Bible Strands
Psalms 68:31
Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses hostile nations and wild beasts, commanding them to submit to divine judgment before summoning all earthly kingdoms to sing praises.
The words — חַשְׁמַנִּים (Chash.ma.nim) translates literally to “envoys,” while תָּרִיץ (ta.Ritz) means “it will cause to run,” describing the physical act of stretching out hands in submission.
The thread — This motif of foreign powers sending tribute or worshipers appears in Isaiah 45:14, Zephaniah 3:10, and Psalms 44:20, where nations either bring offerings to God or are warned against stretching hands to foreign gods.
Why it lands — The text demands acknowledgment that geopolitical powers will ultimately submit to Yahweh, requiring the reader to align their loyalty with the only sovereign who receives global worship.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 45:14 This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you; they will come over in chains and bow down to you. They will confess to you: ‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other; there is no other God.’”
- Zephaniah 3:10 From beyond the rivers of Cush My worshipers, My scattered people, will bring Me an offering.
- Psalms 44:20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
- Isaiah 19:18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of Hosts. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.
- Acts 8:27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
- Psalms 72:8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.
- Psalms 143:6 I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah
- Isaiah 60:6 Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah, and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
- 1 Kings 8:22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
- Psalms 88:9 My eyes grow dim with grief. I call to You daily, O LORD; I spread out my hands to You.