there.
16Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, the LORD will dwell there forever.
17The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.
18You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among people, yes, among the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there.
19Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. Selah.
20God is to us a God of deliverance. To GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
Notice
Captives and gifts mark God's ascent as a conqueror, while the closing words turn attention to his purpose: dwelling among people, even where rebellion is present.
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Where else Scripture says this
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Ephesians 4:8Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.”Ephesians quotes the ascent and captives of Psalm 68:18, while speaking of gifts given where the psalm speaks of gifts received.
John 16:33I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”Both speak of victory amid opposition: Psalm 68 names captives and the rebellious, while Jesus declares that he has overcome the world.
Psalm 24:3Who may ascend to the LORD’s hill? Who may stand in his holy place?Ascent connects these verses: God has ascended in Psalm 68, while Psalm 24 asks who may ascend to his hill.
Colossians 2:15Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.Captives led away in Psalm 68 and defeated powers displayed in Colossians both portray triumph through the subjection of opponents.
Revelation 21:3I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself …God dwelling among people is the stated purpose in Psalm 68 and the announced reality in Revelation.
2 Corinthians 6:16What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will …Both speak of God dwelling among people, with Corinthians describing those people as the temple of the living God.
Psalm 46:5God is within her. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn.God's presence in a dwelling place connects these verses: Psalm 68 says he will dwell there, and Psalm 46 declares his presence within her.
John 20:17Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, …Both use the language of ascent: Psalm 68 addresses God ascending on high, while Jesus speaks of ascending to his Father.
Judges 5:12‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’Both passages describe captives being led away, Psalm 68 addressing God and Judges addressing Barak.
1 Peter 3:22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.Psalm 68 portrays God ascending with captives; Peter describes heavenly exaltation with angels, authorities, and powers made subject.
Psalm 110:1A Psalm by David. The LORD says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”Both portray victory over opposition: Psalm 68 describes captives led away, while Psalm 110 promises that enemies will become a footstool.
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Encouragement
The rebellion named here does not overturn God's victory. The God who ascends and leads captives has a purpose for his triumph: to dwell among people.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).