Psalms 68
1 God, arise and scatter your enemies, and cause those who hate you to run away from you.
“To the chief musician, by David, a Psalm or song.” Oh that God would arise, that his enemies might be scattered, and those that hate him might flee before him.
2 Like [wind] blows smoke away, chase your enemies away. Like wax melts when it is near a fire, cause wicked people to (disappear/be destroyed).
As smoke is driven off, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But righteous people should be joyful; they should rejoice when they are in God’s presence; they should be happy, and be very joyful.
But the righteous shall rejoice; they shall exult before God: yea, they shall be exceedingly joyful.
4 Sing to God; sing to praise him; sing a song (OR, make a road) for him who rides on the clouds; his name is Yahweh; be glad when you are in his presence.
Sing unto God, sing praises to his name; extol him who rideth upon the heavens: the Everlasting is his name, and rejoice before him.
5 God, who lives in his sacred temple, is [like] [MET] a father to [those who are] orphans, and he is the one who protects widows.
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
6 For those who have no one to live with, he provides families [to live with]. He frees prisoners and enables them to be successful, but those who rebel [against him] will be forced to live in a very hot and dry land.
God places those who are solitary in the midst of their families: he bringeth out those who are bound unto happiness; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
7 God, you led your people out [of Egypt], and then you marched with them through the desert.
O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people, when thou didst tread along through the wilderness—Selah—
8 After you did that, because when you, the God [worshiped by us] Israeli people, appeared to us at Sinai [Mountain], the earth shook, and rain poured down from the sky.
The earth quaked, also the heavens dropped at the presence of God, yea, this Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You caused plenty of rain to fall [on your land], [and so] you enabled good crops to grow again on the land that you gave [to us Israelis].
Rain of beneficence didst thou pour down, O God, whereby thou didst truly strengthen thy heritage, when it was weary.
10 Your people built homes there; and because you were good to them, you provided [food] for those who were poor.
Thy assembly dwelt therein: thou didst prepare it with thy goodness for the afflicted [people]. O God,
11 The Lord gave a message, and many women took that message to other places.
The Lord gave [happy] tidings; they are published by the female messengers, a numerous host.
12 [They proclaimed], “Many kings and their armies are running away [from our army]!” [When our army brought back to their homes] the things that they captured, the women who were at home divided up those things [among themselves and among their families].
The kings of the armies flee away—flee away: yet she that tarried at home divideth the spoil.
13 Even those women who were in the pens [taking care of] the sheep [received some of those things]; they got statues of doves whose wings were covered with silver and whose feathers were covered with pure yellow gold.
When ye lie still between the folds [of your cattle], [ye will be like] the wings of the dove covered with sliver, and her pinions shining with flaming gold.
14 When Almighty [God] scattered the [enemy] kings [and their armies], [the number of weapons that they abandoned there] seemed like there had been a snowstorm on Zalmon (OR, a black) [Mountain].
When the Almighty scattered kings in the midst of her, then even in darkness shone light [as pure] as snow.
15 There is a very high mountain in the Bashan [region], a mountain which has many peaks.
A mountain of God is the mount of Bashan; many peaks hath the mount of Bashan.
16 But the [people who live near] that mountain should not [RHQ] envy those who live near [Zion], the mountain on which God chose to live! Yahweh will live there forever!
Why watch ye enviously, ye many-peaked mountains, yonder mountain which God hath chosen for his residence? yea, the Lord will also dwell [there] for ever.
17 [After we defeated all our enemies], [it was as though] the Lord, surrounded by many thousands of strong chariots, descended from Sinai [Mountain] and came into the sacred temple [in Jerusalem].
The chariots of God are two myriads; thousands of angels [follow him]: the Lord is among them: so is Sinai holy [among mountains].
18 He ascended the sacred mountain [where his temple is], and took with him many people who had been captured [in battles]; and received gifts from the enemies [whom he had defeated]. He received gifts even from those who had rebelled against him, and Yahweh our God will live there [in his sacred temple] forever.
