Psalm 68

Praise God Who Saved the Nation

1 Let God rise up and scatter his enemies; let those who hate him run away from him.

2 Blow them away as smoke is driven away by the wind.
As wax melts before a fire, let the wicked be destroyed before God.

3 But those who do right should be glad and should rejoice before God; they should be happy and glad.

4 Sing to God; sing praises to his name.
Prepare the way for him who rides through the desert,
whose name is the Lord. Rejoice before him.

5 God is in his holy Temple. He is a father to orphans, and he defends the widows.

6 God gives the lonely a home. He leads prisoners out with joy, but those who turn against God will live in a dry land.

7 God, you led your people out when you marched through the desert. Selah

8 The ground shook and the sky poured down rain
before God, the God of Mount Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.

9 God, you sent much rain; you refreshed your tired land.

10 Your people settled there. God, in your goodness you took care of the poor.

11 The Lord gave the command, and a great army told the news:

12 “Kings and their armies run away. In camp they divide the wealth taken in war.

13 Those who stayed by the campfires will share the riches taken in battle.”

14 The Almighty scattered kings like snow on Mount Zalmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are high; the mountains of Bashan have many peaks.

16 Why do you mountains with many peaks look with envy on the mountain that God chose for his home? The Lord will live there forever.

17 God comes with millions of chariots; the Lord comes from Mount Sinai to his holy place.

18 When you went up to the heights, you led a parade of captives. You received gifts from the people,
even from those who turned against you. And the Lord God will live there.

19 Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us every day. Selah

20 Our God is a God who saves us; the Lord God saves us from death.

21 God will crush his enemies’ heads, the hairy skulls of those who continue to sin.

22 The Lord said, “I will bring the enemy back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea.

23 Then you can stick your feet in their blood, and your dogs can lick their share.”

24 God, people have seen your victory march; God my King marched into the holy place.

25 The singers are in front and the instruments are behind. In the middle are the girls with the tambourines.

26 Praise God in the meeting place; praise the Lord in the gathering of Israel.

27 There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, leading them. And there are the leaders of Judah with their group. There also are the leaders of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28 God, order up your power; show the mighty power you have used for us before.

29 Kings will bring their wealth to you, to your Temple in Jerusalem.

30 Punish Egypt, the beast in the tall grass along the river. Punish the leaders of nations, those bulls among the cows.
Defeated, they will bring you their silver. Scatter those nations that love war.

31 Messengers will come from Egypt; the people of Cush will pray to God.

32 Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord. Selah

33 Sing to the one who rides through the skies, which are from long ago. He speaks with a thundering voice.

34 Announce that God is powerful. He rules over Israel, and his power is in the skies.

35 God, you are wonderful in your Temple. The God of Israel gives his people strength and power.
Praise God!

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.