Psalms 68

1 For the end, a Psalm of a Song by David. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; and let them that hate him flee from before him.

[For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.] Let God arise. Let his enemies be scattered, and let them who hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke vanishes, let them vanish: as wax melts before the fire, so let the sinners perish from before God.

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.

3 But let the righteous rejoice; let them exult before God: let them be delighted with joy.

But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name: make a way for him that rides upon the west (the Lord is his name) and exult before him. They shall be troubled before the face of him,

Sing to God. Sing praises to his name. Extol him who rides on the clouds: to the LORD, his name. Rejoice before him.

5 [who is] the father of the orphans, and judge of the widows: [such is] God in his holy place.

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

6 God settles the solitary in a house; leading forth prisoners mightily, also them that act provokingly, [even] them that dwell in tombs.

God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou wentest through the wilderness; (Pause)

God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness... (Selah)

8 the earth quaked, yea, the heavens dropped [water] at the presence of the God of Sina, at the presence of the God of Israel.

The earth trembled. The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai—at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 O God, thou wilt grant to thine inheritance a gracious rain; for it was weary, but thou didst refresh it.

You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance, when it was weary.

10 Thy creatures dwell in it: thou hast in thy goodness prepared for the poor.

Your congregation lived in it. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord God will give a word to them that preach [it] in a great company.

The LORD announced the word; a great company of women proclaim the good news.

12 The king of the forces of the beloved, of the beloved, [will] even [grant them] for the beauty of the house to divide the spoils.

"Kings of armies flee. They flee." She who waits at home divides the spoil,

13 Even if ye should lie among the lots, [ye shall have] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her breast with yellow gold.

while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold.

14 When the heavenly One scatters kings upon it, they shall be made snow-white in Selmon.

When Shaddai scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.

15 The mountain of God is a rich mountain; a swelling mountain, a rich mountain.

The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged.

16 Wherefore do ye conceive [evil], ye swelling mountains? [this is] the mountain which God has delighted to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell [in it] for ever.

Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, the LORD will dwell there forever.

17 The chariots of God are ten thousand fold, thousands of rejoicing ones: the Lord is among them, in Sina, in the holy place.

The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The LORD is among them, from Sinai, in holiness.

18 Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for man, yea, for [they were] rebellious, that thou mightest dwell among them.

You have ascended on high. You have taken captivity captive. And you gave gifts to people; but the rebellious will not dwell in the presence of God.

19 Blessed be the Lord God, blessed be the Lord daily; and the God of our salvation shall prosper us. (Pause)

Blessed be the LORD, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)

20 Our God is the God of salvation; and to the Lord belong the issues from death.

God is to us a God of deliverance. To the LORD belongs escape from death.

21 But God shall crust the heads of his enemies; the hairy crown of them that go on in their trespasses.

But God will strike through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Basan, I will bring [my people] again through the depths of the sea.

The LORD said, "I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea;

23 That thy foot may be dipped in blood, [and] the tongue of thy dogs [be stained] with that of [thine] enemies.

That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies."

24 Thy goings, O God, have been seen; the goings of my God, the king, in the sanctuary.

They have seen your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

25 The princes went first, next before the players on instruments, in the midst of damsels playing on timbrels.

The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, in the midst of the ladies playing with tambourines,

26 Praise God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountains of Israel.

"Bless God in the congregations, even the LORD from the fountain of Israel."

27 There is Benjamin the younger [one] in ecstasy, the princes of Juda their rulers, the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.

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

28 O God, command thou thy strength: strengthen, O God, this which thou hast wrought in us.

Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.

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

Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bring presents to you.

30 Rebuke the wild beasts of the reed: let the crowd of bulls with the heifers of the nations [be rebuked], so that they who have been proved with silver may not be shut out: scatter thou the nations that wish for wars.

Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.

31 Ambassadors shall arrive out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall hasten [to stretch out] her hand readily to God.

Envoys shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.

32 Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth; sing psalms to the Lord. (Pause)

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the LORD. (Selah)

33 Sing to God that rides on the heaven of heaven, eastward: lo, he will utter a mighty sound with his voice.

To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; look, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.

34 Give ye glory to God: his excellency is over Israel, and his power is in the clouds.

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

35 God is wonderful in his holy [places], the God of Israel: he will give power and strength to his people: blessed be God.

You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.