Psalms 68

1 For the leader. Of David. A psalm. A song. God arises, his enemies scatter: they who hate him flee before him.

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. Let also those who hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke before wind is driven, as wax melts before fire, so before God vanish the wicked.

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.

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

But let the righteous be glad. Let them exult before God. Yea, let them rejoice with gladness.

4 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.

Sing to God, sing praises to his name. Cast up a highway for him who rides through the deserts. His name is Jehovah, and exult ye before him.

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

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

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

God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners into prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

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

O God, when thou went forth before thy people, when thou marched through the wilderness (Selah)

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

the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, Sinai at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

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

Thou, O God, sent a plentiful rain. Thou confirmed thine inheritance when it was weary.

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

Thy congregation dwelt in it. Thou, O God, prepared for the poor from thy goodness.

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

The Lord gave the word. Great was the company of those who published it.

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

Kings of armies fled quickly, and she who remained at home divided the spoil.

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

Though ye lie between two boundaries, it is as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with yellow gold.

14 set with stones, like snow upon Zalmon.’

When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was as it snows in Zalmon.

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

A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a high mountain is the mountain of Bashan.

16 You high-peaked mountains, why look you askance at the mountain which God has desired for his home whereon the Lord will live forever?

Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, at the mountain which God has desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell in it forever.

17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand: the Lord came from Sinai, his holy place.

The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands. The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary.

18 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.

Thou have ascended on high. Thou have led captivity captive. Thou have received gifts among men, yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might dwell with them.

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

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

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

God is to us a God of deliverances, and escape from death belongs to Jehovah the Lord.

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

But God will smite through the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of him who still goes in his guiltiness.

22 The Lord said: ‘I will bring you home from Bashan, home from the depths of the sea,

The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan. I will bring again from the depths of the sea,

23 that your feet you may bathe in blood, and your dogs lick their share of the foe.’

that thou may dash thy foot in blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from enemies.

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

They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

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

The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, in the midst of the damsels playing with timbrels.

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

Bless ye God in the congregations, the lord of the fountain of Israel.

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

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

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

Thy God has commanded thy strength. Strengthen, O God, that which thou have wrought for us.

29 from your temple that crowns Jerusalem. Kings shall bring tribute to you.

Because of thy temple at Jerusalem kings shall bring presents to thee.

30 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.

Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, trampling under foot the pieces of silver. He has scattered the peoples that delight in war.

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

Rulers shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.

32 Sing to God, O you kingdoms of earth, make melody to the Lord. (Selah)

Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth. O sing praises to the Lord (Selah)

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

to him who rides upon the heaven of heavens, which are of old. Lo, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe strength to the God over Israel, whose strength and majesty live in the skies.

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

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

O God, awesome out of thy holy places, the God of Israel, he gives strength and power to his people. Blessed be God.