Psalm 68

God's Majestic Power

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm. A song.

1 God arises. His enemies scatter,
and those who hate Him flee from His presence.
2 As smoke is blown away,
so You blow [them] away.
As wax melts before the fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.

3 But the righteous are glad;
they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy.

4 Sing to God! Sing praises to His name.
Exalt Him who rides on the clouds-
His name is Yahweh-and rejoice before Him.
5 God in His holy dwelling is
a father of the fatherless
and a champion of widows.

6 God provides homes for those who are deserted.
He leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a scorched land.

7 God, when You went out before Your people,
when You marched through the desert, Selah
8 the earth trembled and the skies poured down [rain]
before God, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 You, God, showered abundant rain;
You revived Your inheritance when it languished.

10 Your people settled in it;
God, You provided for the poor by Your goodness.

11 The Lord gave the command;
a great company of women brought the good news:
12 "The kings of the armies flee-they flee!"
She who stays at home divides the spoil.
13 While you lie among the sheepfolds,
the wings of a dove are covered with silver,
and its feathers with glistening gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings in the land,
it snowed on Zalmon.

15 Mount Bashan is God's towering mountain;
Mount Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.
16 Why gaze with envy, you mountain peaks,
at the mountain God desired for His dwelling?
The Lord will live [there] forever!
17 God's chariots are tens of thousands,
thousands and thousands;
the Lord is among them in the sanctuary
as He was at Sinai.

18 You ascended to the heights, taking away captives;
You received gifts from people,
even from the rebellious,
so that the Lord God might live [there].

19 May the Lord be praised!
Day after day He bears our burdens;
God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
and escape from death belongs to the Lord God.
21 Surely God crushes the heads of His enemies,
the hairy head of one who goes on in his guilty acts.
22 The Lord said, "I will bring [them] back from Bashan;
I will bring [them] back from the depths of the sea
23 so that your foot may wade in blood
and your dogs' tongues may have their share
from the enemies."
24 People have seen Your procession, God,
the procession of my God,
my King, in the sanctuary.
25 Singers lead the way,
with musicians following;
among them are young women
playing tambourines.
26 Praise God in the assemblies;
[praise] the Lord from the fountain of Israel.

27 There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them,
the rulers of Judah in their assembly,
the rulers of Zebulun, the rulers of Naphtali.

28 Your God has decreed your strength.
Show Your strength, God,
You who have acted on our behalf.
29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem,
kings will bring tribute to You.
30 Rebuke the beast in the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those with bars of silver.
Scatter the peoples who take pleasure in war.

31 Ambassadors will come from Egypt;
Cush will stretch out its hands to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;
sing praise to the Lord, Selah
33 to Him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens.
Look, He thunders with His powerful voice!
34 Ascribe power to God.
His majesty is over Israel,
His power among the clouds.

35 God, You are awe-inspiring in Your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people.
May God be praised!

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.