Psalms 68

1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David, a Song. Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Him flee before Him.

Unto the end. A Canticle Psalm of David himself. May God rise up, and may his enemies be scattered, and may those who hate him flee from before his face.

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

Just as smoke vanishes, so may they vanish. Just as wax flows away before the face of fire, so may sinners pass away before the face of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad, let them exult before God; yea, let them rejoice with gladness.

And so, let the just feast, and let them exult in the sight of God and be delighted in gladness.

4 Sing unto God, sing praises to His name; extol Him that rideth upon the skies, whose name is the LORD; and exult ye before Him.

Sing to God, sing a psalm to his name. Make a path for him, who ascends over the west. The Lord is his name. Exult in his sight; they will be stirred up before his face,

5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation.

the father of orphans and the judge of widows. God is in his holy place.

6 God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house; He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; the rebellious dwell but in a parched land.

It is God who makes men dwell in a house under one custom. He leads out those who are strongly bound, and similarly, those who exasperate, who dwell in sepulchers.

7 O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness; (Selah)

O God, when you departed in the sight of your people, when you passed through the desert,

8 The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

the earth was moved, for the heavens rained down before the face of the God of Sinai, before the face of the God of Israel.

9 A bounteous rain didst Thou pour down, O God; when Thine inheritance was weary, Thou didst confirm it.

You will set aside for your inheritance, O God, a willing rain. And though it was weak, truly, you have made it perfect.

10 Thy flock settled therein; Thou didst prepare in Thy goodness for the poor, O God.

Your animals will dwell in it. O God, in your sweetness, you have provided for the poor.

11 The Lord giveth the word; the women that proclaim the tidings are a great host.

The Lord will give the word to evangelizers, along with great virtue.

12 Kings of armies flee, they flee; and she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.

The King of virtue is beloved among the beloved. And the beauty of the house will divide spoils.

13 When ye lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her pinions with the shimmer of gold.

If you take your rest in the midst of the clergy, you will be like a dove whose wings are covered with fine silver and edged with pale gold.

14 When the Almighty scattereth kings therein, it snoweth in Zalmon.

When heaven discerns kings to be over her, they will be whitened with the snows of Zalmon.

15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

The mountain of God is a fat mountain, a dense mountain, a thick mountain.

16 Why look ye askance, ye mountains of peaks, at the mountain which God hath desired for His abode? Yea, the LORD will dwell therein for ever.

So then, why are you distrustful of dense mountains? The mountain on which God is well pleased to dwell, even there, the Lord will dwell until the end.

17 The chariots of God are myriads, even thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in holiness.

The chariot of God is ten thousand fold: thousands rejoice. The Lord is with them in Sinai, in the holy place.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts among men, yea, among the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there.

You have ascended on high; you have taken captivity captive. You have accepted gifts among men. For even those who do not believe dwell with the Lord God.

19 Blessed be the Lord, day by day He beareth our burden, even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)

Blessed is the Lord, day after day. The God of our salvation will make our journey prosper for us.

20 God is unto us a God of deliverances; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues of death.

Our God is the God who will bring about our salvation, and our Lord is the Lord who has brought an end to death.

21 Surely God will smite through the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth about in his guiltiness.

So then, truly, God will break the heads of his enemies, the hairy skull of those who wander around in their offenses.

22 The Lord said: 'I will bring back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea;

The Lord said: I will turn them away from Bashan, I will turn them into the depths of the sea,

23 That thy foot may wade through blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies.'

so that your feet may be soaked in the blood of your enemies, so that the tongue of your dogs may be soaked with the same.

24 They see Thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my King, in holiness.

O God, they have seen your arrival, the arrival of my God, of my king who is in a holy place.

25 The singers go before, the minstrels follow after, in the midst of damsels playing upon timbrels.

The leaders went ahead, united with the singers of psalms, in the midst of girls playing on timbrels.

26 'Bless ye God in full assemblies, even the Lord, ye that are from the fountain of Israel.'

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

27 There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah their council, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

In that place, Benjamin is a youth in ecstasy of mind. The leaders of Judah are their governors: the leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength; be strong, O God, Thou that hast wrought for us

Command by your virtue, O God. Confirm in this place, O God, what you have wrought in us.

29 Out of Thy temple at Jerusalem, whither kings shall bring presents unto Thee.

Before your temple in Jerusalem, kings will offer gifts to you.

30 Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, every one submitting himself with pieces of silver; He hath scattered the peoples that delight in war!

Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, a congregation of bulls with the cows of the people, for they seek to exclude those who have been tested like silver. Scatter the nations that are pleased by wars.

31 Nobles shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall hasten to stretch out her hands unto God.

Ambassadors will come out of Egypt. Ethiopia will offer in advance her hands to God.

32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; (Selah)

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. Sing psalms to the Lord. Sing psalms to God.

33 To Him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which are of old; lo, He uttereth His voice, a mighty voice.

He ascends, up to the heaven of the heavens, toward the east. Behold, he will utter his voice, the voice of virtue.

34 Ascribe ye strength unto God; His majesty is over Israel, and His strength is in the skies.

Give glory to God beyond Israel. His magnificence and his virtue is in the clouds.

35 Awful is God out of thy holy places; the God of Israel, He giveth strength and power unto the people; blessed be God.

God is wonderful in his saints. The God of Israel himself will give virtue and strength to his people. Blessed is God.