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Psalm 68

For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.

Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.
    Let those who hate God run for their lives.
Blow them away like smoke.
    Melt them like wax in a fire.
    Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
But let the godly rejoice.
    Let them be glad in God’s presence.
    Let them be filled with joy.
Sing praises to God and to his name!
    Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.[a]
His name is the Lord
    rejoice in his presence!

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
    this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
    he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

O God, when you led your people out from Egypt,
    when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interlude
the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
    before you, the God of Sinai,
    before God, the God of Israel.
You sent abundant rain, O God,
    to refresh the weary land.
10 There your people finally settled,
    and with a bountiful harvest, O God,
    you provided for your needy people.

11 The Lord gives the word,
    and a great army[b] brings the good news.
12 Enemy kings and their armies flee,
    while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
13 Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—
    doves with wings of silver
    and feathers of gold.
14 The Almighty scattered the enemy kings
    like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic,
    with many peaks stretching high into the sky.
16 Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
    at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
    where the Lord himself will live forever?

17 Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots,
    the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
18 When you ascended to the heights,
    you led a crowd of captives.
You received gifts from the people,
    even from those who rebelled against you.
    Now the Lord God will live among us there.

19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
    For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude
20 Our God is a God who saves!
    The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

21 But God will smash the heads of his enemies,
    crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan;
    I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.
23 You, my people, will wash[c] your feet in their blood,
    and even your dogs will get their share!”

24 Your procession has come into view, O God—
    the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.
25 Singers are in front, musicians behind;
    between them are young women playing tambourines.
26 Praise God, all you people of Israel;
    praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life.
27 Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way.
    Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah
    and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.

28 Summon your might, O God.[d]
    Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.
29 The kings of the earth are bringing tribute
    to your Temple in Jerusalem.
30 Rebuke these enemy nations—
    these wild animals lurking in the reeds,
    this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.
Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute.
    Scatter the nations that delight in war.
31 Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals[e];
    let Ethiopia[f] bring tribute to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
    Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude
33 Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
    his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
34 Tell everyone about God’s power.
    His majesty shines down on Israel;
    his strength is mighty in the heavens.
35 God is awesome in his sanctuary.
    The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!

Footnotes

  1. 68:4 Or rides through the deserts.
  2. 68:11 Or a host of women.
  3. 68:23 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads shatter.
  4. 68:28 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions; most Hebrew manuscripts read Your God has commanded your strength.
  5. 68:31a Or of rich cloth.
  6. 68:31b Hebrew Cush.

Psalm 68[a]

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

May God arise,(A) may his enemies be scattered;(B)
    may his foes flee(C) before him.
May you blow them away like smoke—(D)
    as wax melts(E) before the fire,
    may the wicked perish(F) before God.
But may the righteous be glad
    and rejoice(G) before God;
    may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(H)
    extol him who rides on the clouds[b](I);
    rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(J)
A father to the fatherless,(K) a defender of widows,(L)
    is God in his holy dwelling.(M)
God sets the lonely(N) in families,[c](O)
    he leads out the prisoners(P) with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(Q)

When you, God, went out(R) before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness,[d](S)
the earth shook,(T) the heavens poured down rain,(U)
    before God, the One of Sinai,(V)
    before God, the God of Israel.(W)
You gave abundant showers,(X) O God;
    you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
    and from your bounty,(Y) God, you provided(Z) for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,
    and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(AA)
12 “Kings and armies flee(AB) in haste;
    the women at home divide the plunder.(AC)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[e](AD)
    the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
    its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[f] scattered(AE) the kings in the land,
    it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(AF)

15 Mount Bashan,(AG) majestic mountain,(AH)
    Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
    at the mountain where God chooses(AI) to reign,
    where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(AJ)
17 The chariots(AK) of God are tens of thousands
    and thousands of thousands;(AL)
    the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[g]
18 When you ascended(AM) on high,(AN)
    you took many captives;(AO)
    you received gifts from people,(AP)
even from[h] the rebellious(AQ)
    that you,[i] Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(AR)
    who daily bears our burdens.(AS)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(AT)
    from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(AU)
21 Surely God will crush the heads(AV) of his enemies,
    the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
    I will bring them from the depths of the sea,(AW)
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,(AX)
    while the tongues of your dogs(AY) have their share.”

24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
    the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.(AZ)
25 In front are the singers,(BA) after them the musicians;(BB)
    with them are the young women playing the timbrels.(BC)
26 Praise God in the great congregation;(BD)
    praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.(BE)
27 There is the little tribe(BF) of Benjamin,(BG) leading them,
    there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
    and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.(BH)

28 Summon your power,(BI) God[j];
    show us your strength,(BJ) our God, as you have done(BK) before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings will bring you gifts.(BL)
30 Rebuke the beast(BM) among the reeds,(BN)
    the herd of bulls(BO) among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
    Scatter the nations(BP) who delight in war.(BQ)
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;(BR)
    Cush[k](BS) will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,(BT)
    sing praise(BU) to the Lord,
33 to him who rides(BV) across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
    who thunders(BW) with mighty voice.(BX)
34 Proclaim the power(BY) of God,
    whose majesty(BZ) is over Israel,
    whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome(CA) in your sanctuary;(CB)
    the God of Israel gives power and strength(CC) to his people.(CD)

Praise be to God!(CE)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
  2. Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
  3. Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
  4. Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
  5. Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  6. Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
  7. Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
  8. Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
  9. Psalm 68:18 Or they
  10. Psalm 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
  11. Psalm 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region