Psalms 68:23
“That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.””
What does Psalms 68:23 mean?
This is one of the Bible's more violent images, and it belongs to an ancient song celebrating God's power to defend His people against their enemies. The vivid language of blood and triumph was how the psalmist expressed that God would completely defeat those who opposed Him and threatened His people, leaving no doubt about the outcome. We can read this without flinching if we remember two things: the psalmist is affirming faith that God ultimately protects the vulnerable, and the extreme imagery reflects the intensity of real suffering those ancient people faced. Enemies weren't abstract problems but genuine threats to survival. The passage uses the strongest words available to say, "God will not let evil win." For those of us in safer circumstances today, this psalm can remind us that God takes injustice seriously and hasn't abandoned those being harmed, even when circumstances look hopeless.