Psalms 68

1 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.

To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm. A Song. Let God be seen, and let his haters be put to flight; let those who are against him be turned back before him.

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

Let them be like smoke before the driving wind; as wax turning soft before the fire, so let them come to an end before the power of God.

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

But let the upright be glad; let them have delight before God; let them be full of joy.

4 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,

Make songs to God, make songs of praise to his name; make a way for him who comes through the waste lands; his name is Jah; be glad before him.

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

A father to those who have no father, a judge of the widows, is God in his holy place.

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

Those who are without friends, God puts in families; he makes free those who are in chains; but those who are turned away from him are given a dry land.

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

O God, when you went out before your people, wandering through the waste land; (Selah)

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

The earth was shaking and the heavens were streaming, because God was present; even Sinai itself was moved before God, the God of Israel.

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

You, O God, did freely send the rain, giving strength to the weariness of your heritage.

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

Those whose resting-place was there, even the poor, were comforted by your good things, O God.

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

The Lord gives the word; great is the number of the women who make it public.

12 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.

Kings of armies quickly go in flight: and the women in the houses make a division of their goods.

13 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.

Will you take your rest among the flocks? like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its feathers with yellow gold.

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

When the Most High put the kings to flight, it was as white as snow in Salmon.

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

A hill of God is the hill of Bashan; a hill with high tops is the hill of Bashan.

16 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.

Why are you looking with envy, you high hills, on the hill desired by God as his resting-place? truly, God will make it his house for ever.

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

The war-carriage of God is among Israel's thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai to the holy place.

18 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.

You have gone up on high, taking your prisoners with you; you have taken offerings from men; the Lord God has taken his place on the seat of his power.

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

Praise be to the Lord, who is our support day by day, even the God of our salvation. (Selah)

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

Our God is for us a God of salvation; his are the ways out of death.

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

The heads of the haters of God will be crushed; even the head of him who still goes on in his evil ways.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Basan, I will bring [my people] again through the depths of the sea.

The Lord said, I will make them come back from Bashan, and from the deep parts of the sea;

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

So that your foot may be red with blood, and the tongues of your dogs with the same.

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

We see your going, O God: even the going of my God, my King, into the holy place.

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

The makers of songs go before, the players of music come after, among the young girls playing on brass instruments.

26 Praise God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountains of Israel.

Give praise to God in the great meeting; even the Lord, you who come from the fountain of Israel.

27 There is Benjamin the younger [one] in ecstasy, the princes of Juda their rulers, the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.

There is little Benjamin ruling them, the chiefs of Judah and their army, the rulers of Zebulun and the rulers of Naphtali.

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

O God, send out your strength; the strength, O God, with which you have done great things for us,

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

Out of your Temple in Jerusalem.

30 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.

Say sharp words to the beast among the water-plants, the band of strong ones, with the lords of the peoples, put an end to the people whose delight is in war.

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

Kings will give you offerings, they will come out of Egypt; from Pathros will come offerings of silver; Ethiopia will be stretching out her hands to God.

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

Make songs to God, you kingdoms of the earth; O make songs of praise to the Lord; (Selah)

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

To him who goes or the clouds of heaven, the heaven which was from earliest times; he sends out his voice of power.

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

Make clear that strength is God's: he is lifted up over Israel, and his power is in the clouds.

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

O God, you are to be feared in your holy place: the God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God.