Israels mægtige Gud
1Til korlederen: En lovsang af David.
2Når Gud rejser sig,68,2 Eller „Måtte Gud rejse sig”. Denne salme er vanskelig at forstå og fortolke, så mange steder er oversættelsen usikker. flygter hans fjender,
alle hans modstandere løber deres vej.
3Han driver dem væk,
som røg drives væk af vinden.
De onde går til grunde
som voks, der smelter i varmen.
4Men de gudfrygtige bliver glade,
de råber af fryd i Guds nærhed.
5Syng lovsange til Gud.
Ophøj ham, som rider på skyerne.
Hans navn er Jahve,
fryd jer i hans nærhed.
6Gud er som en far for de faderløse,
han taler de hjælpeløses sag.
Han regerer fra sin hellige trone.
7Han giver de hjemløse et hjem,
sætter de undertrykte i frihed og gør dem glade.
Men de genstridige forvises til den golde ørken.
8Gud, dengang du gik foran dit folk,
og de marcherede gennem den udstrakte ørken,
9da skælvede jorden af frygt,
og skyerne kunne ikke holde på regnen.
De rystede for Israels Gud,
da han viste sin magt i Sinai.
10Du sendte regn i rigelig mængde,
du hjalp dit folk, da de var i nød.
11Du gav dem et sted at bosætte sig,
du sørgede for de svage i din godhed, Gud.
12Da hærføreren proklamerede sejren,
bragte masser af kvinder nyheden videre:
13„Alle fjendens anførere er flygtet!”
Så fik kvinderne lov til at fordele byttet.
14Selv om de var hjemme ved fårefoldene,
blev de nu smykket med sølv og guld,
som duen er smykket med glinsende fjer.
15Da den Almægtige slog kongerne i landet på flugt,
endte de i en snestorm på Zalmons bjerg.
16Du strækker dig til himlen, Bashans bjerg,
du har mange mægtige tinder.
17Hvorfor er du misundelig på det bjerg,
som Gud har valgt til sin bolig?
Dér vil Herren bo for evigt.
18Da Herren kom fra Sinai til sit hellige sted,
var han omgivet af tusindvis af stridsvogne.
19Han steg op til det høje,
førte frigivne fanger med sig.
Han tog gaver med til folk,
selv de oprørske gav han et sted at bo.68,19 Teksten er uklar, men ligger til grund for Ef. 4,8.
20Syng lovsange til Herren hver eneste dag,
for han bærer vore byrder og redder os.
21Vor Gud er en frelsende Gud,
som endog kan redde os fra døden.
22Men han knuser sine fjenders hoved,
dem, der vælger at gøre oprør mod ham.
23Herren siger: „Jeg henter dem ned fra Bashans bjerg,
jeg trækker dem op fra dybet,
24så I kan vade rundt i fjendeblod,
og hundene gnave på deres knogler.”
25Et festtog går frem i helligt skrud,
de hylder vor konge og vor Gud.
26Sangerne går forrest, musikerne bagerst,
piger med tamburiner danser i midten.
27Lovsyng Gud i den store forsamling,
lad alle være med til at prise Herren.
28Benjamins lille stamme går forrest,
fulgt af lederne fra Judas stamme,
og dem fra Zebulon og Naftali.
29Vis din magt, Gud, din mægtige styrke,
for vi ved, at du kæmper for dit folk.
30Når du rejser dig fra dit tempel i Jerusalem,
må jordens konger bøje sig i hyldest.
31Dit krigsråb gør egypterne bange,
selv om de er stærkere end andre nationer.
De bøjer sig dybt og giver dig gaver
både af guld og sølv,
mens de, der tager kampen op,
bliver slået og spredt.
32Egypterne kommer med kostbare gaver,
kushitterne bøjer sig i ærefrygt for dig, Gud.
33Lovpris Gud, alle riger på jorden,
syng lovsange til Herren.
34Fra ældgammel tid har han redet på skyerne,
hør blot hans tordnende røst.
35Giv al ære til Gud, som regerer over Israel
og har magten i himmelrummet.
36Ære være Gud i hans helligdom.
Israels Gud giver styrke til sit folk.
Al ære og pris til ham.
Psalm 68
For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
1May God rise up and scatter his enemies.
May they turn and run away from him.
2May you, God, blow them away like smoke.
As fire melts wax,
so may God destroy sinful people.
3But may those who do what is right be glad
and filled with joy when they are with him.
May they be happy and joyful.
4Sing to God, sing praise to his name.
Lift up a song to the God who rides on the clouds.
Be glad when you are with him.
His name is the Lord.
5God is in his holy temple.
He is a father to children whose fathers have died.
He takes care of women whose husbands have died.
6God gives lonely people a family.
He sets prisoners free, and they go out singing.
But those who refuse to obey him
live in a land that is baked by the sun.
7God, you led your people out.
You marched through the desert.
8The ground shook
when you, the God of Sinai, appeared.
The heavens poured down rain
when you, the God of Israel, appeared.
9God, you gave us plenty of rain.
You renewed your worn-out land.
10God, your people made their homes in it.
From all your riches, you provided for those who were poor.
11The Lord gives the message.
The women who make it known are a huge group.
12They said, “Kings and armies are running away.
The women at home are dividing up
the things the army took from their enemies.
13Even while the soldiers sleep near the sheep pens,
God wins the battle for them.
He gives the enemy’s silver and gold
to Israel, his dove.”
14The Mighty One has scattered the kings around the land.
It was like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.
15Mount Bashan is a majestic mountain.
Mount Bashan is a very rocky mountain.
16Why are you jealous of Mount Zion, you rocky mountain?
That’s where God chooses to rule.
That’s where the Lord himself will live forever.
17God has come with tens of thousands of his chariots.
He has come with thousands and thousands of them.
The Lord has come from Mount Sinai.
He has entered his holy place.
18When he went up to his place on high,
he took many prisoners.
He received gifts from people,
even from those who refused to obey him.
The Lord God went up to live on Mount Zion.
19Give praise to the Lord. Give praise to God our Savior.
He carries our heavy loads day after day.
20Our God is a God who saves.
He is the King and the Lord. He saves us from death.
21God will certainly smash the heads of his enemies.
He will break the hairy heads of those who keep on sinning.
22The Lord says, “I will bring your enemies from Bashan.
I will bring them up from the bottom of the sea.
23Then your feet can wade in their blood.
The tongues of your dogs can lick up all the blood they want.”
24God, those who worship you come marching into view.
My God and King, those who follow you have entered the sacred tent.
25The singers are walking in front.
Next come the musicians.
Young women playing tambourines are with them.
26The leaders sing, “Praise God among all those who worship him.
Praise the Lord in the community of Israel.”
27The little tribe of Benjamin leads the worshipers.
Next comes the great crowd of Judah’s princes.
Then come the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
28God, show us your power.
Show us your strength.
God, do as you have done before.
29Do it from your temple at Jerusalem,
where kings will bring you gifts.
30Give a strong warning to Egypt, that beast among the tall grass.
It is like a herd of bulls among the calves.
May that beast bow down before you with gifts of silver.
Scatter the nations who like to make war.
31Messengers will come from Egypt.
The people of Cush will be quick to bring gifts to you.
32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
Sing praise to the Lord.
33He rides across the highest places in heaven.
He rides across the ancient skies above.
He thunders with his mighty voice.
34Tell how powerful God is.
He rules as king over Israel.
The skies show how powerful he is.
35How wonderful is God in his holy place!
The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Give praise to God!
