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Psalm 68:30

Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot the bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

28Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring presents to you.
30Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot the bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
31Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord— Selah—
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← Psalm 68:29Psalm 68:31 →
Notice

Bulls, silver, and nations that delight in war fill a prayer for God's judgment, set among words about kings bringing him gifts and kingdoms singing praise.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What would you want to bring before God through the plea to scatter nations that delight in war?

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What questions do the animal images and trampled silver leave you wanting to explore?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

11 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 22:12Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.Both psalms use bulls as images of threatening strength; Psalm 22 describes being surrounded, while Psalm 68 asks God to rebuke.
James 4:7Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Both concern opposition and God's authority, though James names the devil and Psalm 68 names nations that delight in war.
Psalm 68:1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let them who hate him also flee before him.Both prayers ask God to scatter opponents; the opening names his enemies, and verse 30 names nations that delight in war.
Isaiah 34:7The wild oxen will come down with them, and the young bulls with the mighty bulls; and their land will be drunken with blood, and their dust made greasy with …Both use bulls in scenes of judgment; Isaiah describes bloodshed, while the psalm asks for rebuke and trampling.
Psalm 18:44As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.Both concern power among peoples: Psalm 68 asks God to subdue warlike nations, while Psalm 18 describes foreigners submitting.
Romans 7:22For I delight in God’s law after the inward person,The shared word is delight, with opposing objects: nations delight in war, while the speaker in Romans delights in God's law.
2 Chronicles 14:1–15So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days, the land was quiet ten years.The supplied Chronicles verse describes ten quiet years under Asa, contrasting with the psalm's nations that delight in war.
2 Samuel 10:1–19After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.The shared ground is the world of nations and rulers; the supplied Samuel verse reports succession without mentioning war.
Isaiah 37:1–38When King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the LORD’s house.Both turn toward God amid trouble: the psalm asks for rebuke, while Hezekiah enters God's house in mourning.
Job 40:21He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.Both associate an animal with reeds; Job describes its marsh shelter, while the psalm asks God to rebuke the animal.
Jeremiah 50:11“Because you are glad, because you rejoice, O you who plunder my heritage, because you are wanton as a heifer that treads out the grain, and neigh as strong …Both pair animal imagery with pleasure in violence: the psalm names delight in war, and Jeremiah names rejoicing among plunderers.
Where this verse fits

Injustice and anger. fear for the future. sermon or Bible study notes.

What the Bible says about anger →What the Bible says about fear →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Pray the final sentence for one war-torn place

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Encouragement

God is asked to scatter nations that take pleasure in war. The prayer entrusts judgment to him and gives no permission to harm those you oppose.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 68:30. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 68 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

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).