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Praise to God for Providing Victory

For the music director. Of David. A psalm. A song.[a]

68 God will arise; his enemies will be scattered,
and those who hate him will flee from before him.
As smoke is driven off, you will drive them off.
As wax melts before fire,
the wicked will perish before God.
But the righteous will be glad; they will exalt before God,
and will rejoice with joy.
Sing to God, sing praises to his name.
Lift up a song to the rider on the clouds—his name is Yah—[b]
and rejoice before him.
A father to orphans and a judge for widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the lonely in a home;
he brings prisoners out into prosperity.
But the rebellious abide in a barren land.
O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the desert, Selah
the earth shook; the heavens also dripped rain
at the presence of God who was at Sinai,
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
You caused abundant rain to fall, O God.
When your inheritance was weary you revived it.
10 Your community dwelled in it.
You provided in your goodness for the poor, O God.
11 The Lord gives the word.
Great is the company of women who announce:
12 The kings of armies flee, they flee,
and she who remains at home divides the spoil.
13 Though you men lie down between the sheepfolds,
you will be like the wings of a dove covered in silver
and its pinions in yellow gold.”
14 When Shaddai scattered kings on it,
on Zalmon it snowed.[c]
15 A mountain of God[d] is the mountain of Bashan;
a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you look with hostility, O many-peaked mountains?
This[e] mountain God desires for his dwelling.
Yes, Yahweh will abide in it forever.
17 The chariots of God
are twice ten thousand, with thousands doubled.
The Lord is among them at Sinai, distinctive in victory.[f]
18 You have ascended on high; you have led away captives.
You have received gifts from among humankind,
and even from the rebellious, so that Yah[g] God may dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord. Daily he loads us with benefits,[h]
the God of our salvation.[i] Selah
20 Our God is a God of deliverances,
and to the Yahweh the Lord belong escapes from death.
21 But God will shatter the head of his enemies,
the hairy scalp of the one who continues on[j] in his guilt.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 so that your foot may shatter them bloody
for the tongues of your dogs to have their share from the enemies.”
24 They have seen your processions, O God,
the processions of my God, my king, distinctive in victory.[k]
25 Singers went up front, those playing stringed instruments last,
between them young women playing tambourines.
26 Bless God in the assemblies,
Yahweh from the fountain of Israel.
27 There is little Benjamin ruling them,
with the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
28 Your God has commanded your strength.
Show yourself strong, O God, by what you perform[l] for us.
29 Because your temple is above Jerusalem,
kings will bring tribute to you.
30 Rebuke the beasts in[m] the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
trampling the pieces of silver.[n]
Scatter the nations who delight in battles.
31 Ambassadors[o] will come from Egypt;
Cush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praise to the Lord, Selah
33 to the one who rides in the highest heavens of old.
See, he gives forth his voice, a mighty voice.
34 Ascribe strength to God.
His majesty is over Israel,
and his strength is in the clouds.
35 Awesome are you, O God, from your sanctuary.[p]
The God of Israel, it is he who gives strength and might to the people.
Blessed be God.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 68:4 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  3. Psalm 68:14 Or “you caused it to snow on”
  4. Psalm 68:15 Or “A mighty mountain”
  5. Psalm 68:16 Hebrew “The”
  6. Psalm 68:17 Or “as at Sinai, in the sanctuary”
  7. Psalm 68:18 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  8. Psalm 68:19 Or “daily carries our burden”
  9. Psalm 68:19 Or “victory”
  10. Psalm 68:21 Literally “is walking about”
  11. Psalm 68:24 Or “into the sanctuary”
  12. Psalm 68:28 Or “you who have worked”
  13. Psalm 68:30 Hebrew “of”
  14. Psalm 68:30 Or “until each humbles himself by offering pieces of silver”
  15. Psalm 68:31 Reading with the LXX; meaning uncertain
  16. Psalm 68:35 Hebrew “sanctuaries”

God Shall Scatter His Enemies

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.

68 (A)God shall arise, his enemies shall be (B)scattered;
    and those who hate him shall flee before him!
As (C)smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
    (D)as wax melts before fire,
    so the wicked shall perish before God!
But (E)the righteous shall be glad;
    they shall exult before God;
    they shall be jubilant with joy!

Sing to God, (F)sing praises to his name;
    (G)lift up a song to him who (H)rides through (I)the deserts;
his name is (J)the Lord;
    exult before him!
(K)Father of the fatherless and (L)protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
God (M)settles the solitary in a home;
    he (N)leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but (O)the rebellious dwell in (P)a parched land.

