Psalm 68:18,19; Ephesians 4:7,8; Acts 2:33-36
Thou hast ascended on high. Thou hast led captivity captive, Thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious, also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): There certainly are many parts of the prophetic writings, and particularly of the Psalms, which have a spiritual or mystical reference to Christ: nor can we err in interpreting them of Him, while we take the inspired Apostles for our guides.
GRIFFITH WILLIAMS (1589-1672): Mystically, this Psalm 68 is an ἐπινικιον, or a triumphal song, penned by king David upon the foresight of Jesus Christ arising from the dead, and with great joy and triumph ascending up into heaven, and thence sending his Holy Spirit unto His apostles and disciples.
ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): Psalm 68:18. This is the verse which serves as a key to unlock the sacred treasury of this whole Psalm. And the Holy Ghost himself is His own commentator. By His servant, the apostle Paul, He hath taught the church how to apply it to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 4:8,9. Hence, by comparing these Scriptures, and looking for the divine teaching of He Who is the almighty Author of both, we are admitted into a blessed apprehension of the things recorded concerning Christ. Observe, in what words the thing is spoken of, “Thou hast ascended.” This was written by the spirit of prophecy, at least a thousand years before Christ was born. But to His almighty eye, before Whom things past, present, or future, form but one object, the event is so sure, that what He hath counseled must stand, and be as certain as if finished. The ascension of the Lord Jesus is the subject here contemplated; but the whole of Christ’s triumphs over death, hell, and the grave, together with his exalted state at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, is included in this hymn of praise.
ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): “Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” Ephesians 4:9. Paul’s meaning appears to be this: The person who ascended is the Messiah, and His ascension plainly intimates His descension—that is, His incarnation, humiliation, death, and resurrection.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): To do battle with our enemies, the Lord descended and left His throne; but now the fight is finished, He returns to His glory, high above all things is He now exalted. “Thou hast led captivity captive.” A multitude of the sons of men are the willing captives of the Messiah’s power. As great conquerors of old led whole nations into captivity, so Jesus leads forth from the territory of His foe a vast company as the trophies of His mighty grace. From the gracious character of His reign it comes to pass that to be led into captivity by Him is for our captivity to cease, or to be itself led captive; a glorious result indeed. The Lord Jesus destroys His foes with their own weapons; He puts death to death, entombs the grave, and leads captivity captive.
JOHN NEWTON (1725-1807): The expression is emphatic. He has conquered and triumphed over all the powers which held us in captivity, so that captivity itself is taken captive. The spirit and force of it is destroyed—the energy of the phrase is not unlike that of the apostle Paul: “Death is swallowed up in victory,” 1 Corinthians 15:54.
ANDREW FULLER (1754-1815): And, having obtained the victory, He proceeds to divide the spoils: Gifts to men, as David made presents. There was a glorious fulfillment immediately after His ascension, in a rich profusion of gifts and graces to His church, like David’s presents. In Psalm 68:18, it is “received;” in Ephesians, “gave.” He received, that He might give; received the spoil, that He might distribute it.
CHRISTMAS EVANS (1766-1838): After He entered the heaven of heavens, did He shower down gifts unto men, as a mighty conqueror loaded with treasures with which to enrich and adorn his followers and people. The apostle shows that a portion of these gifts, are gifts of ministry, Ephesians 4:11.
ANDREW FULLER: Ministers are received for, and are given to you by Christ.
CHRISTMAS EVANS: Accordingly, whenever God condescends to dwell among a people and in a country, He gives that people and country His ministry. He sends them His gospel in the mouths of faithful servants.
ISAAC AMBROSE (1604-1664): He gives the gift of gifts—the gift of the Holy Ghost.
C. H. SPURGEON: The Holy Spirit was given on the Day of Pentecost.
ISAAC AMBROSE: “If thou knewest the gift of God,” said Christ to the Samaritan woman, John 4:10: that gift was the water of life, and that water of life was the Spirit, as John, who knew best His mind, gave the interpretation, “This spake he of the Spirit,” John 7:39. Consider this princely gift of Christ. Such a gift was never given before, but when “God so loved the world, that he gave his Son,” John 3:16—and, Christ so loved the world, that He gave His Spirit. But consider especially to whom this Spirit was given—“unto us a Son is given,” said the prophet, Isaiah 9:6; and “unto us the Holy Ghost is given,” saith Paul, Romans 5:5.
JOHN OWEN (1616-1683): And so the phrase in the original doth more than insinuate: לקחתּ מתּנות בּאדם “Thou hast received gifts in Adam,” in the man, or human nature. And לקח signifies as well to give as to receive, especially when anything is received to be given. Christ received this gift in His human nature, to give it unto others.
ISAAC AMBROSE: Yet above all, consider the reason of this gift in reference to thyself. Was it not to make thee a temple of the Holy Ghost? Stand a while on this! Admire the condescending, glorious, and unspeakable love of Christ in this! It was infinite love to come down into our nature when He was incarnate; but this is more, to come down into thy heart by His Holy Spirit: He came near to us then, but as if that were not near enough, He comes nearer now, for now He unites Himself unto thy person—He comes and dwells in thy soul by His Holy Spirit.
C. H. SPURGEON: What a wonder is this choice mercy, that a den of dragons should become a temple of the Holy Spirit!
CHRISTMAS EVANS: They were gifts of mercy: gifts to the rebellious—to those who laid down their arms at His feet in penitent submission, “that the Lord God may dwell among them.”
JOHN BUNYAN (1628-1688): I have found it as difficult to come to God by prayer, after backsliding from Him, as to do any other thing…Yet that saying would sometimes come to my mind, “He hath received gifts for the rebellious.” “The rebellious,” thought I; why, surely, they are such as once were under subjection to their prince, even those who, after they have sworn subjection to his government, have taken up arms against him; and this, thought I, is my very condition; once I loved Him, feared Him, served Him; yet He has gifts for rebels, and then, why not for me?
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): It is one of the most wonderful things to realize, that even when we in our folly sin against Him, or turn our backs upon Him, His love still remains, it still goes on—He has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
