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!
Psalm 68In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
1May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
2May you blow them away like smoke –
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
3But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
4Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts;
rejoice before him – his name is the Lord.
5A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
6God sets the lonely in families,68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
7When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
8the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
11The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:
12‘Kings and armies flee in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.
13Even while you sleep among the sheepfolds,68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.’
14When the Almighty68:14 Hebrew Shaddai scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.
15Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell for ever?
17The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
18When you ascended on high,
you took many captives;
you received gifts from people,
even from68:18 Or gifts for people, / even the rebellious –
that you,68:18 Or they Lord God, might dwell there.
19Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour,
who daily bears our burdens.
20Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
21Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22The Lord says, ‘I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
23that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share.’
24Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
25In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the tambourines.
26Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.
27There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
28Summon your power, God68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you;
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.
30Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.
31Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush68:31 That is, the upper Nile region will submit herself to God.
32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,
33to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders with mighty voice.
34Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.
35You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!
