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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Psalms 68: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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!
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