Psalms 68

1 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.

To the Overseer. — A Psalm, a song of David. Rise doth God — scattered are His enemies! And those hating Him flee from His face.

2 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.

As the driving away of smoke Thou drivest away, As the melting of wax before fire, The wicked perish at the presence of God.

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

And the righteous rejoice, they exult before God, And they joy with gladness.

4 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.

Sing ye to God — praise His name, Raise up a highway for Him who is riding in deserts, In Jah [is] His name, and exult before Him.

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

Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows, [Is] God in His holy habitation.

6 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.

God — causing the lonely to dwell at home, Bringing out bound ones into prosperity, Only — the refractory have inhabited a dry place.

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

O God, in Thy going forth before Thy people, In Thy stepping through the wilderness, (Selah)

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

The earth hath shaken, Yea, the heavens have dropped before God, This Sinai — before God, the God of Israel.

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

A shower of free-will gifts thou shakest out, O God. Thine inheritance, when it hath been weary, Thou hast established it.

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

Thy company have dwelt in it, Thou preparest in Thy goodness for the poor, O God.

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

The Lord doth give the saying, The female proclaimers [are] a numerous host.

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

Kings of hosts flee utterly away, And a female inhabitant of the house apportioneth spoil.

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

Though ye do lie between two boundaries, Wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.

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

When the Mighty spreadeth kings in it, It doth snow in Salmon.

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

A hill of God [is] the hill of Bashan, A hill of heights [is] the hill of Bashan.

16 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.

Why do ye envy, O high hills, The hill God hath desired for His seat? Jehovah also doth tabernacle for ever.

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

The chariots of God [are] myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord [is] among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary.

18 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.

Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast taken captive captivity, Thou hast taken gifts for men, That even the refractory may rest, O Jah God.

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

Blessed [is] the Lord, day by day He layeth on us. God Himself [is] our salvation. (Selah)

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

God Himself [is] to us a God for deliverances, And Jehovah Lord hath the outgoings of death.

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

Only — God doth smite The head of His enemies, The hairy crown of a habitual walker in his guilt.

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

The Lord said: 'From Bashan I bring back, I bring back from the depths of the sea.

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

So that thou dashest thy foot in blood, [In the blood of] enemies — the tongue of Thy dogs.'

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

They have seen Thy goings, O God, Goings of my God, my king, in the sanctuary.

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

Singers have been before, Behind [are] players on instruments, In the midst virgins playing with timbrels.

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

In assemblies bless ye God, The Lord — from the fountain of Israel.

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

There [is] little Benjamin their ruler, Heads of Judah their defence, Heads of Zebulun — heads of Naphtali.

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

Thy God hath commanded thy strength, Be strong, O God, this Thou hast wrought for us.

29 Out of your Temple in Jerusalem.

Because of Thy temple at Jerusalem, To Thee do kings bring a present.

30 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.

Rebuke a beast of the reeds, a company of bulls, With calves of the peoples, Each humbling himself with pieces of silver, Scatter Thou peoples delighting in conflicts.

31 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.

Come do fat ones out of Egypt, Cush causeth her hands to run to God.

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

Kingdoms of the earth, sing ye to God, Praise ye the Lord. (Selah)

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

To him who is riding on the heavens of the heavens of old, Lo, He giveth with His voice a strong voice.

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

Ascribe ye strength to God, Over Israel [is] His excellency, and His strength in the clouds.

35 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.

Fearful, O God, out of Thy sanctuaries, The God of Israel Himself, Giving strength and might to the people. Blessed [is] God!