Thou hast ascended on high - When the ark had reached the top of Sion, and was deposited in the place assigned for it, the singers joined in the following chorus. This seems to be an allusion to a military triumph. The conqueror was placed on a very elevated chariot.

Led captivity captive - The conquered kings and generals were usually tied behind the chariot of the conqueror - bound to it, bound together, and walked after it, to grace the triumph of the victor.

Thou hast received gifts for men - "And gave gifts unto men;" Ephesians 4:8. At such times the conqueror threw money among the crowd. Thou hast received gifts among men, באדם baadam, In Man, in human nature; and God manifest in the flesh dwells among mortals! Thanks be to God for his unspeakable Gift! By establishing his abode among the rebellious the prophet may refer to the conquest of the land of Canaan, and the country beyond Jordan.

Yea, for the rebellious also - Even to the rebellious. Those who were his enemies, who traduced his character and operations, and those who fought against him now submit to him, and share his munificence; for it is the property of a hero to be generous.

That the Lord God might dwell among them - יה אלהים yah Elohim, the self-existing God; see on Psalm 68:4 (note). The conqueror now coming to fix his abode among the conquered people to organize them under his laws, to govern and dispense justice among them. The whole of this is very properly applied by St. Paul, Ephesians 4:5, to the resurrection and glory of Christ; where the reader is requested to consult the note.

ascended

Psalm 24:3,7-10 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place...

Psalm 47:5 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

Psalm 110:1 The LORD said to my Lord, Sit you at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.

Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Luke 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Acts 1:2,9 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen...

Ephesians 4:8-10 Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men...

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Hebrews 6:20 Where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest...

1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

led

Judges 5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead your captivity captive, you son of Abinoam.

received

Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father on you: but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem...

John 14:16,17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever...

John 16:7,13-15 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you...

Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem...

Acts 2:4,33-38 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance...

Ephesians 4:8 Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.

for men [heb.] in the man

1 Corinthians 15:45-47 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit...

Colossians 1:18,19 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead...

Colossians 2:3,9 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power...

rebellious

Proverbs 1:22,23 How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge...

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him...

Matthew 9:13 But go you and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous...

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 2:23,36,38-41 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain...

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus...

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters...

1 Timothy 1:13-15 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief...

Titus 3:3-7 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy...

that

Psalm 78:60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

Psalm 132:13,14 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation...

2 Chronicles 6:18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you...

Isaiah 57:15 For thus said the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place...

Ezekiel 48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

John 14:17,23 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him...

2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them...

Revelation 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks...

Revelation 2:1 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things said he that holds the seven stars in his right hand...

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them...

Rejoicing Before God.
(Preached on the Anniversary of the Battle of Leipsic, October 18th, 1818.) TEXT: PSALM lxviii. 3, 4. ANY one who had heard our last hymn without knowing the occasion of to-day's festival might suppose that we seemed more like entering on a day of supplication in regard to the future, than on what it really is, a day of thankful remembrance of the great and divine deliverance wrought for us in the immediate past. But can we, or ought we, to separate these? God's kindness and grace always anticipate …
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
There still remain three trumpets, the greatest and most grievous of all, and therefore discriminated from the former by the appellation of Woes. For after the conclusion of the fourth trumpet, "I saw and heard," says he, "an angel flying in the midst of heaven, and saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, which are yet to sound." Also, c. ix. v. 12, and c. xi. v. 14. Doubtless, since the Christian …
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse

Letter Xlii to the Illustrious Youth, Geoffrey De Perrone, and his Comrades.
To the Illustrious Youth, Geoffrey de Perrone, and His Comrades. He pronounces the youths noble because they purpose to lead the religious life, and exhorts them to perseverance. To his beloved sons, Geoffrey and his companions, Bernard, called Abbot of Clairvaux, wishes the spirit of counsel and strength. 1. The news of your conversion that has got abroad is edifying many, nay, is making glad the whole Church of God, so that The heavens rejoice and the earth is glad (Ps. xcvi. 11), and every tongue …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux