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Psalm 68-72
New Life Version
Psalm 68-72
New Life Version
The God of Israel at Sinai
68 May God rise up. May those who hate Him be divided. And may they run away from Him. 2 Drive them away like smoke in the wind. Let the sinful be destroyed before God like a candle melts by the fire. 3 But let those who are right and good be glad. Let them be happy before God. Yes, let them be full of joy. 4 Sing to God. Sing praises to His name. Make a road for Him Who goes through the deserts. The Lord is His name. Be full of joy before Him.
5 God in His holy house is a father to those who have no father. And He keeps the women safe whose husbands have died. 6 God makes a home for those who are alone. He leads men out of prison into happiness and well-being. But those who fight against Him live in an empty desert.
7 O God, when You went out before Your people, when You walked through the desert, 8 the earth shook. The heavens poured down rain before God. And Sinai shook before God, the God of Israel. 9 You sent a heavy rain, O God. You brought life back to Your promised land when it was dry. 10 Your people made it their home. O God, You gave the poor what they needed because You are good.
11 The Lord gives the Word. And the women who tell the good news are many. 12 The kings of armies run. They run away. And she who stays at home divides the riches. 13 When you lie down among the sheep, you are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the end of its wings with shining gold. 14 When the All-powerful divided the kings there, snow was falling in Zalmon.
15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan. A mountain of many high tops is the mountain of Bashan. 16 O mountains of many high tops, why do you look with jealousy at the mountain which God has chosen for His home? For sure, the Lord will live there forever. 17 The war-wagons of God are 20,000, even thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, as at Sinai, in the holy place. 18 You have gone up on high. You have taken those who were held with You. You have received gifts of men, even among those who fought against You. So the Lord God may live there with them.
19 Honor and thanks be to the Lord, Who carries our heavy loads day by day. He is the God Who saves us. 20 Our God is a God Who sets us free. The way out of death belongs to God the Lord. 21 But God will break the head of those who hate Him, the hair-covered head of him who goes on in his sins. 22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the bottom of the sea. 23 So your feet may crush them in blood. And the tongue of your dogs may have a share of those who hate you.”
24 They have seen Your people walking together, O God. They have seen the people of my God and King walking into the holy place. 25 Those who sing are in front. Those who play music are behind. And young women who beat timbrels are between. 26 Give thanks to God in the meetings of worship. Give thanks to the Lord, you who are of the family of Israel. 27 There is young Benjamin leading them. The rulers of Judah are among the people, and the rulers of Zebulun, and the rulers of Naphtali.
28 Your God has called for your strength. Show Your strength, O God, Who has acted for us. 29 Kings will bring gifts to You because of Your holy house at Jerusalem. 30 Speak sharp words to the wild animals in the tall grass by the river, the group of bulls with the calves of the people. Walk on those who desire pieces of silver. Divide the people who have joy in war. 31 Princes will come from Egypt. Ethiopia will hurry to put her hands out to God.
32 Sing to God, O nations of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord. 33 Sing to Him Who sits upon the heavens, the heavens of old. Listen, He sends out His voice, His powerful voice. 34 Tell of the power of God. His great power is over Israel and His strength is in the sky. 35 O God, You are honored with fear as You come from Your holy place. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Honor and thanks be to God!
A Cry for Help
69 Save me, O God, for the waters have almost taken my life. 2 I have gone down into deep mud and there is no place to put my feet. I have come into deep waters and a flood comes over me. 3 I have cried until I am tired. My mouth is dry. My eyes become weak while I wait for my God. 4 Those who hate me, without a reason, are more than the hairs on my head. Those who want to destroy me are powerful. I am made to return things that I did not steal.
5 O God, You know how foolish I am. My sins are not hidden from You. 6 May those who wait for You not be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of All. May those who look for You not lose respect because of me, O God of Israel. 7 I have been put to shame because of You. Shame has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons. 9 For the strong desire for Your house has burned me up. And the bad things said about You have fallen on me. 10 When I cried and went without food, I was put to shame. 11 When I put on clothes made from hair, they made fun of me. 12 Those who sit by the gate talk about me. And I am the song of those who drink too much.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to You at the right time, O Lord. Answer me with Your saving truth in Your great loving-kindness, O God. 14 Take me out of the mud and do not let me go down in it. Take me away from those who hate me and from the deep waters. 15 Keep the flood water from covering me. Do not let the sea swallow me up. Do not let the deep hole close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness is good. Turn to me because of Your great loving-pity. 17 Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble. Hurry to answer me. 18 Come near to me and save me. Pay the price to set me free from those who hate me. 19 You know how I have been put to shame by the bad things said about me. All those who hate me are before You.
20 Being put to shame has broken my heart, and I feel very sick. I looked for pity but there was none. I looked for someone to comfort me but there was no one. 21 They gave me bitter drink in my food. And because I was thirsty they gave me sour wine.
22 May their table in front of them become a net. May it become a trap when they are in peace. 23 May their eyes grow dark so they cannot see. And may their backs always shake. 24 Pour out Your anger on them. May Your burning anger catch up with them. 25 May their place of living be empty and may no one live in their tents. 26 For they have made it hard for the one You have punished. And they talk about the pain of those You have hurt. 27 Let their sins add up, and may they not become right with You. 28 May they be taken out of the book of life, and not be written down with those who are right with You.
29 But I am suffering and in pain. O God, may You save me and set me up on high. 30 I will praise the name of God with song. And I will give Him great honor with much thanks. 31 This will please the Lord more than any ox or young bull with horns and hoofs. 32 Those without pride will see it and be glad. You who look for God, let your heart receive new strength. 33 For the Lord hears those who are in need, and does not hate His people in prison.
34 Let heaven and earth and the seas and all the things that move in them give thanks to Him. 35 For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah. Then His people may live there and have it for their own. 36 And the children of those who obey Him will have it given to them. Those who love His name will live there.
Prayer for Help
70 O God, hurry to take me out of trouble. O Lord, hurry to help me! 2 Let those who want to kill me be ashamed and brought low. Let those who want to hurt me be turned away in shame. 3 Let those who say, “O, O!” be turned back because of their shame.
4 Let all who look for You be full of joy and be glad in You. And let those who love Your saving power always say, “Let God be honored.” 5 But I am poor and in need. Hurry to me, O God! You are my help and the One Who takes me out of trouble. O Lord, do not wait.
A Prayer of an Old Man
71 I have a safe place in you, O Lord. Let me never be ashamed. 2 Because You are right and good, take me out of trouble. Turn Your ear to me and save me. 3 Be a rock to me where I live, where I may always come and where I will be safe. For You are my rock and my safe place. 4 O my God, take me from the hand of the sinful, from the hand of the wrong-doer and the man without pity. 5 For You are my hope, O Lord God. You are my trust since I was young. 6 You have kept me safe from birth. It was You Who watched over me from the day I was born. My praise is always of You.
7 I have become a wonder and surprise to many. For You are my strong safe place. 8 My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your honor all day long. 9 Do not let me fall by the way when I am old. Do not leave me alone when my strength is gone. 10 For those who hate me talk against me. Those who want to kill make plans together. 11 They say, “God has turned away from him. Run and catch him, for there is no one to take him out of trouble.”
12 O God, do not be far from me! O my God, hurry to help me! 13 Let those who are against me be ashamed and destroyed. Let those who want to hurt me be without honor and covered with shame. 14 But as for me, I will always have hope and I will praise You more and more. 15 My mouth will tell about how right and good You are and about Your saving acts all day long. For there are more than I can know. 16 I will come in the strength of the Lord God. I will tell about how right and good You are, and You alone.
17 O God, You have taught me from when I was young. And I still tell about Your great works. 18 Even when I am old and my hair is turning white, O God, do not leave me alone. Let me tell about Your strength to all the people living now, and about Your power to all who are to come. 19 O God, You are right and good, as the heavens are high. You have done great things, O God. Who is like You? 20 You have shown me many troubles of all kinds. But You will make me strong again. And You will bring me up again from deep in the earth. 21 Add to my greatness, and turn to comfort me.
22 O my God, I will praise You with a harp. I will praise Your truth. I will sing praises to You with different kinds of harps, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will call out for joy when I sing praises to You. You have set my soul free. 24 My tongue will tell about how right and good You are all day long. For those who want to hurt me are ashamed and troubled.
A Prayer for the King
72 O God, make the king right in what he decides. Make the king’s son right with You. 2 May he be right when he decides who is right and who is wrong and may he be fair to the poor. 3 Let mountains and hills bring peace to the people through what is right and good. 4 May he stand by those who are poor, save the children of those in need, and destroy the bad power over them.
5 May all the children-to-come fear You as long as the sun and the moon last. 6 May He come down like rain upon the cut grass, like rain that waters the earth. 7 In His days may all go well with those who are right and good. And may there be much peace until the moon is no more.
8 May he also rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. 9 Those who live in the desert will put their faces to the ground before Him. And those who hate Him will kiss the dust. 10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring gifts. Let the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts. 11 Yes, let all kings fall down at His feet, and all nations serve Him.
12 For He will take out of trouble the one in need when he cries for help, and the poor man who has no one to help. 13 He will have loving-pity on the weak and those in need. He will save the lives of those in need. 14 He will take them from the bad power that is held over them and from being hurt. Their blood will be of much worth in His eyes. 15 He will live, and the gold of Sheba will be given to Him. Prayer will be given for Him all the time. Let them honor Him all day long.
16 May there be much grain in the land on top of the mountains. May its fruit grow like the trees of Lebanon. And may those of the city grow like the grass of the earth. 17 May His name last forever. May His name become bigger as long as the sun shines. And let men respect themselves through Him. Let all nations honor Him.
18 Honor and thanks be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone does great things. 19 And honor be to His great name forever. May the whole earth be filled with His shining-greatness. Let it be so.
20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.
Psalm 68-72
New International Version
Psalm 68-72
New International Version
Psalm 68[a]
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
1 May God arise,(A) may his enemies be scattered;(B)
may his foes flee(C) before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke—(D)
as wax melts(E) before the fire,
may the wicked perish(F) before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice(G) before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(H)
extol him who rides on the clouds[b](I);
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(J)
5 A father to the fatherless,(K) a defender of widows,(L)
is God in his holy dwelling.(M)
6 God sets the lonely(N) in families,[c](O)
he leads out the prisoners(P) with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(Q)
7 When you, God, went out(R) before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,[d](S)
8 the earth shook,(T) the heavens poured down rain,(U)
before God, the One of Sinai,(V)
before God, the God of Israel.(W)
9 You gave abundant showers,(X) O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty,(Y) God, you provided(Z) for the poor.
11 The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(AA)
12 “Kings and armies flee(AB) in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.(AC)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[e](AD)
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[f] scattered(AE) the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(AF)
15 Mount Bashan,(AG) majestic mountain,(AH)
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses(AI) to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(AJ)
17 The chariots(AK) of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;(AL)
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[g]
18 When you ascended(AM) on high,(AN)
you took many captives;(AO)
you received gifts from people,(AP)
even from[h] the rebellious(AQ)—
that you,[i] Lord God, might dwell there.
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(AR)
who daily bears our burdens.(AS)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(AT)
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(AU)
21 Surely God will crush the heads(AV) of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,(AW)
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,(AX)
while the tongues of your dogs(AY) have their share.”
24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.(AZ)
25 In front are the singers,(BA) after them the musicians;(BB)
with them are the young women playing the timbrels.(BC)
26 Praise God in the great congregation;(BD)
praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.(BE)
27 There is the little tribe(BF) of Benjamin,(BG) leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.(BH)
28 Summon your power,(BI) God[j];
show us your strength,(BJ) our God, as you have done(BK) before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.(BL)
30 Rebuke the beast(BM) among the reeds,(BN)
the herd of bulls(BO) among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations(BP) who delight in war.(BQ)
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;(BR)
Cush[k](BS) will submit herself to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,(BT)
sing praise(BU) to the Lord,
33 to him who rides(BV) across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders(BW) with mighty voice.(BX)
34 Proclaim the power(BY) of God,
whose majesty(BZ) is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome(CA) in your sanctuary;(CB)
the God of Israel gives power and strength(CC) to his people.(CD)
Praise be to God!(CE)
Psalm 69[l]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.
1 Save me, O God,
for the waters(CF) have come up to my neck.(CG)
2 I sink in the miry depths,(CH)
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
3 I am worn out calling for help;(CI)
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,(CJ)
looking for my God.
4 Those who hate me(CK) without reason(CL)
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,(CM)
those who seek to destroy me.(CN)
I am forced to restore
what I did not steal.
6 Lord, the Lord Almighty,
may those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me.
7 For I endure scorn(CQ) for your sake,(CR)
and shame covers my face.(CS)
8 I am a foreigner to my own family,
a stranger to my own mother’s children;(CT)
9 for zeal for your house consumes me,(CU)
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.(CV)
10 When I weep and fast,(CW)
I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,(CX)
people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate(CY) mock me,
and I am the song of the drunkards.(CZ)
13 But I pray to you, Lord,
in the time of your favor;(DA)
in your great love,(DB) O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep waters.(DC)
15 Do not let the floodwaters(DD) engulf me
or the depths swallow me up(DE)
or the pit close its mouth over me.(DF)
16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;(DG)
in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face(DH) from your servant;
answer me quickly,(DI) for I am in trouble.(DJ)
18 Come near and rescue me;
deliver(DK) me because of my foes.
19 You know how I am scorned,(DL) disgraced and shamed;
all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
for comforters,(DM) but I found none.(DN)
21 They put gall in my food
and gave me vinegar(DO) for my thirst.(DP)
22 May the table set before them become a snare;
may it become retribution and[m] a trap.(DQ)
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.(DR)
24 Pour out your wrath(DS) on them;
let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;(DT)
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.(DU)
26 For they persecute those you wound
and talk about the pain of those you hurt.(DV)
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;(DW)
do not let them share in your salvation.(DX)
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life(DY)
and not be listed with the righteous.(DZ)
29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
may your salvation, God, protect me.(EA)
30 I will praise God’s name in song(EB)
and glorify him(EC) with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.(ED)
32 The poor will see and be glad(EE)—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!(EF)
33 The Lord hears the needy(EG)
and does not despise his captive people.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and all that move in them,(EH)
35 for God will save Zion(EI)
and rebuild the cities of Judah.(EJ)
Then people will settle there and possess it;
36 the children of his servants will inherit it,(EK)
and those who love his name will dwell there.(EL)
Psalm 70[n](EM)
For the director of music. Of David. A petition.
1 Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.(EN)
2 May those who want to take my life(EO)
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.(EP)
3 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(EQ)
turn back because of their shame.
4 But may all who seek you(ER)
rejoice and be glad(ES) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”(ET)
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;(EU)
come quickly to me,(EV) O God.
You are my help(EW) and my deliverer;(EX)
Lord, do not delay.(EY)
Psalm 71(EZ)
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(FA)
let me never be put to shame.(FB)
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear(FC) to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.(FD)
4 Deliver(FE) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(FF)
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(FG)
5 For you have been my hope,(FH) Sovereign Lord,
my confidence(FI) since my youth.
6 From birth(FJ) I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(FK)
I will ever praise(FL) you.
7 I have become a sign(FM) to many;
you are my strong refuge.(FN)
8 My mouth(FO) is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor(FP) all day long.
9 Do not cast(FQ) me away when I am old;(FR)
do not forsake(FS) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(FT) speak against me;
those who wait to kill(FU) me conspire(FV) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(FW) him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue(FX) him.”
12 Do not be far(FY) from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help(FZ) me.
13 May my accusers(GA) perish in shame;(GB)
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.(GC)
14 As for me, I will always have hope;(GD)
I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell(GE) of your righteous deeds,(GF)
of your saving acts all day long—
though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(GG) Sovereign Lord;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(GH) me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(GI)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(GJ)
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(GK) to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.(GL)
19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(GM)
you who have done great things.(GN)
Who is like you, God?(GO)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(GP)
many and bitter,
you will restore(GQ) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(GR)
you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(GS)
and comfort(GT) me once more.
22 I will praise you with the harp(GU)
for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(GV)
Holy One of Israel.(GW)
23 My lips will shout for joy(GX)
when I sing praise to you—
I whom you have delivered.(GY)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
all day long,(GZ)
for those who wanted to harm me(HA)
have been put to shame and confusion.(HB)
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
1 Endow the king with your justice,(HC) O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,(HD)
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted(HE) among the people
and save the children of the needy;(HF)
may he crush the oppressor.(HG)
5 May he endure[o](HH) as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.(HI)
6 May he be like rain(HJ) falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish(HK)
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River[p](HL) to the ends of the earth.(HM)
9 May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish(HN) and of distant shores(HO)
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba(HP) and Seba
present him gifts.(HQ)
11 May all kings bow down(HR) to him
and all nations serve(HS) him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity(HT) on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue(HU) them from oppression and violence,
for precious(HV) is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba(HW) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.(HX)
16 May grain(HY) abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops(HZ) flourish like Lebanon(IA)
and thrive[q] like the grass of the field.(IB)
17 May his name endure forever;(IC)
may it continue as long as the sun.(ID)
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,(IF)
who alone does marvelous deeds.(IG)
19 Praise be to his glorious name(IH) forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.(II)
Amen and Amen.(IJ)
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.(IK)
Footnotes
- Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
- Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
- Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
- Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
- Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
- Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
- Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
- Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
- Psalm 68:18 Or they
- Psalm 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
- Psalm 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region
- Psalm 69:1 In Hebrew texts 69:1-36 is numbered 69:2-37.
- Psalm 69:22 Or snare / and their fellowship become
- Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.
- Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
- Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
- Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
- Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)
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