Psalms 68

1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let them who hate him also flee before him.

To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm. A Song. Let God be seen, and let his haters be put to flight; let those who are against him be turned back 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.

Let them be like smoke before the driving wind; as wax turning soft before the fire, so let them come to an end before the power of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

But let the upright be glad; let them have delight before God; let them be full of joy.

4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Extol him who rides on the clouds: to the LORD, his name! Rejoice before him!

Make songs to God, make songs of praise to his name; make a way for him who comes through the waste lands; his name is Jah; be glad before him.

5 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

A father to those who have no father, a judge of the widows, is God in his holy place.

6 God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

Those who are without friends, God puts in families; he makes free those who are in chains; but those who are turned away from him are given a dry land.

7 God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness... (Selah)

O God, when you went out before your people, wandering through the waste land; (Selah)

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 was shaking and the heavens were streaming, because God was present; even Sinai itself was moved before God, the God of Israel.

9 You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance when it was weary.

You, O God, did freely send the rain, giving strength to the weariness of your heritage.

10 Your congregation lived therein. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.

Those whose resting-place was there, even the poor, were comforted by your good things, O God.

11 The Lord announced the word. The ones who proclaim it are a great company.

The Lord gives the word; great is the number of the women who make it public.

12 “Kings of armies flee! They flee!” She who waits at home divides the plunder,

Kings of armies quickly go in flight: and the women in the houses make a division of their goods.

13 while you sleep amongst the camp fires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold.

Will you take your rest among the flocks? like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its feathers with yellow gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.

When the Most High put the kings to flight, it was as white as snow in Salmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged.

A hill of God is the hill of Bashan; a hill with high tops is the hill of Bashan.

16 Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, the LORD will dwell there forever.

Why are you looking with envy, you high hills, on the hill desired by God as his resting-place? truly, God will make it his house for ever.

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is amongst them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.

The war-carriage of God is among Israel's thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai to the holy place.

18 You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts amongst people, yes, amongst the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there.

You have gone up on high, taking your prisoners with you; you have taken offerings from men; the Lord God has taken his place on the seat of his power.

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)

Praise be to the Lord, who is our support day by day, even the God of our salvation. (Selah)

20 God is to us a God of deliverance. To GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

Our God is for us a God of salvation; his are the ways out of 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.

The heads of the haters of God will be crushed; even the head of him who still goes on in his evil ways.

22 The Lord said, “I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea,

The Lord said, I will make them come back from Bashan, and from the deep parts of the 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.”

So that your foot may be red with blood, and the tongues of your dogs with the same.

24 They have seen your processions, God, even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

We see your going, O God: even the going of my God, my King, into the holy place.

25 The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, amongst the ladies playing with tambourines,

The makers of songs go before, the players of music come after, among the young girls playing on brass instruments.

26 “Bless God in the congregations, even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”

Give praise to God in the great meeting; even the Lord, you who come 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.

There is little Benjamin ruling them, the chiefs of Judah and their army, the rulers of Zebulun and the rulers of Naphtali.

28 Your God has commanded your strength. Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.

O God, send out your strength; the strength, O God, with which you have done great things for us,

29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bring presents to you.

Out of your Temple in Jerusalem.

30 Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot the bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

Say sharp words to the beast among the water-plants, the band of strong ones, with the lords of the peoples, put an end to the people whose delight is in war.

31 Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.

Kings will give you offerings, they will come out of Egypt; from Pathros will come offerings of silver; Ethiopia will be stretching out her hands to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord— (Selah)

Make songs to God, you kingdoms of the earth; O make songs of praise to the Lord; (Selah)

33 to him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old; behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.

To him who goes or the clouds of heaven, the heaven which was from earliest times; he sends out his voice of power.

34 Ascribe strength to God! His excellency is over Israel, his strength is in the skies.

Make clear that strength is God's: he is lifted up over Israel, and his power 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!

O God, you are to be feared in your holy place: the God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.