Psalms 68
1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A song. God arises. His enemies are scattered, and those who hate Him flee His presence.
For the music director. A psalm of David. A song. Stand up, God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate him run away from him!
2 As smoke is blown away, You will drive them out; as wax melts before the fire, the wicked will perish in the presence of God.
Blow them away as if they were smoke; melt them like beeswax in a fire. Let the wicked die in God's presence.
3 But the righteous will be glad and rejoice before God; they will celebrate with joy.
But those who are right with God are happy, and they celebrate in God's presence, full of joy.
4 Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds — His name is the LORD— and rejoice before Him.
Sing praises to God! Sing praises to his wonderful reputation! Praise the rider of the clouds—his name is the Lord! Be happy in his presence!
5 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation.
He is a father to the orphans, a protector of widows. This is who God is, who lives in his holy place.
6 God settles the lonely in families; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
God gives those who are abandoned a family to live with. He sets prisoners free with celebration. But those who rebel live in a desert wasteland.
7 O God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wasteland,
God, when you led your people out, when you marched through the desert, (Selah)
8 the earth shook and the heavens poured down rain before God, the One on Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
the earth quaked, and the heavens shook before God, the one of Sinai; before God, the God of Israel.
9 You sent abundant rain, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance.
You sent plenty of rain to water the promised land; refreshing it when it was dry.
10 Your flock settled therein; O God, from Your bounty You provided for the poor.
Your people settled there, and because of your kindness, God, you looked after the poor. (Selah)
11 The Lord gives the command; a great company of women proclaim it:
The Lord gives the command, and a great army of women spread the good news.
12 “Kings and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder.
The kings of the foreign armies are quick to run away, and the women who stayed at home divide the plunder!
13 Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold.”
Why are you staying at home? There are ornaments in the shape of a dove with wings of silver and feathers of fine gold to be taken.
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like the snow falling on Zalmon.
The Almighty scattered the foreign kings like a snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.
“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,
16 Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God chose for His dwelling, where the LORD will surely dwell forever.
why do you look enviously, mountain with many peaks, at the mountain God chose as his home, where the Lord will live forever?
17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands— thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.
God's chariots can't be counted; there are thousands and thousands of them. He comes among them from Sinai into his Temple.
18 You have ascended on high; You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.
As you ascended to your high throne you led a procession of prisoners. You received gifts from the people, even from those who had rebelled against the home of the Lord God.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God of our salvation.
May the Lord be blessed, for every day he carries our burdens. God is our salvation. (Selah)
20 Our God is a God of deliverance; the Lord GOD is our rescuer from death.
For us, God is a God who saves. The Lord God provides our escape from death.
21 Surely God will crush the heads of His enemies, the hairy crowns of those who persist in guilty ways.
But God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy heads of those who continue to sin.
22 The Lord said, “I will retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them up from the depths of the sea,
The Lord says, “I will drag them down from Bashan; I will drag them up from the depths of the sea,
23 that your foot may be dipped in the blood of your foes— the tongues of your dogs in the same.”
so that you may walk in their blood. Even your dogs will have their share of your enemies.”
24 They have seen Your procession, O God— the march of my God and King into the sanctuary.
People watch your processions, God—the processions of my God and King as they go into the Temple.
25 The singers lead the way, the musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines.
The singers are at the front, the musicians at the back, and in the middle girls playing tambourines.
26 Bless God in the great congregation; bless the LORD from the fountain of Israel.
Praise God, everyone who has come to worship; praise the Lord, everyone who belongs to Israel.
27 There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
There is the little tribe of Benjamin, followed by the many leaders from Judah; then come the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.
28 Summon Your power, O God; show Your strength, O God, which You have exerted on our behalf.
Display your power, God! Reveal your strength, Lord, as you have done for us in the past.
29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring You gifts.
Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.
30 Rebuke the beast in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Condemn the beasts of the reeds, the bulls and calves! May they be humbled and bring bars of silver in tribute! Scatter the war-loving nations!
31 Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.
Let Egypt come with bronze gifts; let Ethiopia come quickly and hand over their tributes to God!
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord—
Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. (Selah)
33 to Him who rides upon the highest heavens of old; behold, His mighty voice resounds.
Sing to the rider of the ancient heavens, his strong voice sounding like thunder!
34 Ascribe the power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose strength is in the skies.
Let everyone know of God's power: how his majesty extends over Israel, how his strength is revealed in the heavens.
35 O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
How awesome is God in his Temple! The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people! Praise God!
