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 leader. Of David. A psalm. A song. God arises, his enemies scatter: they 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 before wind is driven, as wax melts before fire, so before God vanish the wicked.

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

But the righteous rejoice in God’s presence, they exult with exceeding joy.

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, make music to his name, his name is the Lord, praise him who rides on the clouds, and exult in his presence.

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

Father of orphans, defender of widows, is God in his holy abode.

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

God brings home the lonely, he leads forth the prisoner to comfort, so that none but the rebel lives cheerless.

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

God, when you went in front of your people in your march through the desert, (Selah)

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

earth shook, the heavens poured rain at the presence of God, Sinai’s God at the presence of God, Israel’s God.

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

Rain in abundance, God, you did sprinkle, restoring the languishing land of your heritage.

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

A dwelling therein your people found: in your goodness, O God, you did care for the poor.

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

The Lord spoke the glad tidings of victory, a great army of women proclaim it:

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

‘Kings of armies they flee, they flee, and the housewife divides the spoil:

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

dove’s wings covered with silver and pinions with shimmer of gold,

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

set with stones, like snow upon Zalmon.’

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

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan, a mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

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

You high-peaked mountains, why look you askance at the mountain which God has desired for his home whereon the Lord will live 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 twice ten thousand: the Lord came from Sinai, his holy place.

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 did mount the height with trains of your captives, and gifts that you had received from the people. The rebels shall live with the Lord God.

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

Blest be the Lord who sustains us daily, the God who is also our saviour. (Selah)

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

Our God is a God who is saviour. The ways of escape from death are known to the Lord God.

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

Yes, God will shatter the head of his foes the rough scalp of those who strut on in their sins.

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 home from Bashan, home 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 your feet you may bathe in blood, and your dogs lick their share of the foe.’

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

In the temple appear God’s triumphal processions, processions in praise of my king and my God,

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

with singers in front, and minstrels behind, and maidens with timbrels between them, singing,

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

‘You of the well-spring of Israel, bless the Lord God in the dance.’

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

There, in front, is Benjamin the little, the princes of Judah beside them, the princes of Zebulon, princes of Naphtali.

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

God, show your strength, your godlike might, as you did in the past,

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

from your temple that crowns Jerusalem. Kings shall bring tribute 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 beast of the reed, the herd of bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Trample down the lovers of lies. Scatter the nations whose joy is in war.

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

May they come from Egypt with gifts of oil, Ethiopia haste with full hands to God.

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

Sing to God, O you kingdoms of earth, make melody 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.

Praise him who rides on the ancient heavens. See! He utters his voice, his mighty voice.

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

Ascribe strength to the God over Israel, whose strength and majesty live 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!

Awe-inspiring is God in his holy place, it is Israel’s God who gives strength and might to his people. Blessed be God.