Psalm 68-69

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁴ Sing to God; sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds^[a]—
his name is the Lord—
    be exultant before him.^(D)

⁵ Father of orphans and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.^(E)
6 God gives the desolate a home to live in;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but the rebellious live in a parched land.^(F)

⁷ O God, when you went out before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness, Selah^(G)
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
    at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
    at the presence of God, the God of Israel.^(H)
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
    you restored your heritage when it languished;^(I)
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.^(J)

¹¹ The Lord gives the command;
    great is the company of those^[b] who bore the tidings:
¹²     “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil,^(K)
13     though they stay among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with green gold.^(L)
14 When the Almighty^[c] scattered kings there,
    snow fell on Zalmon.^(M)

¹⁵ O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God desired for his abode,
    where the Lord will reside forever?^(N)

¹⁷ With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands,
    the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.^[d](O)
18 You ascended the high mount,
    leading captives in your train
    and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.^(P)
19 Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah^(Q)
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.^(R)

²¹ But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.^(S)
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,^(T)
23 so that you may bathe^[e] your feet in blood,
    so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”^(U)

²⁴ Your solemn processions are seen,^[f] O God,
    the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—^(V)
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
    between them young women playing tambourines:^(W)
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”^(X)
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in a body,
    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.^(Y)

²⁸ Summon your might, O God;
    show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
²⁹ Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
    kings bear gifts to you.^(Z)
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
    the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample^[g] under foot those who lust after tribute;
    scatter the peoples who delight in war.^[h](AA)
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
    let Cush hasten to stretch out its hands to God.^(AB)

³² Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
³³ O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.^(AC)
34 Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel
    and whose power is in the skies.^(AD)
35 Awesome is God in his^[i] sanctuary,
    the God of Israel;
    he gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!^(AE)

⁴ More in number than the hairs of my head
    are those who hate me without cause;
many are those who would destroy me,
    my enemies who accuse me falsely.
What I did not steal,
    must I now restore?^(AI)
5 O God, you know my folly;
    the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.^(AJ)

⁶ Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me,
    O God of Israel.
⁷ It is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that shame has covered my face.^(AK)
8 I have become a stranger to my kindred,
    an alien to my mother’s children.^(AL)

⁹ It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;
    the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.^(AM)
10 When I humbled my soul with fasting,^[j]
    they insulted me for doing so.^(AN)
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.^(AO)
12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make songs about me.^(AP)

¹³ But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help^{(AQ) 14} rescue me
    from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from the deep waters.^(AR)
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me
    or the deep swallow me up
    or the Pit close its mouth over me.^(AS)

¹⁶ Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.^(AT)
17 Do not hide your face from your servant,
    for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.^(AU)
18 Draw near to me; redeem me;
    set me free because of my enemies.

¹⁹ You know the insults I receive
    and my shame and dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.^(AV)
20 Insults have broken my heart,
    so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none;
    and for comforters, but I found none.^(AW)
21 They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.^(AX)

²² Let their table be a trap for them,
    a snare for their allies.^(AY)
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and make their loins tremble continually.^(AZ)
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
    and let your burning anger overtake them.^(BA)
25 May their camp be a desolation;
    let no one live in their tents.^(BB)
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down,
    and those whom you have wounded they attack still more.^[k](BC)
27 Add guilt to their guilt;
    may they have no acquittal from you.
²⁸ Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
    let them not be enrolled among the righteous.^(BD)
29 But I am lowly and in pain;
    let your salvation, O God, protect me.^(BE)

³⁰ I will praise the name of God with a song;
    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.^(BF)
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull with horns and hoofs.^(BG)
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad;
    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.^(BH)
33 For the Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his own who are in bonds.^(BI)

³⁴ Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.^(BJ)
35 For God will save Zion
    and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his servants shall live^[l] there and possess it;^(BK)
36     the children of his servants shall inherit it,
    and those who love his name shall live in it.^(BL)