Psalms 68

1 For the Chief Musician; A Psalm of David, a Song. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; Let them also that hate him flee before him.

“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” Let God arise, and his enemies are scattered, And they who hate him flee before him!

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: As wax melteth before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

As smoke is dispersed, so thou dispersest them; As wax melteth before the fire, So perish the wicked before the face of God.

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

But the righteous are glad and rejoice in his presence, Yea, they exult exceedingly.

4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: Cast up a highway for him that rideth through the deserts; His name is Jehovah; and exult ye before him.

Sing unto God; sing praises to his name! Prepare a way for him who rideth through the desert! Jehovah is his name; be joyful in his presence!

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

The father of the fatherless, and the protector of the widow, Is God in his holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

God causeth the forsaken to dwell in houses; He leadeth forth to prosperity them that are bound; But the rebellious shall dwell in a barren land.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness; (Selah)

O God! when thou didst go before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness. (Pause)

8 The earth trembled, The heavens also dropped [rain] at the presence of God: Yon Sinai [trembled] at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

The earth quaked, and the heavens dropped at the presence of God; This Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, Thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

Thou, O God! didst send a plentiful rain; Thou didst strengthen thy wearied inheritance.

10 Thy congregation dwelt therein: Thou, O God, didst prepare of thy goodness for the poor.

Thy people established themselves in the land; Thou, O God! in thy goodness, didst prepare it for the needy!

11 The Lord giveth the word: The women that publish the tidings are a great host.

The Lord gave the song of victory Of the maidens publishing glad tidings to the mighty host.

12 Kings of armies flee, they flee; And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil.

“The kings with their armies have fled, —have fled! And the matron at home divideth the spoil.

13 When ye lie among the sheepfolds, [It is as] the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.

Truly ye may repose yourselves in the stalls, Like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with shining gold.”

14 When the Almighty scattered kings therein, [It was as when] it snoweth in Zalmon.

When the Most High destroyed the kings in the land, It was white [[with their bones]] like Salmon.

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

Ye lofty hills, ye hills of Bashan, Ye many-topped hills, ye hills of Bashan,

16 Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell [in it] for ever.

Why frown ye, ye many-topped hills, At the hill in which God is pleased to dwell, In which Jehovah will dwell for ever?

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

The chariots of God are myriads, yea, thousands of thousands; The Lord is in the midst of them, as upon Sinai, in the sanctuary.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led away captives; Thou hast received gifts among men, Yea, [among] the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might dwell [with them].

Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captive the vanquished, Thou hast received gifts among men, Even the rebellious, that here thou mightst dwell, O LORD God!

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily beareth our burden, Even the God who is our salvation. (Selah)

Praised be the Lord daily! When we are heavy-laden, the Mighty One is our help.

20 God is unto us a God of deliverances; And unto Jehovah the Lord belongeth escape from death.

Our God is a God of salvation; From the Lord Jehovah cometh deliverance from death.

21 But God will smite through the head of his enemies, The hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his guiltiness.

But God smiteth the head of his enemies, Even the hairy crowns of those who go on in their iniquity.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring [them] again from the depths of the sea;

“I will bring them back,” saith the Lord, “from Bashan; I will bring them back from the deep sea;

23 That thou mayest crush [them], [dipping] thy foot in blood, That the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from [thine] enemies.

That thy foot may be dipped in their blood, That thy dogs may drink the blood of thine enemies.”

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

We have seen thy procession, O God! The procession of my God, my king, to his sanctuary!

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

The singers go before, the minstrels follow, Amidst damsels playing on timbrels.

26 Bless ye God in the congregations, Even the Lord, [ye that are] of the fountain of Israel.

Praise ye God in your assemblies; Praise the Lord, all ye from the fountain of Israel!

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

Here is Benjamin, the youngest, and his leaders; The chiefs of Judah, and their band; The chiefs of Zebulon, and the chiefs of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

Thy God has ordained thy strength, [[O Israel!]] Show forth thy might, O God! thou who hast wrought for us!

29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem Kings shall bring presents unto thee.

Because of thy temple in Jerusalem Shall kings bring presents to thee.

30 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 hath scattered the peoples that delight in war.

Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, The multitude of bulls with the calves of the nations, So that they shall cast themselves down with masses of silver; Scatter thou the nations that delight in war!

31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God.

Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste with outstretched hands to God.

32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; Oh sing praises unto the Lord; (Selah)

Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing unto God; Sing praises to Jehovah;

33 To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which are of old; Lo, he uttereth his voice, a mighty voice.

To him who rideth upon the ancient heaven of heavens! Behold, he uttereth his voice, his mighty voice!

34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: His excellency is over Israel, And his strength is in the skies.

Give glory to God, Whose majesty is in Israel, and whose might is in the clouds!

35 O God, [thou art] terrible out of thy holy places: The God of Israel, he giveth strength and power unto [his] people. Blessed be God.

Terrible art thou, O God! from thy sanctuary! The God of Israel giveth strength and power to his people. Praised be God!