Psalms 68

1 Unto the end. A Canticle Psalm of David himself. May God rise up, and may his enemies be scattered, and may those who hate him flee from before his face.

[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.

2 Just as smoke vanishes, so may they vanish. Just as wax flows away before the face of fire, so may sinners pass away before the face of God.

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 And so, let the just feast, and let them exult in the sight of God and be delighted in gladness.

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

4 Sing to God, sing a psalm to his name. Make a path for him, who ascends over the west. The Lord is his name. Exult in his sight; they will be stirred up before his face,

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

5 the father of orphans and the judge of widows. God is in his holy place.

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

6 It is God who makes men dwell in a house under one custom. He leads out those who are strongly bound, and similarly, those who exasperate, who dwell in sepulchers.

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

7 O God, when you departed in the sight of your people, when you passed through the desert,

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

8 the earth was moved, for the heavens rained down before the face of the God of Sinai, before the face of the God of Israel.

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.

9 You will set aside for your inheritance, O God, a willing rain. And though it was weak, truly, you have made it perfect.

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

10 Your animals will dwell in it. O God, in your sweetness, you have provided for the poor.

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

11 The Lord will give the word to evangelizers, along with great virtue.

The LORD announced the word; a great company of women proclaim the good news.

12 The King of virtue is beloved among the beloved. And the beauty of the house will divide spoils.

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

13 If you take your rest in the midst of the clergy, you will be like a dove whose wings are covered with fine silver and edged with pale gold.

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

14 When heaven discerns kings to be over her, they will be whitened with the snows of Zalmon.

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

15 The mountain of God is a fat mountain, a dense mountain, a thick mountain.

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

16 So then, why are you distrustful of dense mountains? The mountain on which God is well pleased to dwell, even there, the Lord will dwell until the end.

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

17 The chariot of God is ten thousand fold: thousands rejoice. The Lord is with them in Sinai, in the holy place.

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

18 You have ascended on high; you have taken captivity captive. You have accepted gifts among men. For even those who do not believe dwell with the Lord God.

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.

19 Blessed is the Lord, day after day. The God of our salvation will make our journey prosper for us.

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

20 Our God is the God who will bring about our salvation, and our Lord is the Lord who has brought an end to death.

God is to us a God of deliverance. To the LORD belongs escape from death.

21 So then, truly, God will break the heads of his enemies, the hairy skull of those who wander around in their offenses.

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

22 The Lord said: I will turn them away from Bashan, I will turn them into the depths of the sea,

The LORD said, "I will bring you again from Bashan, I will bring you again from the depths of the sea;

23 so that your feet may be soaked in the blood of your enemies, so that the tongue of your dogs may be soaked with the same.

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

24 O God, they have seen your arrival, the arrival of my God, of my king who is in a holy place.

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

25 The leaders went ahead, united with the singers of psalms, in the midst of girls playing on timbrels.

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

26 In the churches, bless the Lord God from the fountains of Israel.

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

27 In that place, Benjamin is a youth in ecstasy of mind. The leaders of Judah are their governors: the leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.

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

28 Command by your virtue, O God. Confirm in this place, O God, what you have wrought in us.

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

29 Before your temple in Jerusalem, kings will offer gifts to you.

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

30 Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, a congregation of bulls with the cows of the people, for they seek to exclude those who have been tested like silver. Scatter the nations that are pleased by wars.

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.

31 Ambassadors will come out of Egypt. Ethiopia will offer in advance her hands to God.

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

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. Sing psalms to the Lord. Sing psalms to God.

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

33 He ascends, up to the heaven of the heavens, toward the east. Behold, he will utter his voice, the voice of virtue.

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

34 Give glory to God beyond Israel. His magnificence and his virtue is in the clouds.

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

35 God is wonderful in his saints. The God of Israel himself will give virtue and strength to his people. Blessed is God.

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