Psalms 68
1 For the chief musician; A psalm of David, a song. Let God arise; let his enemies be scattered; let those also 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 in 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; may they rejoice and be happy.
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! Praise the one who rides through the plains of the Jordan River valley! Yahweh is 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, a judge of the widows, is God in the holy place where he lives.
He is a father to the orphans, a protector of widows. This is who God is, who lives in his holy place.
6 God puts the lonely into families; he brings out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live 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 God, when you went out 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 heavens also dropped rain in God's presence, in the presence of God when he came to Sinai, in 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 strengthened your inheritance when it was weary.
You sent plenty of rain to water the promised land; refreshing it when it was dry.
10 Your people lived in it; You, God, gave from your goodness to the poor.
Your people settled there, and because of your kindness, God, you looked after the poor. (Selah)
11 The Lord gave the orders, and those who announced them were a great army.
The Lord gives the command, and a great army of women spread the good news.
12 Kings of armies flee, they flee, and the women waiting at home divide the plunder:
The kings of the foreign armies are quick to run away, and the women who stayed at home divide the plunder!
13 doves covered with silver with wings of yellow gold. When some of you people stayed among the sheepfolds, why did you do this?
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 The Almighty scattered kings there, it was as when it snowed on Mount Zalmon.
The Almighty scattered the foreign kings like a snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15 A mighty mountain is the hill country of Bashan; a high mountain is the hill country of Bashan.
“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,
16 Why do you look in envy, you high hill country, at the mountain which God desires for the place he will live? Indeed, Yahweh will live in it 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 twenty thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them in the holy place, as at Sinai.
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 led away captives; you have received gifts from among men, even from those who fought against you, so that you, Yahweh God, might live there.
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, 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 Our God is a God who saves; Yahweh the Lord is the one who is able to rescue us 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 heads of his enemies, through the hairy scalps of those who walk in offenses against him.
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 my enemies back from Bashan; I will bring them back 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 so that you may crush your enemies, dipping your foot in blood, and so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share 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, the processions of my God, my King, into the holy place.
People watch your processions, God—the processions of my God and King as they go into the Temple.
25 The singers went first, the minstrels followed after, and in the middle were the unmarried girls playing tambourines.
The singers are at the front, the musicians at the back, and in the middle girls playing tambourines.
26 Bless God in the assemblies; praise Yahweh, you who are from the fountain of Israel.
Praise God, everyone who has come to worship; praise the Lord, everyone who belongs to Israel.
27 There is first Benjamin, the smallest tribe, then the leaders of Judah and their multitudes, the leaders of Zebulun and the leaders 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, Israel, has decreed your strength; reveal to us your power, God, as you have revealed it in times past.
Display your power, God! Reveal your strength, Lord, as you have done for us in the past.
29 Reveal your power to us from your temple at Jerusalem, where kings bring gifts to you.
Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.
30 Shout in battle against the wild beasts in the reeds, against the peoples, that multitude of bulls and calves. Humiliate them and make them bring you gifts; scatter the peoples who love to wage 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 will come out of Egypt; Cush will hurry to reach out with 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; (Selah) Sing praises to Yahweh.
Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. (Selah)
33 To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which exist from ancient times; see, he lifts up his voice with power.
Sing to the rider of the ancient heavens, his strong voice sounding like thunder!
34 Ascribe strength to God; his majesty 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 God, you are fearsome in your holy place; the God of Israel—he gives strength and power to 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!
