What is the meaning of “captives in your train” in Psalm 68:18?

Answer

When discussing God’s triumph over His adversaries, Psalm 68:18 states, in part, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men” (ESV).

In ancient warfare, captives were considered part of the spoils of war. The victorious general would capture many individuals, including soldiers and civilians, who could then be sold, enslaved, or held for ransom in case surviving relatives were willing to pay for their release. “Captives in your train” refers to a procession or parade of captives following the conquering general, his army, and the spoils of war. In 1 Kings 10:2, the Queen of Sheba arrives in Jerusalem with “a very great train,” indicating her substantial retinue or entourage. Train is simply a term for “procession” or “parade.” (The term train was chosen to represent the modern method of rail transportation because it forms a long line—similar to a parade of cars transporting people and goods.) Most contemporary versions avoid using the word train. The NIV translates the phrase as “you took many captives,” while the CEV interprets it as “you took prisoners with you.”

This clarifies the meaning of captives in your train, but what does the verse signify?

Psalm 68 portrays YHWH as triumphant over all His adversaries. Psalm 68:18 depicts YHWH as a victorious general or king who has captured many individuals and has received gifts from those He conquered. Ephesians 4:8 rephrases or summarizes the ideas presented in Psalm 68, altering the wording to describe Christ capturing many captives and bestowing gifts, rather than receiving them. This rephrasing has led many to question how Paul is interpreting Psalm 68:18, as receiving gifts might seem contradictory to giving them. Various intricate explanations have been proposed, but perhaps the most plausible interpretation is to remember that a conquering general or king would receive

Gifts from his enemies were often distributed by him to his own people, friends, or supporters. The main point Paul makes is that Christ is a conquering king in a position to distribute many gifts to His people. Paul does not delve into the specific details of the verse in Psalms.

In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul speaks of a similar situation. In that passage, Christians are the “captives” of Christ and are now included in His triumphal train or procession. Christians are the “spoils of war,” as they were taken from the enemy and are now slaves of Christ, which is ultimately the best thing that could have happened to them.

The gifts that Christ gives to the church in Ephesians 4 are the people who will help the church grow and mature. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11-12).

In the final analysis, the picture of Christ having captives in His train communicates that He is the conquering king, leading a train (procession, parade) of captives who are the spoils of war. These captives were once slaves of sin but are now slaves of Christ. Christ distributes some of His slaves as leaders for the good of the church, which is made up of all the people He has captured. These church leaders do not own the church but simply serve under the authority of Christ. (See 1 Peter 5:1-4).