Psalms 68:17

“He delivered me from my strong enemy, etc.] Which, as it may respect David, may be understood of Goliath the Philistine champion, who was a man of war from his youth; or Saul, king of Israel; and, as it may respect David’s antitype, may design either the chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who were men of power and influence; or more especially Satan, the strong man armed, with all his principalities and powers; or, likewise death, the last enemy, from whose pains and cords he was loosed when raised from the dead, and when he was delivered from every other strong enemy; and from them which hated me; from the old serpent the devil, between whom and him there has been a lasting enmity; and…”

“and, to the assertion of God's purpose to make it His dwelling, is added evidence of His protecting care. He is described as in the midst of His heavenly armies-- thousands of angels--literally, "thousands of repetitions," or, "thousands of thousands"--that is, of chariots. The word "angels" was perhaps introduced in our version, from Deu 33:2, and Gal 3:19. They are, of course, implied as conductors of the chariots. as . . . Sinai, in the holy place--that is, He has appeared in Zion as once in Sinai.”

“The chariots of God - The meaning of this verse is, that God is abundantly able to maintain his position on Mount Zion; to defend the place which he had selected as his abode. Though it has less natural strength than many other places have - though other hills and mountains, on account of their natural grandeur, may be represented as looking on this with contempt, as incapable of defense, yet he who has selected it is fully able to defend it. He is himself encompassed with armies and chariots of war; thousands of angels guard the place which he has chosen as the place of his abode. “Chariots,” usually two-wheeled vehicles, often armed with scythes attached to their axles, were among the most…”

“Chariots - The armies (whereof chariots were an eminent part in those times) which attend upon God to do his pleasure. Twenty thousand - An innumerable company, a certain number being put for an uncertain. Among them - Here the psalmist seems to be transported by the prophetic spirit, from the narration of those external successes, to the prediction of the Messiah; and of the transcendent privileges and blessings accruing to mankind thereby. As in Sinai - God is no less gloriously, though less terribly present here, than he was in Sinai, when the great God attended with thousands of his angels, solemnly appeared to deliver the law. Yea, here is a greater privilege than Sinai had, The Lord…”

“68:17 Chariots, the ultimate weapon of the armed forces in the psalmist’s day, are an image of the Lord’s power to grant victory (20:7; 44:3).”

“chariots: Psa 18:10; Deu 33:2; Kg2 2:11, Kg2 6:16, Kg2 6:17; Eze 1:15-28; Dan 7:10; Mat 26:53; Rev 5:11, Rev 9:16 thousand: or, many thousand as in Sinai: Exo 3:5, Exo 19:22, Exo 19:23 Psalms 68:18”