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.

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 vanishes, let them vanish: as wax melts before the fire, so let the sinners perish from before 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 rejoice; let them exult before God: let them be delighted with joy.

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

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 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 [who is] the father of the orphans, and judge of the widows: [such is] God in his holy place.

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

6 God settles the solitary in a house; leading forth prisoners mightily, also them that act provokingly, [even] them that dwell in tombs.

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

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

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 was moved, for the heavens rained down before the face of the God of Sinai, before the face of 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 will set aside for your inheritance, O God, a willing rain. And though it was weak, truly, you have made it perfect.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

13 Even if you should lie among the lots, [you shall have] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her breast with yellow 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 heavenly One scatters kings upon it, they shall be made snow-white in Selmon.

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

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

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

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.

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 ten thousand fold, thousands of rejoicing ones: the Lord is among them, in Sina, in the holy place.

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

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 among them.

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 God, blessed be the Lord daily; and the God of our salvation shall prosper us. (Pause)

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

20 Our God is the God of salvation; and to the Lord belong the issues from 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 But God shall crust the heads of his enemies; the hairy crown of them that go on in their trespasses.

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 again from Basan, I will bring [my people] again through 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 your foot may be dipped in blood, [and] the tongue of your dogs [be stained] with that of [your] 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 Your goings, O God, have been seen; the goings of my God, the king, in the sanctuary.

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

25 The princes went first, next before the players on instruments, in the midst of damsels playing on timbrels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ambassadors will come out of Egypt. Ethiopia will offer in advance 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 psalms to the Lord. Sing psalms to God.

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

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

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

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

35 God is wonderful in his holy [places], the God of Israel: he will give power and strength to his 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.