Psalms 68
68
(A psalm and a song by David for the music leader.)
God Will Win the Battle
1Do something, God!
Scatter your hateful enemies.
Make them turn and run.
2Scatter them like smoke!
When you come near,
make them melt
like wax in a fire.
3But let your people be happy
and celebrate because of you.
4Our God, you are the one
who rides on the clouds,#68.4 on the clouds: Or “across the desert.”
and we praise you.
Your name is the Lord,
and we celebrate
as we worship you.
5Our God, from your sacred home
you take care of orphans
and protect widows.
6You find families
for those who are lonely.
You set prisoners free
and let them prosper,#68.6 and let them prosper: Or “and give them a song.”
but all who rebel will live
in a scorching desert.
7You set your people free,
and you led them
through the desert.
8 #
Ex 19.18. God of Israel,
the earth trembled,
and rain poured down.
You alone are the God
who rules from Mount Sinai.
9When your land was thirsty,
you sent showers
to refresh it.
10Your people settled there,
and you were generous
to everyone in need.
11You gave the command, Lord,
and a chorus of women told
what had happened:
12“Kings and their armies
retreated and ran,
and everything they left
is now being divided.
13And for those who stayed back
to guard the sheep,
there are metal doves
with silver-coated wings
and shiny gold feathers.”
14God All-Powerful, you scattered
the kings like snow falling
on Mount Zalmon.#68.14 Mount Zalmon: The location of this mountain is not known.
15Our Lord and our God,
Bashan is a mighty mountain
covered with peaks.
16Why is it jealous of Zion,
the mountain you chose
as your home forever?
17When you, Lord God, appeared
to your people#68.17 to your people: Or “in all your holiness” or “in your holy place.” at Sinai,
you came with thousands
of mighty chariots.
18 #
Eph 4.8. When you climbed
the high mountain,
you took prisoners with you
and were given gifts.
Your enemies didn't want you
to live there,
but they gave you gifts.
19We praise you, Lord God!
You treat us with kindness
day after day,
and you rescue us.
20You always protect us
and save us from death.
21Our Lord and our God,
your terrible enemies
are ready for war,#68.21 are ready for war: The Hebrew text has “have long hair,” which probably refers to the ancient custom of wearing long hair on special occasions, such as a “holy war.”
but you will crush
their skulls.
22You promised to bring them
from Bashan
and from the deepest sea.
23Then we could wash our feet
in their blood,
and our dogs could chew
on their bones.
24We have seen crowds marching
to your place of worship,
our God and King.
25Singers come first,
and then the musicians,
surrounded by young women
playing tambourines.
26They come shouting,
“People of Israel,
praise the Lord God!”
27The small tribe of Benjamin
leads the way,
followed by the leaders
from Judah.
Then come the leaders
from Zebulun and Naphtali.
28Our God, show your strength!
Show us once again.
29Then kings will bring gifts
to your temple
in Jerusalem.#68.28,29 Our God … Jerusalem: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 28,29.
30Punish that animal
that lives in the swamp!#68.30 animal … swamp: Probably Egypt.
Punish that nation
whose leaders and people
are like wild bulls.
Make them come crawling
with gifts of silver.
Scatter those nations
that enjoy making war.#68.30 war: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 30.
31Force the Egyptians to bring
gifts of bronze;
make the Ethiopians#68.31 the Ethiopians: The Hebrew text has “the people of Cush,” which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan. hurry
to offer presents.#68.31 presents: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 31.
32Now sing praises to God!
Every kingdom on earth,
sing to the Lord!
33Praise the one who rides
across the ancient skies;
listen as he speaks
with a mighty voice.
34Tell about God's power!
He is honored in Israel,
and he rules the skies.
35The God of Israel is fearsome
in his temple,
and he makes us strong.
Let's praise our God!
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Psalms 68: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Psalms 68
68
Psalm 68
For the choir director; a psalm by David; a song.
1God will arise.
His enemies will be scattered.
Those who hate him will flee from him.
2Blow them away like smoke.
Let wicked people melt in God’s presence like wax next to a fire.
3But let righteous people rejoice.
Let them celebrate in God’s presence.
Let them overflow with joy.
4Sing to God; make music to praise his name.
Make a highway for him to ride through the deserts.#68:4 Or “Lift a song to him who rides upon the clouds.”
The Lord is his name.
Celebrate in his presence.
5The God who is in his holy dwelling place
is the father of the fatherless and the defender of widows.
6God places lonely people in families.
He leads prisoners out of prison into productive lives,
but rebellious people must live in an unproductive land.
7O God, when you went in front of your people,
when you marched through the desert, Selah
8the earth quaked and the sky poured
in the presence of the God of Sinai,
in the presence of the God of Israel.
9You watered the land with plenty of rain, O God.
You refreshed it when your land was exhausted.
10Your flock settled there.
Out of your goodness, O God,
you provided for oppressed people.
11The Lord gives instructions.
The women who announce the good news are a large army.
12 ⌞They say,⌟ “The kings of the armies flee; they run away.
The women who remained at home will divide the goods.
13Though you stayed among the sheep pens,
⌞you will be like⌟ the wings of a dove covered with silver, its feathers with yellow gold.
14Meanwhile, the Almighty was still scattering kings there
like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.”
15The mountain of Bashan is the mountain of God.
The mountain of Bashan is the mountain with many peaks.
16Why do you look with envy, you mountains with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has chosen to live?
Certainly, the Lord will live there forever.
17The chariots of God are twenty thousand in number,
thousands upon thousands.
The Lord is among them.
⌞The God of⌟ Sinai is in his holy place.
18You went to the highest place.
You took prisoners captive.
You received gifts from people,
even from rebellious people, so that the Lord God may live there.
19Thanks be to the Lord,
who daily carries our burdens for us.
God is our salvation. Selah
20Our God is the God of victories.
The Almighty Lord is our escape from death.
21Certainly, God will crush the heads of his enemies
⌞and destroy even⌟ the hair on the heads
of those who continue to be guilty.
22The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea
23so that you, ⌞my people,⌟ may bathe #68:23 Greek, Targum, Syriac; Masoretic Text “shatter.” your feet in blood
and the tongues of your dogs
may lick the blood of your enemies.”
24Your festival processions, O God, can be seen by everyone.
They are the processions for my God, my king, into the holy place.
25The singers are in front.
The musicians are behind them.
The young women beating tambourines are between them.
26Thank God, the Lord, the source of Israel, with the choirs.
27Benjamin, the youngest, is leading them,
⌞next⌟ the leaders of Judah with their noisy crowds,
⌞then⌟ the leaders of Zebulun,
⌞then⌟ the leaders of Naphtali.
28Your God has decided you will be strong.
Display your strength, O God,
as you have for us before.
29Kings will bring you gifts
because of your temple high above Jerusalem.
30Threaten the beast who is among the cattails,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the nations,
until it humbles itself with pieces of silver.
Scatter the people who find joy in war.
31Ambassadors will come from Egypt.
Sudan will stretch out its hands to God ⌞in prayer⌟.
32You kingdoms of the world, sing to God.
Make music to praise the Lord. Selah
33God rides through the ancient heaven, the highest heaven.
Listen! He makes his voice heard, his powerful voice.
34Acknowledge the power of God.
His majesty is over Israel, and his power is in the skies.
35God, the God of Israel, is awe-inspiring in his holy place.
He gives strength and power to his people.
Thanks be to God!
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