Psalms 68
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David, a Song. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let them also that 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 melteth 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 exult before God: yea, 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 unto God, sing praises to his name: cast up a highway for him that rideth through the deserts; his name is JAH; and exult ye 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 judge 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 setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity: but the rebellious dwell in a parched 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 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; (Selah)
God, when you led your people out, when you marched through the desert, (Selah)
8 The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: [even] yon Sinai [trembled] 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 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
You sent plenty of rain to water the promised land; refreshing it when it was dry.
10 Thy congregation dwelt therein: thou, O God, didst prepare of thy goodness for the poor.
Your people settled there, and because of your kindness, God, you looked after the poor. (Selah)
11 The Lord giveth the word: the women that publish the tidings are a great host.
The Lord gives the command, and a great army of women spread the good news.
12 Kings of armies flee, they flee: and she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.
The kings of the foreign armies are quick to run away, and the women who stayed at home divide the plunder!
13 Will ye lie among the sheepfolds, [as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with yellow 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 the Almighty scattered kings therein, [it was as when] it snoweth in Zalmon.
The Almighty scattered the foreign kings like a snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; an high mountain is the mountain of Bashan.
“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,
16 Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, at the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? yea, the LORD will dwell [in it] for ever.
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 twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands: the Lord is among them, [as in] Sinai, in the sanctuary.
God's chariots can't be counted; there are thousands and thousands of them. He comes among them from Sinai into his Temple.
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led [thy] captivity captive; thou hast received gifts among men, yea, [among] the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [with them].
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 beareth our burden, 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 unto us a God of deliverances; and unto JEHOVAH the Lord belong the issues from death.
For us, God is a God who saves. The Lord God provides our escape from death.
21 But God shall smite through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still 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 again from Bashan, I will bring [them] 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 thou mayest dip thy foot in blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from [thine] enemies.
so that you may walk in their blood. Even your dogs will have their share of your enemies.”
24 They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings 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 damsels playing with timbrels.
The singers are at the front, the musicians at the back, and in the middle girls playing tambourines.
26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, [ye that are] of 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 [and] their council, the princes of Zebulun, 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 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.
Display your power, God! Reveal your strength, Lord, as you have done for us in the past.
29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem kings shall bring presents unto thee.
Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.
30 Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, trampling under foot the pieces of silver; he hath scattered the peoples 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 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God.
Let Egypt come with bronze gifts; let Ethiopia come quickly and hand over their tributes to God!
32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; (Selah)
Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. (Selah)
33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which are of old; lo, he uttereth his voice, [and that] a mighty voice.
Sing to the rider of the ancient heavens, his strong voice sounding like thunder!
34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and 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 O God, [thou art] terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel, he giveth strength and power unto [his] people. Blessed be God.
How awesome is God in his Temple! The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people! Praise God!
