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 choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A song. God arises. His enemies are scattered, and those who hate Him flee His presence.

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

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.

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

But the righteous will be glad and rejoice before God; they will celebrate with joy.

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. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds — His name is the LORD— and 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 settles the lonely in families; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

7 O God, when you went forth before your people, when you went through the wilderness; (Pause)

O God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wasteland,

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

the earth shook and the heavens poured down rain before God, the One on Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.

9 O God, you will grant to your inheritance a gracious rain; for it was weary, but you did refresh it.

You sent abundant rain, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance.

10 Your creatures dwell in it: you have in your goodness prepared for the poor.

Your flock settled therein; O God, from Your bounty You provided for the poor.

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

The Lord gives the command; a great company of women proclaim it:

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 and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder.

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

Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold.”

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

When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like the snow falling on Zalmon.

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

A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.

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

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.

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

The chariots of God are tens of thousands— thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.

18 You are gone up on high, you have led captivity captive, you have received gifts for man, yes, for [they were] rebellious, that you might dwell amongst them.

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.

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 burden, the God of our salvation.

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

Our God is a God of deliverance; the Lord GOD is our rescuer from death.

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

Surely God will crush the heads of His enemies, the hairy crowns of those who persist in guilty ways.

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 retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them up from the depths of the sea,

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

that your foot may be dipped in the blood of your foes— the tongues of your dogs in the same.”

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

They have seen Your procession, O God— the march of my God and 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 lead the way, the musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines.

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

Bless God in the great congregation; bless 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 Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28 O God, command you your strength: strengthen, O God, this which you have wrought in us.

Summon Your power, O God; show Your strength, O God, which You have exerted on our behalf.

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

Because of Your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring You gifts.

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 you the nations that wish for wars.

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.

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

Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.

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

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord—

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

to Him who rides upon the highest heavens of old; behold, His mighty voice resounds.

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

Ascribe the power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose 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.

O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!