Psalm 68

1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

2 May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.

3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the cloudst;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

6 God sets the lonely in families,t
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

7 When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,t

8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.

10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:

12 "Kings and armies flee in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.

13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,t
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold."

14 When the Almightyt scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.

15 Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,

16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell forever?

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.t

18 When you ascended on high,
you took many captives;
you received gifts from people,
even fromt the rebellious—
that you,t Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.

20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

22 The Lord says, "I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share."

24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the timbrels.

26 Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.

27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah's princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28 Summon your power, Godt;
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.

29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.

30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31 Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cusht will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,

33 to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders with mighty voice.

34 Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.

35 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!

Psalm 69

1 Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.

3 I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God.

4 Those who hate me without reason
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,
those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore
what I did not steal.

5 You, God, know my folly;
my guilt is not hidden from you.

6 Lord, the Lord Almighty,
may those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me.

7 For I endure scorn for your sake,
and shame covers my face.

8 I am a foreigner to my own family,
a stranger to my own mother's children;

9 for zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

10 When I weep and fast,
I must endure scorn;

11 when I put on sackcloth,
people make sport of me.

12 Those who sit at the gate mock me,
and I am the song of the drunkards.

13 But I pray to you, Lord,
in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.

14 Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep waters.

15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
or the depths swallow me up
or the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;
in your great mercy turn to me.

17 Do not hide your face from your servant;
answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.

18 Come near and rescue me;
deliver me because of my foes.

19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
all my enemies are before you.

20 Scorn has broken my heart
and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
for comforters, but I found none.

21 They put gall in my food
and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

22 May the table set before them become a snare;
may it become retribution andt a trap.

23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.

24 Pour out your wrath on them;
let your fierce anger overtake them.

25 May their place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

26 For they persecute those you wound
and talk about the pain of those you hurt.

27 Charge them with crime upon crime;
do not let them share in your salvation.

28 May they be blotted out of the book of life
and not be listed with the righteous.

29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
may your salvation, God, protect me.

30 I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.

31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.

32 The poor will see and be glad—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!

33 The Lord hears the needy
and does not despise his captive people.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and all that move in them,

35 for God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it;

36 the children of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will dwell there.

Psalm 70

1 Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.

2 May those who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.

3 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
turn back because of their shame.

4 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
"The Lord is great!"

5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;
come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Lord, do not delay.