Psalm 68

Psalm 68

GOD’S MAJESTIC POWER

For the choir director. A psalm of David. A song.

¹God arises. His enemies scatter,

and those who hate him flee from his presence.^t

²As smoke is blown away,

so you blow them away.

As wax melts before the fire,

so the wicked are destroyed before God.^u

³But the righteous are glad;

they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy.^v

⁴Sing to God! Sing praises to his name.

Exalt him who rides on the clouds^A—

his name is the Lord^B—and celebrate before him.^w

⁵God in his holy dwelling is

a father of the fatherless

and a champion of widows.^x

⁶God provides homes for those who are deserted.

He leads out the prisoners to prosperity,^C

but the rebellious live in a scorched land.^y

⁷God, when you went out before your people,

when you marched through the desert,

Selah

⁸the earth trembled and the skies poured rain

before God, the God of Sinai,^D

before God, the God of Israel.^z

⁹You, God, showered abundant rain;

you revived your inheritance when it languished.^aa

¹⁰Your people settled in it;

God, you provided for the poor by your goodness.^a

¹¹The Lord gave the command;

a great company of women brought the good news:^b

¹²“The kings of the armies flee—they flee!”

She who stays at home divides the spoil.^c

¹³While^E you lie among the sheep pens,^F

the wings of a dove are covered with silver,

and its feathers with glistening gold.^d

¹⁴When the Almighty scattered kings in the land,

it snowed on Zalmon.^Ae

¹⁵Mount Bashan is God’s towering mountain;

Mount Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.^f

¹⁶Why gaze with envy, you mountain peaks,

at the mountain God desired for his abode?

The Lord will dwell there forever!^g

¹⁷God’s chariots are tens of thousands,

thousands and thousands;^h

the Lord is among them in the sanctuary

as he was at Sinai.ⁱ

¹⁸You ascended to the heights, taking away captives;

you received gifts from^C people,

even from the rebellious,

so that the Lord God might dwell there.^Dj

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord!

Day after day he bears our burdens;

God is our salvation.^k

Selah

²⁰Our God is a God of salvation,

and escape from death belongs to the Lord my Lord.^l

²¹Surely God crushes the heads of his enemies,

the hairy brow of one who goes on in his guilty acts.^m

²²The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan;

I will bring them back from the depths of the seaⁿ

²³so that your foot may wade^E in blood

and your dogs’ tongues may have their share

from the enemies.”^o

²⁴People have seen your procession, God,

the procession of my God,

my King, in the sanctuary.^p

²⁵Singers lead the way,

with musicians following;

among them are young women

playing tambourines.^q

²⁶Bless God in the assemblies;

bless the Lord from the fountain of Israel.^r

²⁷There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them,

the rulers of Judah in their assembly,^F

the rulers of Zebulun, the rulers of Naphtali.^s

²⁸Your God has decreed your strength.

Show your strength, God,

you who have acted on our behalf.^t

²⁹Because of your temple at Jerusalem,

kings will bring tribute to you.^u

³⁰Rebuke the beast in the reeds,

the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.^v

Trample underfoot those with bars of silver.^A

Scatter the peoples who take pleasure in war.^w

³¹Ambassadors will come^B from Egypt;

Cush will stretch out its hands to God.^x

³²Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;

sing praise to the Lord,^y

Selah

³³to him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens.^z

Look, he thunders with his powerful voice!^aa

³⁴Ascribe power to God.

His majesty is over Israel;

his power is among the clouds.^ab

³⁵God, you are awe-inspiring in your sanctuaries.

The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!^a