Psalms 68

1 [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.

For the chief musician; A psalm of David, a song. Let God arise; let his enemies be scattered; let those also who hate him flee before him.

2 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.

As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish in the presence of God.

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

But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; may they rejoice and be happy.

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

Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Praise the one who rides through the plains of the Jordan River valley! Yahweh is his name! Rejoice before him!

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

A father of the fatherless, a judge of the widows, is God in the holy place where he lives.

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

God puts the lonely into families; he brings out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a parched land.

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

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

8 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.

The earth trembled; the heavens also dropped rain in God's presence, in the presence of God when he came to Sinai, in the presence of God, the God of Israel.

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

You, God, sent a plentiful rain; you strengthened your inheritance when it was weary.

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

Your people lived in it; You, God, gave from your goodness to the poor.

11 YHWH announced the word; a great company of women proclaim the good news.

The Lord gave the orders, and those who announced them were a great army.

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

Kings of armies flee, they flee, and the women waiting at home divide the plunder:

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

doves covered with silver with wings of yellow gold. When some of you people stayed among the sheepfolds, why did you do this?

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

The Almighty scattered kings there, it was as when it snowed on Mount Zalmon.

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

A mighty mountain is the hill country of Bashan; a high mountain is the hill country of Bashan.

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

Why do you look in envy, you high hill country, at the mountain which God desires for the place he will live? Indeed, Yahweh will live in it forever.

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

The chariots of God are twenty thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them in the holy place, as at Sinai.

18 You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. And you gave gifts to people; but the rebellious will not dwell in the presence of God.

You have ascended on high; you have led away captives; you have received gifts from among men, even from those who fought against you, so that you, Yahweh God, might live there.

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

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

20 God is to us a God of deliverance. To YHWH belongs escape from death.

Our God is a God who saves; Yahweh the Lord is the one who is able to rescue us from death.

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

But God will strike through the heads of his enemies, through the hairy scalps of those who walk in offenses against him.

22 YHWH said, "I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea;

The Lord said, “I will bring my enemies back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea

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

so that you may crush your enemies, dipping your foot in blood, and so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from your enemies.”

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

They have seen your processions, God, the processions of my God, my King, into the holy place.

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

The singers went first, the minstrels followed after, and in the middle were the unmarried girls playing tambourines.

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

Bless God in the assemblies; praise Yahweh, you who are from the fountain of Israel.

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

There is first Benjamin, the smallest tribe, then the leaders of Judah and their multitudes, the leaders of Zebulun and the leaders of Naphtali.

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

Your God, Israel, has decreed your strength; reveal to us your power, God, as you have revealed it in times past.

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

Reveal your power to us from your temple at Jerusalem, where kings bring gifts to you.

30 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.

Shout in battle against the wild beasts in the reeds, against the peoples, that multitude of bulls and calves. Humiliate them and make them bring you gifts; scatter the peoples who love to wage war.

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

Princes will come out of Egypt; Cush will hurry to reach out with her hands to God.

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

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

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

To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which exist from ancient times; see, he lifts up his voice with power.

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

Ascribe strength to God; his majesty is over Israel, and his strength is in the skies.

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

God, you are fearsome in your holy place; the God of Israel—he gives strength and power to his people. Blessed be God.