O God, when you (Q)went out before your people,
    (R)when you marched through (S)the wilderness, Selah
(T)the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God,[a] the God of Israel.
(U)Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
    you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock[b] found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you (V)provided for the needy.

11 The Lord gives (W)the word;
    (X)the women who announce the news are a great host:
12     (Y)“The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home (Z)divide the spoil—
13     though you men lie among (AA)the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,
    let snow fall on (AB)Zalmon.

15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked[c] mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God (AC)desired for his abode,
    yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
17 (AD)The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands;
    the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 (AE)You ascended on high,
    (AF)leading a host of captives in your train
    and (AG)receiving gifts among men,
even among (AH)the rebellious, (AI)that the Lord God may dwell there.

19 Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily (AJ)bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    (AK)and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 (AL)But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back (AM)from Bashan,
(AN)I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may (AO)strike your feet in their blood,
    that (AP)the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”

24 Your procession is[d] seen, O God,
    the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 (AQ)the singers in front, (AR)the musicians last,
    between them (AS)virgins playing tambourines:
26 (AT)“Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you[e] who are of (AU)Israel's fountain!”
27 There is (AV)Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in their throng,
    the princes of (AW)Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

28 (AX)Summon your power, O God,[f]
    the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings shall (AY)bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke (AZ)the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
    the herd of (BA)bulls with the calves of the peoples.
(BB)Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
    scatter the peoples who delight in war.[g]
31 Nobles shall come from (BC)Egypt;
    (BD)Cush shall hasten to (BE)stretch out her hands to God.

32 (BF)O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him (BG)who rides in (BH)the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    behold, he (BI)sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 (BJ)Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel,
    and whose (BK)power is in (BL)the skies.
35 (BM)Awesome is God from his[h] (BN)sanctuary;
    the God of Israel—he is the one who gives (BO)power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:8 Or before God, even Sinai before God
  2. Psalm 68:10 Or your congregation
  3. Psalm 68:15 Or hunch-backed; also verse 16
  4. Psalm 68:24 Or has been
  5. Psalm 68:26 The Hebrew for you is plural here
  6. Psalm 68:28 By revocalization (compare Septuagint); Hebrew Your God has summoned your power
  7. Psalm 68:30 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
  8. Psalm 68:35 Septuagint; Hebrew your

Gott ist Sieger!

68 Ein Lied von David.

Gott erhebt sich und zerstreut seine Feinde;
    alle, die ihn hassen, ergreifen vor ihm die Flucht.
Gott treibt sie auseinander wie Wind den Rauch.
    Wie Wachs im Feuer zerschmilzt, so vergehen alle,
    die Gott verachten, in seiner Gegenwart.
Diejenigen aber, die Gott die Treue halten,
freuen sich, wenn er sich zeigt.
    Sie jubeln ihm zu, überwältigt von Freude.

Musiziert zu Gottes Ehre, besingt seinen Namen!
Ebnet den Weg für den, der auf den Wolken reitet[a]:
    »Herr« ist sein Name. Jubelt ihm zu!
Ein Anwalt der Witwen und ein Vater der Waisen
    ist Gott in seiner heiligen Wohnung.
Den Einsamen gibt er ein Zuhause,
den Gefangenen schenkt er Freiheit und Glück.
    Wer jedoch gegen jede Ordnung verstößt,
    der führt ein trostloses Leben.

Gott, als du vor deinem Volk herzogst
    und mit ihm die Wüste durchquertest,
da bebte die Erde; vom Himmel strömte der Regen herab,
    als du dich am Berg Sinai zeigtest, du Gott Israels.
10 Du ließest so viel Regen fallen,
    dass das ausgedörrte Land wieder fruchtbar wurde.
    Das Land, das du uns zum Erbe gegeben hattest,
11 wurde so zur Heimat für dein Volk.
    Du hast für sie gesorgt, du gütiger Gott!

12 Der Herr gab den Befehl,
    und viele Frauen verbreiteten die freudige Nachricht vom Sieg:
13-14 »Die feindlichen Könige jagen mit ihren Heeren davon,
ja, sie ergreifen alle die Flucht!
    In den Häusern verteilt man schon die Beute:
Silber und schimmerndes Gold –
    alles glitzert und glänzt in herrlicher Pracht![b]
    Wollt ihr da noch bei den Herden sitzen bleiben?«
15 Als der allmächtige Gott die feindlichen Könige aus dem Land jagte,
    da bedeckte die Beute den Berg Zalmon wie Schnee[c].

