Psalms 68

1 TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM. A SONG OF DAVID. God rises [and] His enemies are scattered! And those hating Him flee from His face.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let them who hate him also flee before him.

2 You drive them away as the driving away of smoke, As the melting of wax before fire, The wicked perish at the presence of God.

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

3 And the righteous rejoice, they exult before God, And they rejoice with gladness.

But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

4 Sing to God—praise His Name, Raise up a highway for Him who is riding in deserts, In YAH [is] His Name, and exult before Him.

Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Extol him who rides on the clouds: to the LORD, his name! Rejoice before him!

5 Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows, [Is] God in His holy habitation.

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

6 God—causing the lonely to dwell at home, Bringing out bound ones into prosperity, Only—the stubborn have inhabited a dry place.

God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

7 O God, in Your going forth before Your people, In Your stepping through the wilderness, (Selah)

God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness... (Selah)

8 The earth has shaken, Indeed, the heavens have dropped before God, This Sinai—before God, the God of Israel.

The earth trembled. The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai— at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 You shake out a shower of free-will gifts, O God. Your inheritance, when it has been weary, You have established it.

You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance when it was weary.

10 Your creature has dwelt in it, You prepare for the poor in Your goodness, O God.

Your congregation lived therein. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord gives the saying, The female proclaimers [are] a numerous host.

The Lord announced the word. The ones who proclaim it are a great company.

12 Kings of hosts utterly flee away, And a female inhabitant of the house apportions spoil.

“Kings of armies flee! They flee!” She who waits at home divides the plunder,

13 Though you lie between two boundaries, Wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.

while you sleep amongst the camp fires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold.

14 When the Mighty spreads kings in it, it snows in Salmon.

When the Almighty scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.

15 A hill of God [is] the hill of Bashan, A hill of heights [is] the hill of Bashan.

The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged.

16 Why do you envy, O high hills, The hill God has desired for His seat? YHWH also dwells forever.

Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, the LORD will dwell there forever.

17 The chariots of God [are] myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord [is] among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary.

The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is amongst them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.

18 You have ascended on high, You have taken captivity captive, You have taken gifts for men, That even the stubborn may rest, O YAH God.

You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts amongst people, yes, amongst the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there.

19 Blessed [is] the Lord, day by day He lays on us. God Himself [is] our salvation. (Selah)

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)

20 God Himself [is] to us a God for deliverances, And YHWH Lord has the outgoings of death.

God is to us a God of deliverance. To GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

21 Only—God strikes The head of His enemies, The hairy crown of a habitual walker in his guilt.

But God will strike through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.

22 The Lord said: “From Bashan I bring back, I bring back from the depths of the sea.

The Lord said, “I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea,

23 So that you dash your foot In the blood of enemies—the tongue of Your dogs.”

that you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”

24 They have seen Your goings, O God, Goings of my God, my king, in the sanctuary.

They have seen your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

25 Singers have been before, Behind [are] players on instruments, Virgins playing with timbrels in the midst.

The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, amongst the ladies playing with tambourines,

26 In assemblies bless God, The Lord—from the fountain of Israel.

“Bless God in the congregations, even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”

27 There [is] little Benjamin, their ruler, Heads of Judah their defense, Heads of Zebulun—heads of Naphtali.

There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Your God has commanded your strength, Be strong, O God, You have worked this for us.

Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.

29 Because of Your temple at Jerusalem, Kings bring a present to You.

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

30 Rebuke a beast of the reeds, a herd of bulls, With calves of the peoples, Each humbling himself with pieces of silver, You scatter peoples delighting in conflicts.

Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot the bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31 Fat ones come out of Egypt, Cush causes her hands to run to God.

Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.

32 Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, Praise the Lord! (Selah)

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord— (Selah)

33 To Him who is riding on the heavens of the heavens of old, Behold, He gives with His voice a strong voice.

to him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe strength to God, His excellence [is] over Israel, and His strength in the clouds.

Ascribe strength to God! His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies.

35 Fearful, O God, out of Your sanctuaries, The God of Israel Himself, Giving strength and might to the people. Blessed [is] God!

You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God!