Psalms 68

1 To him that excelleth. A Psalme or song of David. God will arise, and his enemies shalbe scattered: they also that hate him, shall flee before him.

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 the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou driue them away: and as waxe melteth before the fire, so shall 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 But the righteous shalbe glad, and reioyce before God: yea, they shall leape for ioye.

But those who are right with God are happy, and they celebrate in God's presence, full of joy.

4 Sing vnto God, and sing prayses vnto his name: exalt him that rideth vpon the heauens, in his Name Iah, and reioyce before him.

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 He is a Father of the fatherlesse, and a Iudge of the widowes, euen God in his holy habitation.

He is a father to the orphans, a protector of widows. This is who God is, who lives in his holy place.

6 God maketh the solitarie to dwell in families, and deliuereth them that were prisoners in stocks: but the rebellious shall dwell in a dry land.

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 wentest forth before thy people: when thou wentest through the wildernesse, (Selah)

God, when you led your people out, when you marched through the desert, (Selah)

8 The earth shooke, and the heauens dropped at the presence of this God: euen Sinai was moued at the presence of God, euen 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, O God, sendest a gracious raine vpon thine inheritance, and thou didest refresh it when it was wearie.

You sent plenty of rain to water the promised land; refreshing it when it was dry.

10 Thy Congregation dwelled therein: for thou, O God, hast of thy goodnesse prepared it for the poore.

Your people settled there, and because of your kindness, God, you looked after the poor. (Selah)

11 The Lord gaue matter to the women to tell of the great armie.

The Lord gives the command, and a great army of women spread the good news.

12 Kings of the armies did flee: they did flee, and she that remained in the house, deuided the spoyle.

The kings of the foreign armies are quick to run away, and the women who stayed at home divide the plunder!

13 Though ye haue lien among pots, yet shall ye be as the winges of a doue that is couered with siluer, and whose fethers are like yelowe golde.

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 the Almightie scattered Kings in it, it was white as the snowe in Zalmon.

The Almighty scattered the foreign kings like a snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.

15 The mountaine of God is like the mountaine of Bashan: it is an high Mountaine, as mount Bashan.

“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,

16 Why leape ye, ye high mountaines? as for this Mountaine, God deliteth to dwell in it: yea, the Lord will dwell in it for euer.

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 charets of God are twentie thousande thousand Angels, and the Lord is among them, as in the Sanctuarie of Sinai.

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 art gone vp on high: thou hast led captiuitie captiue, and receiued giftes for men: yea, euen the rebellious hast thou led, that the Lord God might dwell there.

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 Praysed be the Lord, euen the God of our saluation, which ladeth vs dayly with benefites. (Selah)

May the Lord be blessed, for every day he carries our burdens. God is our salvation. (Selah)

20 This is our God, euen the God that saueth vs: and to the Lord God belong the issues of death.

For us, God is a God who saves. The Lord God provides our escape from death.

21 Surely God will wound the head of his enemies, and the hearie pate of him that walketh in his sinnes.

But God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy heads of those who continue to sin.

22 The Lord hath sayde, I will bring my people againe from Bashan: I will bring them againe from the depths 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 foote may bee dipped in blood, and the tongue of thy dogges in the blood of the enemies, euen in it.

so that you may walk in their blood. Even your dogs will have their share of your enemies.”

24 They haue seene, O God, thy goings, the goings of my God, and my King, which art in the Sanctuarie.

People watch your processions, God—the processions of my God and King as they go into the Temple.

25 The singers went before, the players of instruments after: in the middes were the maides playing with timbrels.

The singers are at the front, the musicians at the back, and in the middle girls playing tambourines.

26 Praise yee God in the assemblies, and the Lord, ye that are of the fountaine of Israel.

Praise God, everyone who has come to worship; praise the Lord, everyone who belongs to Israel.

27 There was litle Beniamin with their ruler, and the princes of Iudah with their assemblie, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

There is the little tribe of Benjamin, followed by the many leaders from Judah; then come the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath appointed thy strength: stablish, O God, that, which thou hast wrought in vs,

Display your power, God! Reveal your strength, Lord, as you have done for us in the past.

29 Out of thy Temple vpon Ierusalem: and Kings shall bring presents vnto thee.

Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.

30 Destroy the company of the spearemen, and multitude of the mightie bulles with the calues of the people, that tread vnder feete pieces of siluer: scatter the people that delite in warre.

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 Then shall the princes come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall hast to stretche her hands vnto God.

Let Egypt come with bronze gifts; let Ethiopia come quickly and hand over their tributes to God!

32 Sing vnto God, O yee kingdomes of the earth: sing praise vnto the Lord, (Selah)

Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. (Selah)

33 To him that rideth vpon ye most high heauens, which were from the beginning: beholde, he will send out by his voice a mightie sound.

Sing to the rider of the ancient heavens, his strong voice sounding like thunder!

34 Ascribe the power to God: for his maiestie is vpon Israel, and his strength is in the cloudes.

Let everyone know of God's power: how his majesty extends over Israel, how his strength is revealed in the heavens.

35 O God, thou art terrible out of thine holie places: the God of Israel is hee that giueth strength and power vnto the people: praised be God.

How awesome is God in his Temple! The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people! Praise God!