Psalms 68
1 Unto the end, a psalm of a canticle for David himself. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face.
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 vanisheth, so let them vanish away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at 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 And let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness.
But those who are right with God are happy, and they celebrate in God's presence, full of joy.
4 Sing ye to God, sing a psalm to his name, make a way for him who ascendeth upon the west: the Lord is his name. Rejoice ye before him: but the wicked shall be troubled at his presence,
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 Who is the father of orphans, and the judge of widows. God in his holy place:
He is a father to the orphans, a protector of widows. This is who God is, who lives in his holy place.
6 God who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house: Who bringeth out them that were bound in strength; in like manner them that provoke, that dwell in sepulchres.
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 thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pass through the desert:
God, when you led your people out, when you marched through the desert, (Selah)
8 The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the presence of the God of Sina, at the presence of the God of Israel.
the earth quaked, and the heavens shook before God, the one of Sinai; before God, the God of Israel.
9 Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect.
You sent plenty of rain to water the promised land; refreshing it when it was dry.
10 In it shall thy animals dwell; in thy sweetness, O God, thou hast provided for the poor.
Your people settled there, and because of your kindness, God, you looked after the poor. (Selah)
11 The Lord shall give the word to them that preach good tidings with great power.
The Lord gives the command, and a great army of women spread the good news.
12 The king of powers is of the beloved, of the beloved; and the beauty of the house shall divide spoils.
The kings of the foreign armies are quick to run away, and the women who stayed at home divide the plunder!
13 If you sleep among the midst of lots, you shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the hinder parts of her back with the paleness of 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 he that is in heaven appointeth kings over her, they shall be whited with snow in Selmon.
The Almighty scattered the foreign kings like a snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15 The mountain of God is a fat mountain. A curdled mountain, a fat mountain.
“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,
16 Why suspect, ye curdled mountains? A mountain in which God is well pleased to dwell: for there the Lord shall dwell unto the end.
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 chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sina, in the holy place.
God's chariots can't be counted; there are thousands and thousands of them. He comes among them from Sinai into his Temple.
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts in men. Yea for those also that do not believe, the dwelling of the Lord God.
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 day by day: the God of our salvation will make our journey prosperous to us.
May the Lord be blessed, for every day he carries our burdens. God is our salvation. (Selah)
20 Our God is the God of salvation: and of the Lord, of the Lord are the issues from death.
For us, God is a God who saves. The Lord God provides our escape from death.
21 But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins.
But God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy heads of those who continue to sin.
22 The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth 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 thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies; the tongue of thy dogs be red with the same.
so that you may walk in their blood. Even your dogs will have their share of your enemies.”
24 They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God: of my king who is in his sanctuary.
People watch your processions, God—the processions of my God and King as they go into the Temple.
25 Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels playing on timbrels.
The singers are at the front, the musicians at the back, and in the middle girls playing tambourines.
26 In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel.
Praise God, everyone who has come to worship; praise the Lord, everyone who belongs to Israel.
27 There is Benjamin a youth, in ecstasy of mind. The princes of Juda are their leaders: the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.
There is the little tribe of Benjamin, followed by the many leaders from Judah; then come the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.
28 Command thy strength, O God: confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us.
Display your power, God! Reveal your strength, Lord, as you have done for us in the past.
29 From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee.
Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.
30 Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, the congregation of bulls with the kine of the people; who seek to exclude them who are tried with silver. Scatter thou the nations that delight in wars:
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 Ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon 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, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God,
Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. (Selah)
33 Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east. Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power:
Sing to the rider of the ancient heavens, his strong voice sounding like thunder!
34 Give ye glory to God for Israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds.
Let everyone know of God's power: how his majesty extends over Israel, how his strength is revealed in the heavens.
35 God is wonderful in his saints: the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength 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!
