Psalms 68
1 [For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.] Let God arise. Let his enemies be scattered, and let them who hate him 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 smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let 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 let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
But those who are right with God are happy, and they celebrate in God's presence, full of joy.
4 Sing to God. Sing praises to his name. Extol him who rides on the clouds: to the LORD, his name. Rejoice 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 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is 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 sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched 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 God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness... (Selah)
God, when you led your people out, when you marched through the desert, (Selah)
8 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.
the earth quaked, and the heavens shook before God, the one of Sinai; before God, the God of Israel.
9 You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance, when it was weary.
You sent plenty of rain to water the promised land; refreshing it when it was dry.
10 Your congregation lived in it. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.
Your people settled there, and because of your kindness, God, you looked after the poor. (Selah)
11 The LORD announced the word; a great company of women proclaim the good news.
The Lord gives the command, and a great army of women spread the good news.
12 "Kings of armies flee. They flee." She who waits at home divides the spoil,
The kings of the foreign armies are quick to run away, and the women who stayed at home divide the plunder!
13 while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold.
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 Shaddai scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.
The Almighty scattered the foreign kings like a snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged.
“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,
16 Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, the LORD will dwell there forever.
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 chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The LORD is among them, from Sinai, in holiness.
God's chariots can't be counted; there are thousands and thousands of them. He comes among them from Sinai into his Temple.
18 You have ascended on high. You have taken captivity captive. And you gave gifts to people; but the rebellious will not dwell in the presence of God.
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 Blessed be the LORD, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)
May the Lord be blessed, for every day he carries our burdens. God is our salvation. (Selah)
20 God is to us a God of deliverance. To the LORD belongs escape from death.
For us, God is a God who saves. The Lord God provides our escape from death.
21 But God will strike through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.
But God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy heads of those who continue to sin.
22 The LORD said, "I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again 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 you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies."
so that you may walk in their blood. Even your dogs will have their share of your enemies.”
24 They have seen your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
People watch your processions, God—the processions of my God and King as they go into the Temple.
25 The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, in the midst of the ladies playing with tambourines,
The singers are at the front, the musicians at the back, and in the middle girls playing tambourines.
26 "Bless God in the congregations, even the LORD from the fountain of Israel."
Praise God, everyone who has come to worship; praise the Lord, everyone who belongs to Israel.
27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, 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 Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
Display your power, God! Reveal your strength, Lord, as you have done for us in the past.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bring presents to you.
Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.
30 Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
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 Envoys shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
Let Egypt come with bronze gifts; let Ethiopia come quickly and hand over their tributes to God!
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the LORD. (Selah)
Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. (Selah)
33 To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; look, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
Sing to the rider of the ancient heavens, his strong voice sounding like thunder!
34 Ascribe strength to God. His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies.
Let everyone know of God's power: how his majesty extends over Israel, how his strength is revealed in the heavens.
35 You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.
How awesome is God in his Temple! The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people! Praise God!
