Psalm 68:1–70:5

¹May God rise up and scatter his enemies.

May they turn and run away from him.

²As wind blows smoke away,

so may God blow them away.

As fire melts wax,

so may he destroy sinful people.

³But may those who do what is right be glad

and filled with joy when they are with him.

May they be happy and joyful.

⁴Sing to God. Sing praise to his name.

Lift up a song to the One who rides on the clouds.

His name is the Lord.

Be glad when you are with him.

⁵God is in his holy temple.

He is a father to those whose fathers have died.

He takes care of women whose husbands have died.

⁶God gives lonely people a family.

He sets prisoners free, and they go out singing.

But those who refuse to obey him

live in a land that is baked by the sun.

⁷God, you led your people out.

You marched through a dry and empty land. Selah

⁸The ground shook

when you, the God of Sinai, appeared.

The heavens poured down rain

when you, the God of Israel, appeared.

⁹God, you gave us plenty of rain.

You renewed your worn-out land.

¹⁰God, your people settled in it.

From all of your riches, you provided for those who were poor.

¹¹The Lord gave a message.

Many people made it widely known.

¹²They said, “Kings and armies are running away.

In the camps, Israel’s soldiers are dividing up

the things they have taken from their enemies.

¹³Even while the soldiers sleep near the campfires,

God wins the battle for them.

He gives the enemy’s silver and gold

to Israel, his dove.”

¹⁴The Mighty One has scattered the kings around the land.

It was like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.

¹⁵The mountains of Bashan are majestic.

The mountains of Bashan are very rocky.

¹⁶You rocky mountains are jealous of Mount Zion, aren’t you?

That’s where God chooses to rule.

That’s where the Lord himself will live forever.

¹⁷God has come with tens of thousands of his chariots.

He has come with thousands and thousands of them.

The Lord has come from Mount Sinai.

He has entered his holy place.

¹⁸When he went up to his place on high,

he led a line of prisoners.

He received gifts from people,

even from those who refused to obey him.

The Lord God went up to live on Mount Zion.

¹⁹Give praise to the Lord. Give praise to God our Savior.

He carries our heavy loads day after day. Selah

²⁰Our God is a God who saves.

He is the King and the Lord. He saves us from death.

²¹God will certainly smash the heads of his enemies.

He will break the hairy heads of those who keep on sinning.

²²The Lord says, “I will bring your enemies from Bashan.

I will bring them up from the bottom of the sea.

²³Then your feet can wade in their blood.

The tongues of your dogs can lick up all the blood they want.”

²⁴God, those who worship you come marching into view.

My God and King, those who follow you have entered the sacred tent.

²⁵The singers are walking in front.

Next come those who play the music.

Young women playing tambourines are with them.

²⁶The leaders sing, “Praise God among all those who worship him.

Praise the Lord in the community of Israel.”

²⁷The little tribe of Benjamin leads the worshipers.

Next comes the great crowd of Judah’s princes.

Then come the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

²⁸God, show us your power.

Show us your strength.

God, do as you have done before.

²⁹Do it from your temple at Jerusalem,

where kings will bring you gifts.

³⁰Give a strong warning to Egypt, that beast among the tall grass.

Warn the leaders of the nations, who are like bulls among the calves.

May they bow down before you with gifts of silver.

Scatter the nations who like to make war.

³¹Messengers will come from Egypt.

The people of Cush will be quick to bring gifts to you.

³²Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.

Sing praise to the Lord. Selah

³³He rides in the age-old skies above.

He thunders with his mighty voice.

³⁴Tell how powerful God is.

He rules as king over Israel.

The skies show how powerful he is.

³⁵How wonderful is God in his holy place!

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

Give praise to God!

Psalm 69

For the director of music. A psalm of David to the tune of “Lilies.”

¹God, save me.

My troubles are like a flood.

I’m up to my neck in them.

²I’m sinking in deep mud.

I have no firm place to stand.

I am out in deep water.

The waves roll over me.

³I’m worn out from calling for help.

My throat is very dry.

My eyes grow tired

looking for my God.

⁴Those who hate me without any reason

are more than the hairs on my head.

Many people who don’t have any reason to be my enemies

are trying to destroy me.

They force me to give back

what I didn’t steal.

⁵God, you know how foolish I’ve been.

My guilt is not hidden from you.

⁶Lord, you are the Lord who rules over all.

May those who put their hope in you not be dishonored because of me.

You are the God of Israel.

May those who worship you not be put to shame because of me.

⁷Because of you, people laugh at me.

My face is covered with shame.

⁸I’m a stranger to my brothers.

I’m an outsider to my own mother’s sons.

⁹My great love for your house destroys me.

Those who make fun of you make fun of me also.

¹⁰When I sob and go without eating,

they laugh at me.

¹¹When I put on black clothes to show how sad I am,

people make jokes about me.

¹²Those who gather in public places make fun of me.

Those who get drunk make up songs about me.

¹³But Lord, I pray to you.

May this be the time you show me your favor.

God, answer me because you love me so much.

Save me, as you always do.

¹⁴Save me from the trouble I’m in.

It’s like slippery mud. Don’t let me sink in it.

Save me from those who hate me.

Save me from the deep water I’m in.

¹⁵Don’t let the floods cover me.

Don’t let the deep water swallow me up.

Don’t let the grave close its mouth over me.

¹⁶Lord, answer me because your love is so good.

Turn to me because you are so kind.

¹⁷Don’t turn your face away from me.

Answer me quickly. I’m in trouble.

¹⁸Come near and save me.

Set me free from my enemies.

¹⁹You know how they make fun of me.

They dishonor me and put me to shame.

You know all about my enemies.

²⁰They have broken my heart by saying evil things about me.

It has left me helpless.

I looked for pity, but I didn’t find any.

I looked for someone to comfort me, but I didn’t find anyone.

²¹They put bitter spices in my food.

They gave me vinegar when I was thirsty.

²²Let their feast be a trap and a snare.

Let my enemies get what’s coming to them.

²³Let their eyes grow weak so they can’t see.

Let their backs be bent forever.

²⁴Pour out your anger on them.

Let them feel its burning heat.

²⁵May their homes be deserted.

May no one live in their tents.

²⁶They attack those you have wounded.

They talk about the pain of those you have hurt.

²⁷Charge them with one crime after another.

Don’t save them.

²⁸May their names be erased from the Book of Life.

Don’t include them in the list of those who do right.

²⁹I’m in pain. I’m in deep trouble.

God, save me and keep me safe.

³⁰I will praise God’s name by singing to him.

I will bring him glory by giving him thanks.

³¹That will please the Lord more than offering him an ox.

It will please him more than offering him a bull with its horns and hoofs.

³²Poor people will see it and be glad.

The hearts of those who worship God will be strengthened.

³³The Lord hears those who are in need.

He doesn’t forget his people in prison.

³⁴Let heaven and earth praise him.

Let the oceans and everything that moves in them praise him.

³⁵God will save Zion.

He will build the cities of Judah again.

Then people will live in them and own the land.

³⁶The children of those who serve God will receive it.

Those who love him will live there.

Psalm 70

For the director of music. A prayer of David.

¹God, hurry and save me.

Lord, come quickly and help me.

²Let those who are trying to kill me be put to shame.

Let them not be honored.

Let all those who want to destroy me

be turned back in shame.

³Some people make fun of me.

Let them be turned back when their plans fail.

⁴But let all those who look to you

be joyful and glad because of what you have done.

Let those who love you because you save them always say,

“May God be honored!”

⁵But I am poor and needy.

God, come quickly to me.

You are the One who helps me and saves me.

Lord, please don’t wait any longer.