Psalms 68

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

For the end, a Psalm of a Song by David. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; and let them that hate him flee from before him.

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

As smoke vanishes, let them vanish: as wax melts before the fire, so let the sinners perish from before God.

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

But let the righteous rejoice; let them exult before God: let them be delighted with joy.

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: make a way for him that rides upon the west (the Lord is his name) and exult before him. They shall be troubled before the face of him,

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

[who is] the father of the orphans, and judge of the widows: [such is] God in his holy place.

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

God settles the solitary in a house; leading forth prisoners mightily, also them that act provokingly, [even] them that dwell in tombs.

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

O God, when you went forth before your people, when you went through the wilderness; (Pause)

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 quaked, yes, the heavens dropped [water] at the presence of the God of Sina, at the presence of the God of Israel.

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

O God, you will grant to your inheritance a gracious rain; for it was weary, but you did refresh it.

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

Your creatures dwell in it: you have in your goodness prepared for the poor.

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

The Lord God will give a word to them that preach [it] in a great company.

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

The king of the forces of the beloved, of the beloved, [will] even [grant them] for the beauty of the house to divide the spoils.

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

Even if you should lie among the lots, [you shall have] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her breast with yellow gold.

14 set with stones, like snow upon Zalmon.’

When the heavenly One scatters kings upon it, they shall be made snow-white in Selmon.

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

The mountain of God is a rich mountain; a swelling mountain, a rich mountain.

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?

Therefore do you conceive [evil], you swelling mountains? [this is] the mountain which God has delighted to dwell in; yes, the Lord will dwell [in it] for ever.

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

The chariots of God are ten thousand fold, thousands of rejoicing ones: the Lord is among them, in Sina, in the holy place.

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.

You are gone up on high, you have led captivity captive, you have received gifts for man, yes, for [they were] rebellious, that you might dwell among them.

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

Blessed be the Lord God, blessed be the Lord daily; and the God of our salvation shall prosper us. (Pause)

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

Our God is the God of salvation; and to the Lord belong the issues from death.

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

But God shall crust the heads of his enemies; the hairy crown of them that go on in their trespasses.

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 Basan, I will bring [my people] again through the depths of the sea.

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

That your foot may be dipped in blood, [and] the tongue of your dogs [be stained] with that of [your] enemies.

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

Your goings, O God, have been seen; the goings of my God, the king, in the sanctuary.

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

The princes went first, next before the players on instruments, in the midst of damsels playing on timbrels.

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

Praise God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountains 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 Benjamin the younger [one] in ecstasy, the princes of Juda their rulers, the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.

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

O God, command you your strength: strengthen, O God, this which you have wrought in us.

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

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

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 beasts of the reed: let the crowd of bulls with the heifers of the nations [be rebuked], so that they who have been proved with silver may not be shut out: scatter you the nations that wish for wars.

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

Ambassadors shall arrive out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall hasten [to stretch out] her hand readily to God.

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

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; sing psalms to the Lord. (Pause)

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

Sing to God that rides on the heaven of heaven, eastward: behold, he will utter a mighty sound with his voice.

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

Give you glory to God: his excellency is over Israel, and his power is in the clouds.

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.

God is wonderful in his holy [places], the God of Israel: he will give power and strength to his people: blessed be God.