Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name Yah, and rejoice before Him. (Psalm 68:4)
What does it mean when David says, “extol Him who rides on the clouds,” and specifically what is conveyed by the word extol? Some translations of the Scripture use the word praise as opposed to extol which would be seem to be a repeat of David’s previous statement, “sing praises to His name.” However, the Hebrew word translated as extol implies something very interesting but not so obvious to us as we read the English translation. The word in question is derived from the root סלל salal which means “to raise up.” Also derived from this same root are two family words — מסלה m’silah and סלם sulam — that mean “highway, raised way” and “ladder, staircase” respectively.
In Hebrew thought, whether speaking of a highway or a staircase, the point is that we are referring to something that elevates and lifts up. For instance, when Jacob fell asleep at Luz, he dreamed “and behold, a ladder (סלם sulam) was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven” (Genesis 28:12). Of course, standing at the top of this staircase was the Lord who spoke to Jacob in the dream, offering encouragement and great promises. The ladder shown to Jacob is significant because it demonstrated the connection between heaven and earth, important especially in regard to Jacob and the call upon his life. In effect, God invited him to “come up,” so to speak, and experience a relationship that would, in time, elevate the man Jacob to the one called Israel.
Understanding this background, let us now consider why David chose to use this particular word. I would suggest that he intended to convey the notion that, when we praise the Almighty — the One who rides on the clouds — that we are elevated; we are lifted up to commune with Him. That is not to say we are raised to the same status or that we become like Him; it is to say that, as we praise, we draw nearer to Him. As we lift up our voice in songs of adoration, our soul and spirit is lifted up above our earth-bound circumstances. In short, offering praise to the Almighty lifts our spirits and allows us to escape the grip of anxiety, depression, apathy and every other emotion that tries to draw us away from our Creator. And so, let us exchange the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness; let’s rejoice and lift up our voice to God. Amen.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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