Psalm 68
World English Bible
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.
68 Let God arise!
Let his enemies be scattered!
Let them who hate him also flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away,
so drive them away.
As wax melts before the fire,
so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But let the righteous be glad.
Let them rejoice before God.
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Extol him who rides on the clouds:
to Yah, his name!
Rejoice before him!
5 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows,
is God in his holy habitation.
6 God sets the lonely in families.
He brings out the prisoners with singing,
but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
7 God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness... Selah.
8 The earth trembled.
The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai—
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You, God, sent a plentiful rain.
You confirmed your inheritance when it was weary.
10 Your congregation lived therein.
You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.
11 The Lord announced the word.
The ones who proclaim it are a great company.
12 “Kings of armies flee! They flee!”
She who waits at home divides the plunder,
13 while you sleep among the camp fires,
the wings of a dove sheathed with silver,
her feathers with shining gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in her,
it snowed on Zalmon.
15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains.
The mountains of Bashan are rugged.
16 Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign?
Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.
17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands.
The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.
18 You have ascended on high.
You have led away captives.
You have received gifts among people,
yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens,
even the God who is our salvation. Selah.
20 God is to us a God of deliverance.
To Yahweh, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
21 But God will strike through the head of his enemies,
the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.
22 The Lord said, “I will bring you again from Bashan,
I will bring you again from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood,
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen your processions, God,
even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 The singers went before, the minstrels followed after,
among the ladies playing with tambourines,
26 “Bless God in the congregations,
even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”
27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler,
the princes of Judah, their council,
the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
28 Your God has commanded your strength.
Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings shall bring presents to you.
30 Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds,
the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples.
Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations that delight in war.
31 Princes shall come out of Egypt.
Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth!
Sing praises to the Lord— Selah—
33 to him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old;
behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
34 Ascribe strength to God!
His excellency is over Israel,
his strength is in the skies.
35 You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people.
Praise be to God!
Psalm 68
New American Standard Bible
The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.
For the music director. A Psalm of David. A Song.
68 [a]May (A)God arise, [b]may His enemies be scattered,
And [c]may those who hate Him flee from His presence.
2 As (B)smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As (C)wax melts before a fire,
So the (D)wicked will perish before God.
3 But the (E)righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God;
Yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
4 Sing to God, (F)sing praises to His name;
[d](G)Exalt Him who (H)rides through the deserts,
Whose (I)name is [e]the Lord, and be jubilant before Him.
5 A (J)father of the fatherless and a (K)judge [f]for the widows,
Is God in His (L)holy dwelling.
6 God [g](M)makes a home for the lonely;
He (N)leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only (O)the rebellious live in parched lands.
7 God, when You (P)went forth before Your people,
When You (Q)marched through the desert, Selah
8 The (R)earth quaked;
The (S)heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
[h](T)Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You (U)made plentiful rain fall, God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was [i]parched.
10 Your creatures settled in it;
In Your kindness You (V)provided for the poor, God.
11 The Lord gives the [j]command;
The (W)women who proclaim good news are a great army:
12 “(X)Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will (Y)divide the spoils!”
13 [k]When you lie down (Z)among the sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with [l]glistening gold.
14 When the Almighty (AA)scattered the kings [m]there,
It was snowing in (AB)Zalmon.
15 (AC)The mountain of Bashan is a [n]mountain of God;
The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.
16 Why do you look with envy, you mountains of many peaks,
At the mountain God has (AD)desired as His dwelling?
Indeed, (AE)the Lord will dwell there forever.
17 The (AF)chariots of God are [o]myriads, (AG)thousands upon thousands;
[p]The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
18 You have (AH)ascended on high, You have (AI)led captive Your captives;
You have received gifts among people,
Even among the rebellious as well, that [q]the Lord God may dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily (AJ)bears our burden,
(AK)The God who is our salvation. Selah
20 God is to us a (AL)God of salvation;
And (AM)to [r]God the Lord belong ways of escape [s]from death.
21 God certainly will (AN)shatter the heads of His enemies,
The hairy [t]head of one who goes about in his guilt.
22 The Lord [u]said, “(AO)I will bring them back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 So that [v](AP)your foot may shatter them in blood,
And the tongue of your (AQ)dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
24 They have seen (AR)Your procession, God,
The procession of my God, my King, [w](AS)into the sanctuary.
25 The (AT)singers went on, the musicians after them,
[x]In the midst of the (AU)young women beating tambourines.
26 (AV)Bless God in the congregations,
Even the Lord, you who are of the (AW)fountain of Israel.
27 (AX)Benjamin, the [y]youngest, is there, [z]ruling them,
The leaders of Judah in their company,
The leaders of (AY)Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.
28 [aa]Your God has (AZ)commanded your strength;
Show Yourself strong, God, You (BA)who acted [ab]in our behalf.
29 [ac]Because of Your temple at Jerusalem
(BB)Kings will bring gifts to You.
30 Rebuke the (BC)animals [ad]in the reeds,
The herd of (BD)bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Trampling the pieces of silver;
He has (BE)scattered the peoples who delight in war.
31 [ae]Messengers will come from (BF)Egypt;
[af](BG)Cush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you (BH)kingdoms of the earth,
(BI)Sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 To Him who (BJ)rides upon the [ag](BK)highest heavens, which are from ancient times;
Behold, (BL)He [ah]speaks with His voice, a (BM)mighty voice.
34 (BN)Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel,
And (BO)His strength is in the [ai]skies.
35 [aj]God, You are (BP)awesome from Your [ak]sanctuary.
The God of Israel Himself (BQ)gives strength and power to the people.
(BR)Blessed be God!
Footnotes
- Psalm 68:1 Or God shall
- Psalm 68:1 Or His enemies shall
- Psalm 68:1 Or those who hate Him shall
- Psalm 68:4 Or Prepare the way for Him
- Psalm 68:4 Heb Yah
- Psalm 68:5 Lit of
- Psalm 68:6 Lit makes the solitary to dwell in a house
- Psalm 68:8 Lit This is Sinai which
- Psalm 68:9 Lit weary
- Psalm 68:11 Lit word
- Psalm 68:13 Lit If
- Psalm 68:13 I.e., gold alloyed with silver
- Psalm 68:14 Lit in it
- Psalm 68:15 Or mighty mountain
- Psalm 68:17 Lit twice 10,000
- Psalm 68:17 Another reading is The Lord came from Sinai into the sanctuary
- Psalm 68:18 Heb Yah
- Psalm 68:20 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 68:20 I.e., in view of; lit for
- Psalm 68:21 Lit skull
- Psalm 68:22 Or says
- Psalm 68:23 Some ancient versions render, you may bathe your foot in blood
- Psalm 68:24 Or in holiness
- Psalm 68:25 Or The maidens in the midst
- Psalm 68:27 Or smallest
- Psalm 68:27 Or their ruler
- Psalm 68:28 Some mss Command, God
- Psalm 68:28 Lit for us
- Psalm 68:29 Or From Your temple
- Psalm 68:30 Lit of
- Psalm 68:31 As in LXX; MT uncertain, possibly, Articles of bronze; or Articles of red cloth
- Psalm 68:31 Or Ethiopia
- Psalm 68:33 Lit heaven of heavens of old
- Psalm 68:33 Lit gives forth
- Psalm 68:34 Lit clouds
- Psalm 68:35 Or Awesome is God from your sanctuary
- Psalm 68:35 Lit holy places
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