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 leader. Of David. A psalm. A song. God arises, his enemies scatter: they who hate him flee before 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.

As smoke before wind is driven, as wax melts before fire, so before God vanish the wicked.

3 And let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness.

But the righteous rejoice in God’s presence, they exult with exceeding 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 to God, make music to his name, his name is the Lord, praise him who rides on the clouds, and exult in his presence.

5 Who is the father of orphans, and the judge of widows. God in his holy place:

Father of orphans, defender of widows, is God in his holy abode.

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 brings home the lonely, he leads forth the prisoner to comfort, so that none but the rebel lives cheerless.

7 O God, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pass through the desert:

God, when you went in front of your people in your march 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.

earth shook, the heavens poured rain at the presence of God, Sinai’s God at the presence of God, Israel’s God.

9 Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect.

Rain in abundance, God, you did sprinkle, restoring the languishing land of your heritage.

10 In it shall thy animals dwell; in thy sweetness, O God, thou hast provided for the poor.

A dwelling therein your people found: in your goodness, O God, you did care for the poor.

11 The Lord shall give the word to them that preach good tidings with great power.

The Lord spoke the glad tidings of victory, a great army of women proclaim it:

12 The king of powers is of the beloved, of the beloved; and the beauty of the house shall divide spoils.

‘Kings of armies they flee, they flee, and the housewife divides the spoil:

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.

dove’s wings covered with silver and pinions with shimmer of gold,

14 When he that is in heaven appointeth kings over her, they shall be whited with snow in Selmon.

set with stones, like snow upon Zalmon.’

15 The mountain of God is a fat mountain. A curdled mountain, a fat mountain.

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan, a mountain of peaks is the mountain of 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.

You high-peaked mountains, why look you askance at the mountain which God has desired for his home whereon 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.

The chariots of God are twice ten thousand: the Lord came from Sinai, his holy place.

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.

You did mount the height with trains of your captives, and gifts that you had received from the people. The rebels shall live with the Lord God.

19 Blessed be the Lord day by day: the God of our salvation will make our journey prosperous to us.

Blest be the Lord who sustains us daily, the God who is also our saviour. (Selah)

20 Our God is the God of salvation: and of the Lord, of the Lord are the issues from death.

Our God is a God who is saviour. The ways of escape from death are known to the Lord God.

21 But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins.

Yes, God will shatter the head of his foes the rough scalp of those who strut on in their sins.

22 The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea:

The Lord said: ‘I will bring you home from Bashan, home 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.

that your feet you may bathe in blood, and your dogs lick their share of the foe.’

24 They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God: of my king who is in his sanctuary.

In the temple appear God’s triumphal processions, processions in praise of my king and my God,

25 Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels playing on timbrels.

with singers in front, and minstrels behind, and maidens with timbrels between them, singing,

26 In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel.

‘You of the well-spring of Israel, bless the Lord God in the dance.’

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, in front, is Benjamin the little, the princes of Judah beside them, the princes of Zebulon, princes of Naphtali.

28 Command thy strength, O God: confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us.

God, show your strength, your godlike might, as you did in the past,

29 From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee.

from your temple that crowns Jerusalem. Kings shall 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:

Rebuke the beast of the reed, the herd of bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Trample down the lovers of lies. Scatter the nations whose joy is in war.

31 Ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God.

May they come from Egypt with gifts of oil, Ethiopia haste with full hands to God.

32 Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God,

Sing to God, O you kingdoms of earth, make melody 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:

Praise him who rides on the ancient heavens. See! He utters his voice, his mighty voice.

34 Give ye glory to God for Israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds.

Ascribe strength to the God over Israel, whose strength and majesty live in the skies.

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.

Awe-inspiring is God in his holy place, it is Israel’s God who gives strength and might to his people. Blessed be God.