Psalms 68
68
For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.
1Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.
Let those who hate God run for their lives.
2Blow them away like smoke.
Melt them like wax in a fire.
Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
3But let the godly rejoice.
Let them be glad in God’s presence.
Let them be filled with joy.
4Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.#68:4 Or rides through the deserts.
His name is the Lord—
rejoice in his presence!
5Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
6God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
7O God, when you led your people out from Egypt,
when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interlude
8the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
before you, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9You sent abundant rain, O God,
to refresh the weary land.
10There your people finally settled,
and with a bountiful harvest, O God,
you provided for your needy people.
11The Lord gives the word,
and a great army#68:11 Or a host of women. brings the good news.
12Enemy kings and their armies flee,
while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
13Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—
doves with wings of silver
and feathers of gold.
14The Almighty scattered the enemy kings
like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15The mountains of Bashan are majestic,
with many peaks stretching high into the sky.
16Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
where the Lord himself will live forever?
17Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots,
the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
18When you ascended to the heights,
you led a crowd of captives.
You received gifts from the people,
even from those who rebelled against you.
Now the Lord God will live among us there.
19Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude
20Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.
21But God will smash the heads of his enemies,
crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
22The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan;
I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.
23You, my people, will wash#68:23 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads shatter. your feet in their blood,
and even your dogs will get their share!”
24Your procession has come into view, O God—
the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.
25Singers are in front, musicians behind;
between them are young women playing tambourines.
26Praise God, all you people of Israel;
praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life.
27Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way.
Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah
and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.
28Summon your might, O God.#68:28 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions; most Hebrew manuscripts read Your God has commanded your strength.
Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.
29The kings of the earth are bringing tribute
to your Temple in Jerusalem.
30Rebuke these enemy nations—
these wild animals lurking in the reeds,
this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.
Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute.
Scatter the nations that delight in war.
31Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals#68:31a Or of rich cloth.;
let Ethiopia#68:31b Hebrew Cush. bring tribute to God.
32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude
33Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
34Tell everyone about God’s power.
His majesty shines down on Israel;
his strength is mighty in the heavens.
35God is awesome in his sanctuary.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!
Currently Selected:
Psalms 68: NLT
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT:
Psalm 68
68
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A song.
1 GOD IS [already] beginning to arise, and His enemies to scatter; let them also who hate Him flee before Him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before the presence of God.
3 But let the [uncompromisingly] righteous be glad; let them be in high spirits and glory before God, yes, let them [jubilantly] rejoice!
4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name, cast up a highway for Him Who rides through the deserts–His name is the Lord–be in high spirits and glory before Him!
5 A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows is God in His holy habitation.
6 God places the solitary in families and gives the desolate a home in which to dwell; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
7 O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness–Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!–
8 The earth trembled, the heavens also poured down [rain] at the presence of God; yonder Sinai quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You, O God, did send a plentiful rain; You did restore and confirm Your heritage when it languished and was weary.
10 Your flock found a dwelling place in it; You, O God, in Your goodness did provide for the poor and needy.
11 The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish [the news] are a great host.
12 The kings of the enemies' armies, they flee, they flee! She who tarries at home divides the spoil [left behind].
13 Though you [the slackers] may lie among the sheepfolds [in slothful ease, yet for Israel] the wings of a dove are covered with silver, its pinions excessively green with gold [are trophies taken from the enemy].
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in [the land], it was as when it snows on Zalmon [a wooded hill near Shechem].
15 Is Mount Bashan the high mountain of summits, Mount Bashan [east of the Jordan] the mount of God?
16 Why do you look with grudging and envy, you many-peaked mountains, at the mountain [of the city called Zion] which God has desired for His dwelling place? Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands. The Lord is among them as He was in Sinai, [so also] in the Holy Place (the sanctuary in Jerusalem).
18 You have ascended on high. You have led away captive a train of vanquished foes; You have received gifts of men, yes, of the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell there with them. [Eph. 4:8.]
19 Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God Who is our salvation! Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
20 God is to us a God of deliverances and salvation; and to God the Lord belongs escape from death [setting us free].
21 But God will shatter the heads of His enemies, the hairy scalp of such a one as goes on still in his trespasses and guilty ways.
22 The Lord said, I will bring back [your enemies] from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the [Red] Sea,
23 That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.
24 They see Your goings, O God, even the [solemn processions] of my God, my King, into the sanctuary [in holiness].
25 The singers go in front, the players on instruments last; between them the maidens are playing on tambourines.
26 Bless, give thanks, and gratefully praise God in full congregations, even the Lord, O you who are from [Jacob] the fountain of Israel.
27 There is little Benjamin in the lead [in the procession], the princes of Judah and their company, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
28 Your God has commanded your strength [your might in His service and impenetrable hardness to temptation]; O God, display Your might and strengthen what You have wrought for us!
29 [Out of respect] for Your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bring gifts to You.
30 Rebuke the wild beasts dwelling among the reeds [in Egypt], the herd of bulls (the leaders) with the calves of the peoples; trample underfoot those who lust for tribute money; scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall hasten to stretch out her hands [with the offerings of submission] to God.
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord! Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
33 [Sing praises] to Him Who rides upon the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, He sends forth His voice, His mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power and strength to God; His majesty is over Israel, and His strength and might are in the skies.
35 O God, awe-inspiring, profoundly impressive, and terrible are You out of Your holy places; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and fullness of might to His people. Blessed be God!
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation