Psalm 68

1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; Let them also that hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: As wax melteth before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God: Yea, let them rejoice with gladness.

4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: Cast up a highway for him that rideth through the deserts; His name is Jehovah; and exult ye before him.

5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, Is God in his holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah

8 The earth trembled, The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God: Yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, Thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

10 Thy congregation dwelt therein: Thou, O God, didst prepare of thy goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord giveth the word: The women that publish the tidings are a great host.

12 Kings of armies flee, they flee; And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.

13 When ye lie among the sheepfolds, It is as the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings therein, It was as when it snoweth in Zalmon.

15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A high mountain is the mountain of Bashan.

16 Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell in it for ever.

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led away captives; Thou hast received gifts among men, Yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might dwell with them.

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily beareth our burden, Even the God who is our salvation. Selah

20 God is unto us a God of deliverances; And unto Jehovah the Lord belongeth escape from death.

21 But God will smite through the head of his enemies, The hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his guiltiness.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring them again from the depths of the sea;

23 That thou mayest crush them, dipping thy foot in blood, That the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies.

24 They have seen thy goings, O God, Even the goings of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

25 The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, In the midst of the damsels playing with timbrels.

26 Bless ye God in the congregations, Even the Lord, ye that are of the fountain of Israel.

27 There is little Benjamin their ruler, The princes of Judah and their council, The princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem Kings shall bring presents unto thee.

30 Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, The multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, Trampling under foot the pieces of silver: He hath scattered the peoples that delight in war.

31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God.

32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; Oh sing praises unto the Lord; Selah

33 To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which are of old; Lo, he uttereth his voice, a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: His excellency is over Israel, And his strength is in the skies.

35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: The God of Israel, he giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

Psalm 68

For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.

1 God springs into action!
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries run from him.

2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.
As wax melts before fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.

3 But the godly are happy;
they rejoice before God
and are overcome with joy.

4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds!
For the Lord is his name!
Rejoice before him!

5 He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows.
God rules from his holy palace.

6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes;
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.
But sinful rebels live in the desert.

7 O God, when you lead your people into battle,
when you march through the desert, (Selah)

8 the earth shakes,
yes, the heavens pour down rain
before God, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people.
When they are tired, you sustain them,

10 for you live among them.
You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.

11 The Lord speaks;
many, many women spread the good news.

12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away!
The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.

13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds,
the wings of the dove are covered with silver
and with glittering gold.

14 When the sovereign judge scatters kings,
let it snow on Zalmon!

15 The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain;
the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.

16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live?
Indeed the Lord will live there permanently!

17 God has countless chariots;
they number in the thousands.
The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.

18 You ascend on high,
you have taken many captives.
You receive tribute from men,
including even sinful rebels.
Indeed the Lord God lives there!

19 The Lord deserves praise!
Day after day he carries our burden,
the God who delivers us. (Selah)

20 Our God is a God who delivers;
the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.

21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.

22 The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

23 so that your feet may stomp in their blood,
and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”

24 They see your processions, O God –
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.

25 Singers walk in front;
musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,
in the midst of young women playing tambourines.

26 In your large assemblies praise God,
the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel!

27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler,
and the princes of Judah in their robes,
along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

28 God has decreed that you will be powerful.
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,

29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem!
Kings bring tribute to you.

30 Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds,
and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls!
They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute.
God scatters the nations that like to do battle.

31 They come with red cloth from Egypt,
Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.

32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God!
Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)

33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times!
Look! He thunders loudly.

34 Acknowledge God’s power,
his sovereignty over Israel,
and the power he reveals in the skies!

35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple!
It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise!