Psalm 68:1-18

Good News Translation

⁴ Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
    prepare a way for him who rides on the clouds.^[b]
    His name is the Lord—be glad in his presence!

⁵ God, who lives in his sacred Temple,
    cares for orphans and protects widows.
⁶ He gives the lonely a home to live in
    and leads prisoners out into happy freedom,
    but rebels will have to live in a desolate land.

⁷ O God, when you led your people,
    when you marched across the desert,
^8 (A)the earth shook, and the sky poured down rain,
    because of the coming of the God of Sinai,^[c]
    the coming of the God of Israel.
⁹ You caused abundant rain to fall
    and restored your worn-out land;
¹⁰ your people made their home there;
    in your goodness you provided for the poor.

¹¹ The Lord gave the command,
    and many women carried the news:
¹² “Kings and their armies are running away!”
    The women at home divided what was captured:
¹³     figures of doves covered with silver,
    whose wings glittered with fine gold.
(Why did some of you stay among the sheep pens on the day of battle?)
¹⁴ When Almighty God scattered the kings on Mount Zalmon,
    he caused snow to fall there.

¹⁵ What a mighty mountain is Bashan,
    a mountain of many peaks!
¹⁶ Why from your mighty peaks do you look with scorn
    on the mountain^[d] on which God chose to live?
    The Lord will live there forever!

¹⁷ With his many thousands of mighty chariots
    the Lord comes from Sinai^[e] into the holy place.
^18 (B)He goes up to the heights,
    taking many captives with him;
    he receives gifts from rebellious people.
The Lord God will live there.