Psalms 68

1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. Let also those who hate him flee before him.

To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm. A Song. Let God be seen, and let his haters be put to flight; let those who are against him be turned back before him.

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

Let them be like smoke before the driving wind; as wax turning soft before the fire, so let them come to an end before the power of God.

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

But let the upright be glad; let them have delight before God; let them be full of joy.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name. Cast up a highway for him who rides through the deserts. His name is Jehovah, and exult ye before him.

Make songs to God, make songs of praise to his name; make a way for him who comes through the waste lands; his name is Jah; be glad before him.

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

A father to those who have no father, a judge of the widows, is God in his holy place.

6 God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners into prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Those who are without friends, God puts in families; he makes free those who are in chains; but those who are turned away from him are given a dry land.

7 O God, when thou went forth before thy people, when thou marched through the wilderness (Selah)

O God, when you went out before your people, wandering through the waste land; (Selah)

8 the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, Sinai at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

The earth was shaking and the heavens were streaming, because God was present; even Sinai itself was moved before God, the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, sent a plentiful rain. Thou confirmed thine inheritance when it was weary.

You, O God, did freely send the rain, giving strength to the weariness of your heritage.

10 Thy congregation dwelt in it. Thou, O God, prepared for the poor from thy goodness.

Those whose resting-place was there, even the poor, were comforted by your good things, O God.

11 The Lord gave the word. Great was the company of those who published it.

The Lord gives the word; great is the number of the women who make it public.

12 Kings of armies fled quickly, and she who remained at home divided the spoil.

Kings of armies quickly go in flight: and the women in the houses make a division of their goods.

13 Though ye lie between two boundaries, it is as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with yellow gold.

Will you take your rest among the flocks? like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its feathers with yellow gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was as it snows in Zalmon.

When the Most High put the kings to flight, it was as white as snow in Salmon.

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

A hill of God is the hill of Bashan; a hill with high tops is the hill of Bashan.

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

Why are you looking with envy, you high hills, on the hill desired by God as his resting-place? truly, God will make it his house 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.

The war-carriage of God is among Israel's thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai to the holy place.

18 Thou have ascended on high. Thou have led captivity captive. Thou have received gifts among men, yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might dwell with them.

You have gone up on high, taking your prisoners with you; you have taken offerings from men; the Lord God has taken his place on the seat of his power.

19 Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burden daily, even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)

Praise be to the Lord, who is our support day by day, even the God of our salvation. (Selah)

20 God is to us a God of deliverances, and escape from death belongs to Jehovah the Lord.

Our God is for us a God of salvation; his are the ways out of death.

21 But God will smite through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of him who still goes in his guiltiness.

The heads of the haters of God will be crushed; even the head of him who still goes on in his evil ways.

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

The Lord said, I will make them come back from Bashan, and from the deep parts of the sea;

23 that thou may dash thy foot in blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from enemies.

So that your foot may be red with blood, and the tongues of your dogs with the same.

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

We see your going, O God: even the going of my God, my King, into the holy place.

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

The makers of songs go before, the players of music come after, among the young girls playing on brass instruments.

26 Bless ye God in the congregations, the lord of the fountain of Israel.

Give praise to God in the great meeting; even the Lord, you who come from the fountain of Israel.

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

There is little Benjamin ruling them, the chiefs of Judah and their army, the rulers of Zebulun and the rulers of Naphtali.

28 Thy God has commanded thy strength. Strengthen, O God, that which thou have wrought for us.

O God, send out your strength; the strength, O God, with which you have done great things for us,

29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem kings shall bring presents to thee.

Out of your Temple in Jerusalem.

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 has scattered the peoples that delight in war.

Say sharp words to the beast among the water-plants, the band of strong ones, with the lords of the peoples, put an end to the people whose delight is in war.

31 Rulers shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.

Kings will give you offerings, they will come out of Egypt; from Pathros will come offerings of silver; Ethiopia will be stretching out her hands to God.

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

Make songs to God, you kingdoms of the earth; O make songs of praise to the Lord; (Selah)

33 to him who rides upon the heaven of heavens, which are of old. Lo, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.

To him who goes or the clouds of heaven, the heaven which was from earliest times; he sends out his voice of power.

34 Ascribe ye strength to God. His excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the skies.

Make clear that strength is God's: he is lifted up over Israel, and his power is in the clouds.

35 O God, awesome out of thy holy places, the God of Israel, he gives strength and power to his people. Blessed be God.

O God, you are to be feared in your holy place: the God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.