Psalms 68

1 To the Overseer. — A Psalm, a song of David. Rise doth God — scattered are His enemies! And those hating Him flee from His face.

[For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.] Let God arise. Let his enemies be scattered, and let them who hate him flee before him.

2 As the driving away of smoke Thou drivest away, As the melting of wax before fire, The wicked perish at the presence of God.

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.

3 And the righteous rejoice, they exult before God, And they joy with gladness.

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

4 Sing ye to God — praise His name, Raise up a highway for Him who is riding in deserts, In Jah [is] His name, and exult before Him.

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

5 Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows, [Is] God in His holy habitation.

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

6 God — causing the lonely to dwell at home, Bringing out bound ones into prosperity, Only — the refractory have inhabited a dry place.

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

7 O God, in Thy going forth before Thy people, In Thy stepping through the wilderness, (Selah)

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

8 The earth hath shaken, Yea, the heavens have dropped before God, This Sinai — before God, the God of Israel.

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.

9 A shower of free-will gifts thou shakest out, O God. Thine inheritance, when it hath been weary, Thou hast established it.

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

10 Thy company have dwelt in it, Thou preparest in Thy goodness for the poor, O God.

Your congregation lived in it. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord doth give the saying, The female proclaimers [are] a numerous host.

The LORD announced the word; a great company of women proclaim the good news.

12 Kings of hosts flee utterly away, And a female inhabitant of the house apportioneth spoil.

"Kings of armies flee. They flee." She who waits at home divides the spoil,

13 Though ye do lie between two boundaries, Wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.

while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold.

14 When the Mighty spreadeth kings in it, It doth snow in Salmon.

When Shaddai scattered kings in her, it snowed on Zalmon.

15 A hill of God [is] the hill of Bashan, A hill of heights [is] the hill of Bashan.

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

16 Why do ye envy, O high hills, The hill God hath desired for His seat? Jehovah also doth tabernacle for ever.

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

17 The chariots of God [are] myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord [is] among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary.

The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The LORD is among them, from Sinai, in holiness.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast taken captive captivity, Thou hast taken gifts for men, That even the refractory may rest, O Jah God.

You have ascended on high. You have taken captivity captive. And you gave gifts to people; but the rebellious will not dwell in the presence of God.

19 Blessed [is] the Lord, day by day He layeth on us. God Himself [is] our salvation. (Selah)

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

20 God Himself [is] to us a God for deliverances, And Jehovah Lord hath the outgoings of death.

God is to us a God of deliverance. To the LORD belongs escape from death.

21 Only — God doth smite The head of His enemies, The hairy crown of a habitual walker in his guilt.

But God will strike through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.

22 The Lord said: 'From Bashan I bring back, I bring back from the depths of the sea.

The LORD said, "I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea;

23 So that thou dashest thy foot in blood, [In the blood of] enemies — the tongue of Thy dogs.'

That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies."

24 They have seen Thy goings, O God, Goings of my God, my king, in the sanctuary.

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

25 Singers have been before, Behind [are] players on instruments, In the midst virgins playing with timbrels.

The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, in the midst of the ladies playing with tambourines,

26 In assemblies bless ye God, The Lord — from the fountain of Israel.

"Bless God in the congregations, even the LORD from the fountain of Israel."

27 There [is] little Benjamin their ruler, Heads of Judah their defence, Heads of Zebulun — heads of Naphtali.

There is little Benjamin, their ruler, the princes of Judah, their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength, Be strong, O God, this Thou hast wrought for us.

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

29 Because of Thy temple at Jerusalem, To Thee do kings bring a present.

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

30 Rebuke a beast of the reeds, a company of bulls, With calves of the peoples, Each humbling himself with pieces of silver, Scatter Thou peoples delighting in conflicts.

Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.

31 Come do fat ones out of Egypt, Cush causeth her hands to run to God.

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

32 Kingdoms of the earth, sing ye to God, Praise ye the Lord. (Selah)

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the LORD. (Selah)

33 To him who is riding on the heavens of the heavens of old, Lo, He giveth with His voice a strong voice.

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

34 Ascribe ye strength to God, Over Israel [is] His excellency, and His strength in the clouds.

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

35 Fearful, O God, out of Thy sanctuaries, The God of Israel Himself, Giving strength and might to the people. Blessed [is] God!

You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.