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.

“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” Let God arise, and his enemies are scattered, And they who hate him flee before him!

2 As smoke vanishes, let them vanish: as wax melts before the fire, so let the sinners perish from before God.

As smoke is dispersed, so thou dispersest them; As wax melteth before the fire, So perish the wicked before the face of God.

3 But let the righteous rejoice; let them exult before God: let them be delighted with joy.

But the righteous are glad and rejoice in his presence, Yea, they exult exceedingly.

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 unto God; sing praises to his name! Prepare a way for him who rideth through the desert! Jehovah is his name; be joyful in his presence!

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

The father of the fatherless, and the protector of the widow, Is God in his holy habitation.

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

God causeth the forsaken to dwell in houses; He leadeth forth to prosperity them that are bound; But the rebellious shall dwell in a barren land.

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

O God! when thou didst go before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness. (Pause)

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 quaked, and the heavens dropped at the presence of God; This Sinai trembled at the presence of God, 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.

Thou, O God! didst send a plentiful rain; Thou didst strengthen thy wearied inheritance.

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

Thy people established themselves in the land; Thou, O God! in thy goodness, didst prepare it for the needy!

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

The Lord gave the song of victory Of the maidens publishing glad tidings to the mighty host.

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 kings with their armies have fled, —have fled! And the matron at home divideth the spoil.

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.

Truly ye may repose yourselves in the stalls, Like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with shining gold.”

14 When the heavenly One scatters kings upon it, they shall be made snow-white in Selmon.

When the Most High destroyed the kings in the land, It was white [[with their bones]] like Salmon.

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

Ye lofty hills, ye hills of Bashan, Ye many-topped hills, ye hills of Bashan,

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.

Why frown ye, ye many-topped hills, At the hill in which God is pleased to dwell, In which Jehovah will dwell for ever?

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 chariots of God are myriads, yea, thousands of thousands; The Lord is in the midst of them, as upon Sinai, in the sanctuary.

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.

Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captive the vanquished, Thou hast received gifts among men, Even the rebellious, that here thou mightst dwell, O LORD God!

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

Praised be the Lord daily! When we are heavy-laden, the Mighty One is our help.

20 Our God is the God of salvation; and to the Lord belong the issues from death.

Our God is a God of salvation; From the Lord Jehovah cometh deliverance from death.

21 But God shall crust the heads of his enemies; the hairy crown of them that go on in their trespasses.

But God smiteth the head of his enemies, Even the hairy crowns of those who go on in their iniquity.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Basan, I will bring [my people] again through the depths of the sea.

“I will bring them back,” saith the Lord, “from Bashan; I will bring them back from the deep sea;

23 That your foot may be dipped in blood, [and] the tongue of your dogs [be stained] with that of [your] enemies.

That thy foot may be dipped in their blood, That thy dogs may drink the blood of thine enemies.”

24 Your goings, O God, have been seen; the goings of my God, the king, in the sanctuary.

We have seen thy procession, O God! The procession of my God, my king, to his sanctuary!

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

The singers go before, the minstrels follow, Amidst damsels playing on timbrels.

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

Praise ye God in your assemblies; Praise the Lord, all ye from the fountain 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.

Here is Benjamin, the youngest, and his leaders; The chiefs of Judah, and their band; The chiefs of Zebulon, and the chiefs of Naphtali.

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

Thy God has ordained thy strength, [[O Israel!]] Show forth thy might, O God! thou who hast wrought for us!

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

Because of thy temple in Jerusalem Shall kings bring presents to thee.

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 beast of the reeds, The multitude of bulls with the calves of the nations, So that they shall cast themselves down with masses of silver; Scatter thou the nations that delight in war!

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

Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste with outstretched hands to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; sing psalms to the Lord. (Pause)

Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing unto God; Sing praises to Jehovah;

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

To him who rideth upon the ancient heaven of heavens! Behold, he uttereth his voice, his mighty voice!

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

Give glory to God, Whose majesty is in Israel, and whose might 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.

Terrible art thou, O God! from thy sanctuary! The God of Israel giveth strength and power to his people. Praised be God!