Psalms 68

1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let them who hate him also flee before him.

For the leader. Of David. A psalm. A song. God arises, his enemies scatter: they 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 before wind is driven, as wax melts before fire, so before God vanish the wicked.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

God, when you went in front of your people in your march through the desert, (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.

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

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

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

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

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

11 The Lord announced the word. The ones who proclaim it are a great company.

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

12 “Kings of armies flee! They flee!” She who waits at home divides the plunder,

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

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

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

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

set with stones, like snow upon Zalmon.’

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

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

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

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

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.

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

18 You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among people, yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.

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.

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

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

20 God is to us a God of deliverance. To Yahweh, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

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

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

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

22 The Lord 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 you home from Bashan, home 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.”

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

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

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

25 The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, among the ladies playing with tambourines,

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

26 “Bless God in the congregations, even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30 Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot the bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

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.

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

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

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord— (Selah)

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

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

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

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

Ascribe strength to the God over Israel, whose strength and majesty live 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!

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