16 Mächtig erhebt sich der Berg Baschan,
    gewaltig ragen seine Kuppen empor.
17 Du zerklüfteter Berg, warum blickst du so neidisch auf Zion,
den Berg, den Gott sich zu seinem Wohnsitz erwählt hat?
    Ja, für immer wird der Herr dort wohnen.
18 Unzählige Kampfwagen besitzt Gott,
der Herr über die himmlischen Heere.
    Vom Sinai her zieht er in sein Heiligtum ein.[d]
19 Du bist in die Höhe hinaufgestiegen
    und hast Gefangene im Triumphzug mitgeführt.
Du hast den Menschen Tribut auferlegt;[e]
    sogar die hartnäckigsten Feinde sind bereit,
    sich dir, Herr, unser Gott, zu unterwerfen.

20 Gepriesen sei der Herr für seine Hilfe!
    Tag für Tag trägt er unsere Lasten.
21 Er ist ein Gott, der eingreift, wenn wir in Not sind;
    ja, unser Herr kann sogar vom Tod erretten.
22 Seinen Feinden aber wird er den Kopf zerschmettern,
    denen, die sich von ihren Sünden nicht abbringen lassen.
23 Der Herr hat gesagt: »Ich ziehe meine Feinde zur Rechenschaft,
    ob sie sich im Baschangebirge verstecken oder gar im tiefen Meer.
24 Dann wirst du mit deinen Füßen in ihrem Blut stehen,
    und deine Hunde werden es auflecken.«

25 Gott, alle sind Zeugen deines Triumphzuges;
    sie sehen, wie du ins Heiligtum einziehst, du, mein Gott und König!
26 Die Sänger führen den Zug an, ihnen folgen die Harfenspieler,
    umringt von Mädchen, die das Tamburin schlagen:
27 »Preist Gott, ihr Chöre,
    preist den Herrn, ihr Nachkommen Israels!«
28 Darauf folgt Benjamin, der kleinste unter den Stämmen,
nach ihm kommen die Fürsten von Juda mit ihrem Gefolge
    und schließlich die Fürsten von Sebulon und von Naftali.

29 Gott, zeige deine Macht,
    die du schon früher an uns erwiesen hast![f]
30 Dein Tempel ragt hoch über Jerusalem.
    Dorthin bringen dir Könige ihren Tribut.
31 Erschrecke die Großmacht Ägypten, das Ungeheuer am Nil!
    Weise die Machthaber und ihre Völker zurecht!
Zerstreue die Nationen in alle Winde,
    die nach Beute gieren und den Krieg lieben![g]
32 Aus Ägypten werden Gesandte ankommen,
    Äthiopien wird herbeieilen und Gott reiche Geschenke bringen[h].

33 Singt zur Ehre Gottes,
    spielt für ihn auf euren Instrumenten, ihr Völker dieser Erde!
34 Er reitet durch den Himmel, der seit Urzeiten besteht.
    Hört, wie gewaltig seine Stimme ertönt!
35 Verkündet Gottes Herrschaft! Er regiert über Israel,
    und seiner Macht sind auch über den Wolken keine Grenzen gesetzt!
36 Die Menschen erschrecken und staunen,
wenn er in seinem Heiligtum erscheint.
    Der Gott Israels gibt seinem Volk Stärke und Kraft.

    Gelobt sei Gott!

Footnotes

  1. 68,5 Oder: der durch die Steppe reitet.
  2. 68,13‒14 Wörtlich: Flügel der Taube, die mit Silber und deren Schwingen mit grünlichem Gold bedeckt sind. – Der hebräische Text ist nur schwer zu deuten.
  3. 68,15 Wörtlich: da fiel Schnee auf den Zalmon.
  4. 68,18 Oder: Gott selbst ist unter ihnen, der Heilige in seiner Herrlichkeit.
  5. 68,19 Wörtlich: Du hast von Menschen Gaben empfangen.
  6. 68,29 Oder: Es ist der Wille deines Gottes, dass du machtvoll auftrittst, (Volk) Israel!
  7. 68,31 Wörtlich: Bedrohe das Tier im Schilf, die Schar der Stiere samt den Völkerkälbern! Zerstampfe, die an Silber Gefallen haben, zerstreue die Völker, die Kriege lieben!
  8. 68,32 Oder: und seine Hände zu Gott ausstrecken.