Add parallel Print Page Options

Psalm 68

For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.

Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.
    Let those who hate God run for their lives.
Blow them away like smoke.
    Melt them like wax in a fire.
    Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
But let the godly rejoice.
    Let them be glad in God’s presence.
    Let them be filled with joy.
Sing praises to God and to his name!
    Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.[a]
His name is the Lord
    rejoice in his presence!

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
    this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
    he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

O God, when you led your people out from Egypt,
    when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interlude
the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
    before you, the God of Sinai,
    before God, the God of Israel.
You sent abundant rain, O God,
    to refresh the weary land.
10 There your people finally settled,
    and with a bountiful harvest, O God,
    you provided for your needy people.

11 The Lord gives the word,
    and a great army[b] brings the good news.
12 Enemy kings and their armies flee,
    while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
13 Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—
    doves with wings of silver
    and feathers of gold.
14 The Almighty scattered the enemy kings
    like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.

15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic,
    with many peaks stretching high into the sky.
16 Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
    at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
    where the Lord himself will live forever?

17 Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots,
    the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
18 When you ascended to the heights,
    you led a crowd of captives.
You received gifts from the people,
    even from those who rebelled against you.
    Now the Lord God will live among us there.

19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
    For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude
20 Our God is a God who saves!
    The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

21 But God will smash the heads of his enemies,
    crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan;
    I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.
23 You, my people, will wash[c] your feet in their blood,
    and even your dogs will get their share!”

24 Your procession has come into view, O God—
    the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.
25 Singers are in front, musicians behind;
    between them are young women playing tambourines.
26 Praise God, all you people of Israel;
    praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life.
27 Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way.
    Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah
    and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.

28 Summon your might, O God.[d]
    Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.
29 The kings of the earth are bringing tribute
    to your Temple in Jerusalem.
30 Rebuke these enemy nations—
    these wild animals lurking in the reeds,
    this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.
Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute.
    Scatter the nations that delight in war.
31 Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals[e];
    let Ethiopia[f] bring tribute to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
    Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude
33 Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
    his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
34 Tell everyone about God’s power.
    His majesty shines down on Israel;
    his strength is mighty in the heavens.
35 God is awesome in his sanctuary.
    The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!

Footnotes

  1. 68:4 Or rides through the deserts.
  2. 68:11 Or a host of women.
  3. 68:23 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads shatter.
  4. 68:28 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions; most Hebrew manuscripts read Your God has commanded your strength.
  5. 68:31a Or of rich cloth.
  6. 68:31b Hebrew Cush.

Psalm 68

For the music leader. Of David. A psalm. A song.

68 Let God rise up;
    let his enemies scatter;
    let those who hate him
        run scared before him!
Like smoke is driven away,
        drive them away!
    Like wax melting before fire,
        let the wicked perish before God!
But let the righteous be glad
    and celebrate before God.
    Let them rejoice with gladness!
Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
        Exalt the one who rides the clouds!
    The Lord is his name.
        Celebrate before him!

Father of orphans and defender of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the lonely in their homes;
    he sets prisoners free with happiness,[a]
    but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

When you went forth before your people, God,
        when you marched through the wasteland, Selah
    the earth shook!
Yes, heaven poured down
    before God, the one from Sinai—
    before God, the God of Israel!
You showered down abundant rain, God;
    when your inheritance grew weary,
    you restored it yourself,
10     and your creatures settled in it.
In your goodness, God,
    you provided for the poor.

11 My Lord gives the command—
    many messengers are bringing good news:
12 “The kings of armies are on the run!
    The women back home divide the spoil.
13 Even if you lie down among the sheepfolds,
    there are wings of a dove covered with silver;
    its pinions covered in precious gold.”[b]
14 When the Almighty[c] scattered the kings there,
    snow fell on Mount Zalmon.

15 Mighty mountain, Mount Bashan;
    many-peaked mountain, Mount Bashan!
16 You many-peaked mountain:
    Why do you look with envy
    at the mountain God desired for his dwelling,
        the mountain where the Lord dwells forever?

17 God’s chariots are twice ten thousand—
    countless thousands!
    My Lord came from Sinai[d] into the sanctuary.
18 You ascended the heights,
    leading away your captives,
    receiving tribute from people,
        even from those who rebel
        against the Lord God’s dwelling there.
19 Bless the Lord!
    The God of our salvation
    supports us day after day! Selah
20 Our God is the God of salvation,
    and escape from certain death comes through God my Lord.

21 Yes, God will shatter the heads of his enemies—
    the very skulls of those who walk in guilt.
22 My Lord has spoken:
    “From Bashan I will bring those people back.
    I will bring them back from the ocean’s depths
23         so that you can wash your feet in their blood,
        so that your dogs’ tongues
        can lap up their share of your enemies.”

24 They saw your procession, God—
    the procession of my God,
    my king, into the sanctuary.
25 First came the singers,
    then the musicians;
    between them the young women
        were playing hand drums:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation;
    bless the Lord from Israel’s fountain!”
27 There’s Benjamin leading them,
    though he’s little;
    then the princes of Judah,
    their speaker;
    then the princes of Zebulun
    and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Summon your strength, God!
    Show how strong you are, God,
        just as you’ve done for us before,
29         from your temple above Jerusalem,
        where kings bring you gifts.
30 Rebuke the wild animals of the marshland,
    the herd of bulls among the calves of the peoples.
Trample those who delight in money;
    scatter the peoples who take pleasure in battles.
31 Let ambassadors come from Egypt;
    let Cush stretch out its hands to God.

32 Sing to God, all kingdoms of the earth!
    Sing praises to my Lord. Selah
33 Sing to the one who rides through heaven,
    the most ancient heaven.
    Look! God sends forth his voice,
        his mighty voice.
34 Recognize how strong God is!
    His majesty extends over Israel;
    his strength is in the clouds.
35 You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries—
    the God of Israel who gives strength and power to his people!

Bless God!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:6 Or skillfully; LXX, Vulg with strength; Heb uncertain
  2. Psalm 68:13 Heb uncertain
  3. Psalm 68:14 Heb Shaddai
  4. Psalm 68:17 Correction; MT My Lord was among them, the one from Sinai, in holiness.