Psalms 68 · Verse 13

Psalms 68:13

Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
Psalms 68:13, King James Version

Psalms 68:13 in other translations

BSBThough you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold.”
WEBwhile you sleep among the camp fires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold.
ASVWhen ye lie among the sheepfolds, It is as the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.
YLTThough ye do lie between two boundaries, Wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.
DARBYThough ye have lain among the sheepfolds, ye shall be as wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with green gold.
BBEWill you take your rest among the flocks? like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its feathers with yellow gold.
WebsterThough ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

What does Psalms 68:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. Some translate this, "When ye shall lie between the borders, ye shall," &c., comparing the peaceful rest in the borders or limits of the promised land to the proverbial beauty of a gentle dove. Others understand by the word rendered "pots," the smoked sides of caves, in which the Israelites took refuge from enemies in the times of the judges; or, taking the whole figuratively, the rows of stones on which cooking vessels were hung; and thus that a contrast is drawn between their former low and afflicted state and their succeeding prosperity. In either case, a state of quiet and peace is described by a beautiful figure.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Though ye have lien among the pots - The prophet is supposed here to address the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who remained in their inheritances, occupied with agricultural, maritime, and domestic affairs, when the other tribes were obliged to go against Jabin, and the other Canaanitish kings. Ye have been thus occupied, while your brethren sustained a desperate campaign; but while you are inglorious, they obtained the most splendid victory, and dwell under those rich tents which they have taken from the enemy; coverings of the most beautiful colors, adorned with gold and silver. The words בירקרק חרוץ birakrak charuts, native gold, so exceedingly and splendidly yellow as to approach to greenness - from ירק yarak, to be green; and the doubling of the last syllable denotes an exeess in the denomination - excessively green - blistering green. The Targum gives us a curious paraphrase of this and the following verse: "If ye, O ye kings, slept among your halls, the congregation of Israel, which is like a dove covered with the clouds of glory, divided the prey of the Egyptians, purified silver, and coffers full of the finest gold. And when it stretched out its hands in prayer over the sea, the Almighty cast down kingdoms; and for its sake cooled hell like snow, and snatched it from the shadow of death." Perhaps the Romanists got some idea of purgatory here. For the sake of the righteous, the flames of hell are extinguished!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 68:7-14

Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies. If God bring his people into a wilderness, he will be sure to go before them in it, and to bring them out of it. He provided for them, both in the wilderness and in Canaan. The daily manna seems here meant. And it looks to the spiritual provision for God's Israel. The Spirit of grace and the gospel of grace are the plentiful rain, with which God confirms his…

Read the full comment on Psalms 68:7-14 →

Psalms 68:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִֽם\־'im-ifH518
תִּשְׁכְּבוּן֮tish.ke.Vunyou will lie down !H7901
בֵּ֪יןbeinbetweenH996
שְׁפַ֫תָּ֥יִםshe.Fa.Ta.yim[two] saddlebagsH8240
כַּנְפֵ֣יkan.Fei[the] wings ofH3671
י֭וֹנָהYo.naha doveH3123
נֶחְפָּ֣הnech.Pah[are] coveredH2645
בַכֶּ֑סֶףva.Ke.sefwith <the> silverH3701
וְ֝אֶבְרוֹתֶ֗יהָve.'ev.ro.Tei.haand pinions itsH84
בִּֽירַקְרַ֥קbi.rak.Rakwith greenish ofH3422
חָרֽוּץ\׃cha.RutzgoldH2742

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 68:13

  • Genesis 49:14

    Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:

  • Psalms 105:37

    He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

  • Judges 5:16

    Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.

  • Titus 3:3

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

  • Revelation 1:5-6

    And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

  • Ephesians 2:1-3

    And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

  • Luke 15:22

    But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

  • 1 Kings 4:20-21

    Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry. And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

  • Psalms 81:6

    I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.

  • Luke 15:16

    And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

  • Psalms 74:19

    O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Though.That is, probably, "Though ye have laboured and lain down between the brick-kilns in Egypt--a poor, enslaved, and oppressed people, yet ye shall gradually rise to dignity, prosperity, and splendour; as a dove, which has been defiled with dirt, disordered, and dejected, by washing herself in a running stream, and trimming her plumage, gradually recovers the serenity of her disposition, the purity of colour, and the richness and varied elegance of her appearance."
ye have.
81:6; Ex 1:14; 1Co 6:9-11; 12:2; Eph 2:1-3; Tit 3:3
the wings.
74:19; 105:37; 149:4; 1Ki 4:20,21; Eze 16:6-14; Lu 15:16,22
Eph 5:26,27; Re 1:5,6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 68:12

    Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.

  • Psalms 68:13

    Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

  • Psalms 68:14

    When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.

Read all of Psalms 68

Psalms 68:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Bien que fuisteis echados entre los tiestos, seréis como las alas de la paloma cubierta de plata, y sus plumas con amarillez de oro.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Les rois des armées s’enfuirent; ils s’enfuirent, et celle qui demeurait dans la maison partagea le butin.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wenn ihr zwischen den Hürden lieget, werdet ihr sein wie die Flügel einer Taube, die überzogen sind mit Silber, und ihre Schwingen mit grüngelbem Golde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Adversum me loquebantur qui sedebant in porta, et in me psallebant qui bibebant vinum.