Thou didst ascend on high, lead away captives, receive gifts among men, yea, even the rebellious, to dwell among them. O Lord God.
19 Praise the Lord, who [helps us] carry our heavy loads every day; he is the one who saves/rescues us.
Blessed be the Lord; day by day he loadeth us [with benefits]; our God is our salvation. (Selah)
20 Our God is the God who saves us; He is Yahweh, our Lord, the one who (allows us to escape/prevents us) from being killed [in battles].
Our God is to us the God of salvation: and by the Eternal the Lord are the escapes from death.
21 But God will smash the heads of his enemies, the skulls of those who continue to behave sinfully.
But God will crush the head of his enemies, the hairy skull of him who walketh in his guiltiness.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring back the [corpses of those who were killed in] Bashan, and I will bring back those who sank deep in the ocean [and drowned].
The Lord hath said, From Bashan will I bring back, I will bring back from the depths of the sea:
23 I will do that in order that you may wash your feet in their blood, and your dogs can [also] lap up some of your enemies’ blood.”
In order that thou mayest wade with thy feet in blood, feeding the tongue of thy dogs from the enemies' blood.
24 God, many people see you march triumphantly into your sacred temple, [celebrating that you have defeated your enemies]. You [march like] a king does, and a large crowd walks with you.
Men see thy goings forth, O God! the goings forth of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 The singers are in front, and the people who play stringed instruments are at the rear, and young women who are beating their tambourines are between them.
First come singers, then follow players on instruments, in the midst of maidens playing on timbrels.
26 [They are all singing], “You Israeli people, praise God when you gather together; praise Yahweh, all you who are descendants of Jacob!”
In assemblies bless ye God, [praise] the Lord, ye sprung from Israel's fountain.
27 First come [the people of the tribe of] Benjamin, the smallest [tribe], and following them come the leaders of [the tribe of] Judah and their group, and following them come the leaders of [the tribes of] Zebulun and Naphtali.
There Benjamin the youngest leadeth them on, the princes of Judah in purple robes, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28 God, show people that you are very powerful; show people the power with which you have helped us previously.
Thy God hath ordained the rule to thee: strengthen, O God, what thou hast wrought for us.
29 Show that power from your temple in Jerusalem, where kings bring gifts to you.
Because of thy temple over Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.
30 Rebuke [your enemies, such as those in Egypt who are like] wild hippopotamuses/animals that live in the reeds; and [powerful nations that are like] bulls that are among their calves [MET]; rebuke/trample them until they bow down and give you gifts of silver. Scatter the people who enjoy making wars.
Rebuke the wild beasts hiding among the reeds, the troops of steers among the calves of nations, that hasten along with presents of silver. He scattereth nations that are eager for the fight.
31 Then people will bring gifts of bronze (OR, of cloth) to you from Egypt; the people in Ethiopia will lift up their hands [to praise you].
Nobles will come out of Egypt: Ethiopia will stretch forth eagerly her hands unto God.
32 [You people who are citizens of] kingdoms/countries all over the world, sing to God! Sing praises to the Lord!
Kingdoms of the earth, sing unto God; sing praises unto the Lord: (Selah)
33 Sing to the God, the one who rides across the sky, the sky that [he created] long ago. Listen as he shouts with a very powerful voice.
To him who rideth over the highest heavens, of ancient days: hear! he sendeth forth his voice, the voice of might.
34 Proclaim that God is very powerful; he is the king that rules over Israel, and in the skies [he also shows that] he is powerful.
Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the skies.
35 God is awesome as he comes out of his sacred temple; he is the God whom [we] Israeli people [worship]. He makes [DOU] his people very powerful. Praise God!
Thou art tremendous, O God, from thy holy residences: O God of Israel, [thou art] he that givest strength and power unto [thy] people. Blessed be God.
