Psalms 68
1 “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!
For the leader. Of David. A psalm. A song. God arises, his enemies scatter: they who hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is dispersed, so thou dispersest them; As wax melteth before the fire, So perish the wicked before the face of God.
As smoke before wind is driven, as wax melts before fire, so before God vanish the wicked.
3 But the righteous are glad and rejoice in his presence, Yea, they exult exceedingly.
But the righteous rejoice in God’s presence, they exult with exceeding joy.
4 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!
Sing to God, make music to his name, his name is the Lord, praise him who rides on the clouds, and exult in his presence.
5 The father of the fatherless, and the protector of the widow, Is God in his holy habitation.
Father of orphans, defender of widows, is God in his holy abode.
6 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.
God brings home the lonely, he leads forth the prisoner to comfort, so that none but the rebel lives cheerless.
7 O God! when thou didst go before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness. (Pause)
God, when you went in front of your people in your march through the desert, (Selah)
8 The earth quaked, and the heavens dropped at the presence of God; This Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
earth shook, the heavens poured rain at the presence of God, Sinai’s God at the presence of God, Israel’s God.
9 Thou, O God! didst send a plentiful rain; Thou didst strengthen thy wearied inheritance.
Rain in abundance, God, you did sprinkle, restoring the languishing land of your heritage.
10 Thy people established themselves in the land; Thou, O God! in thy goodness, didst prepare it for the needy!
A dwelling therein your people found: in your goodness, O God, you did care for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the song of victory Of the maidens publishing glad tidings to the mighty host.
The Lord spoke the glad tidings of victory, a great army of women proclaim it:
12 “The kings with their armies have fled, —have fled! And the matron at home divideth the spoil.
“Kings of armies they flee, they flee, and the housewife divides the spoil:
13 Truly ye may repose yourselves in the stalls, Like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with shining gold.”
dove’s wings covered with silver and pinions with shimmer of gold,
14 When the Most High destroyed the kings in the land, It was white [[with their bones]] like Salmon.
set with stones, like snow upon Zalmon.”
15 Ye lofty hills, ye hills of Bashan, Ye many-topped hills, ye hills of Bashan,
A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan, a mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why frown ye, ye many-topped hills, At the hill in which God is pleased to dwell, In which Jehovah will dwell for ever?
You high-peaked mountains, why look you askance at the mountain which God has desired for his home whereon the Lord will live forever?
17 The chariots of God are myriads, yea, thousands of thousands; The Lord is in the midst of them, as upon Sinai, in the sanctuary.
The chariots of God are twice ten thousand: the Lord came from Sinai, his holy place.
18 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!
You did mount the height with trains of your captives, and gifts that you had received from the people. The rebels shall live with the Lord God.
19 Praised be the Lord daily! When we are heavy-laden, the Mighty One is our help.
Blest be the Lord who sustains us daily, the God who is also our savior. (Selah)
20 Our God is a God of salvation; From the Lord Jehovah cometh deliverance from death.
Our God is a God who is savior. The ways of escape from death are known to the Lord God.
21 But God smiteth the head of his enemies, Even the hairy crowns of those who go on in their iniquity.
Yes, God will shatter the head of his foes the rough scalp of those who strut on in their sins.
22 “I will bring them back,” saith the Lord, “from Bashan; I will bring them back from the deep sea;
The Lord said: “I will bring you home from Bashan, home from the depths of the sea,
23 That thy foot may be dipped in their blood, That thy dogs may drink the blood of thine enemies.”
that your feet you may bathe in blood, and your dogs lick their share of the foe.”
24 We have seen thy procession, O God! The procession of my God, my king, to his sanctuary!
In the temple appear God’s triumphal processions, processions in praise of my king and my God,
25 The singers go before, the minstrels follow, Amidst damsels playing on timbrels.
with singers in front, and minstrels behind, and maidens with timbrels between them, singing,
26 Praise ye God in your assemblies; Praise the Lord, all ye from the fountain of Israel!
“You of the well-spring of Israel, bless the Lord God in the dance.”
27 Here is Benjamin, the youngest, and his leaders; The chiefs of Judah, and their band; The chiefs of Zebulon, and the chiefs of Naphtali.
There, in front, is Benjamin the little, the princes of Judah beside them, the princes of Zebulon, princes of Naphtali.
28 Thy God has ordained thy strength, [[O Israel!]] Show forth thy might, O God! thou who hast wrought for us!
God, show your strength, your godlike might, as you did in the past,
29 Because of thy temple in Jerusalem Shall kings bring presents to thee.
from your temple that crowns Jerusalem. Kings shall bring tribute to you.
30 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!
Rebuke the beast of the reed, the herd of bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Trample down the lovers of lies. Scatter the nations whose joy is in war.
31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste with outstretched hands to God.
May they come from Egypt with gifts of oil, Ethiopia haste with full hands to God.
32 Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing unto God; Sing praises to Jehovah;
Sing to God, O you kingdoms of earth, make melody to the Lord. (Selah)
33 To him who rideth upon the ancient heaven of heavens! Behold, he uttereth his voice, his mighty voice!
Praise him who rides on the ancient heavens. See! He utters his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Give glory to God, Whose majesty is in Israel, and whose might is in the clouds!
Ascribe strength to the God over Israel, whose strength and majesty live in the skies.
35 Terrible art thou, O God! from thy sanctuary! The God of Israel giveth strength and power to his people. Praised be God!
Awe-inspiring is God in his holy place, it is Israel’s God who gives strength and might to his people. Blessed be God.
