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 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 is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of 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 be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
But the righteous are glad and rejoice in his presence, Yea, they exult exceedingly.
4 Sing to God. Sing praises to his name. Extol him who rides on the clouds: to JAH, his name. Rejoice before 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 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
The father of the fatherless, and the protector of the widow, Is God in his holy habitation.
6 God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
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 God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness... (Selah)
O God! when thou didst go before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness. (Pause)
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 dropped at the presence of God; This Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance, when it was weary.
Thou, O God! didst send a plentiful rain; Thou didst strengthen thy wearied inheritance.
10 Your congregation lived in it. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.
Thy people established themselves in the land; Thou, O God! in thy goodness, didst prepare it for the needy!
11 YHWH announced the word; a great company of women proclaim the good news.
The Lord gave the song of victory Of the maidens publishing glad tidings to the mighty host.
12 "Kings of armies flee. They flee." She who waits at home divides the spoil,
“The kings with their armies have fled, —have fled! And the matron at home divideth the spoil.
13 while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining 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 Shaddai scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.
When the Most High destroyed the kings in the land, It was white [[with their bones]] like Salmon.
15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged.
Ye lofty hills, ye hills of Bashan, Ye many-topped hills, ye hills of Bashan,
16 Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, YHWH will dwell there forever.
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 tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. YHWH is among them, from Sinai, in holiness.
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 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.
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 YHWH, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)
Praised be the Lord daily! When we are heavy-laden, the Mighty One is our help.
20 God is to us a God of deliverance. To YHWH belongs escape from death.
Our God is a God of salvation; From the Lord Jehovah cometh deliverance 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 smiteth the head of his enemies, Even the hairy crowns of those who go on in their iniquity.
22 YHWH said, "I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from 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 you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies."
That thy foot may be dipped in their blood, That thy dogs may drink the blood of thine enemies.”
24 They have seen your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
We have seen thy procession, O God! The procession of my God, my king, to his sanctuary!
25 The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, in the midst of the ladies playing with tambourines,
The singers go before, the minstrels follow, Amidst damsels playing on timbrels.
26 "Bless God in the congregations, even YHWH from the fountain of Israel."
Praise ye God in your assemblies; Praise the Lord, all ye from the fountain of Israel!
27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
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 Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for 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, kings shall bring presents to you.
Because of thy temple in Jerusalem Shall kings bring presents to thee.
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.
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 Envoys shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands 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 praises to YHWH. (Selah)
Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing unto God; Sing praises to Jehovah;
33 To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; look, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
To him who rideth upon the ancient heaven of heavens! Behold, he uttereth his voice, his mighty voice!
34 Ascribe strength to God. His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies.
Give glory to God, Whose majesty is in Israel, and whose might is in the clouds!
35 You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.
Terrible art thou, O God! from thy sanctuary! The God of Israel giveth strength and power to his people. Praised be God!
