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