Psalm 68–70

Psalm 68

Praise and Thanksgiving

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.

¹Let God rise up; let his enemies be scattered;

let those who hate him flee before him.^*

²As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;

as wax melts before the fire,

let the wicked perish before God.^*

³But let the righteous be joyful;

let them exult before God;

let them be jubilant with joy.^*

⁴Sing to God; sing praises to his name;

lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds^c—

his name is the Lord—

be exultant before him.^*

⁵Father of orphans and protector of widows

is God in his holy habitation.^*

⁶God gives the desolate a home to live in;

he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,

but the rebellious live in a parched land.^*

⁷O God, when you went out before your people,

when you marched through the wilderness,   Selah^*

⁸the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain

at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,

at the presence of God, the God of Israel.^*

⁹Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;

you restored your heritage when it languished;^*

¹⁰your flock found a dwelling in it;

in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.^*

¹¹The Lord gives the command;

great is the company of those^d who bore the tidings:

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

The women at home divide the spoil,^*

¹³though they stay among the sheepfolds—

the wings of a dove covered with silver,

its pinions with green gold.^*

¹⁴When the Almighty^e scattered kings there,

snow fell on Zalmon.^*

¹⁵O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;

O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!

¹⁶Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,

at the mount that God desired for his abode,

where the Lord will reside forever?^*

¹⁷With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,

thousands upon thousands,

the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.^f*

¹⁸You ascended the high mount,

leading captives in your train

and receiving gifts from people,

even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.^*

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord,

who daily bears us up;

God is our salvation.   Selah^*

²⁰Our God is a God of salvation,

and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.^*

²¹But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,

the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.^*

²²The Lord said,

“I will bring them back from Bashan;

I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,^*

²³so that you may bathe^g your feet in blood,

so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”^*

²⁴Your solemn processions are seen,^h O God,

the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—^*

²⁵the singers in front, the musicians last,

between them young women playing tambourines:^*

²⁶“Bless God in the great congregation,

the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”^*

²⁷There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,

the princes of Judah in a body,

the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.^*

²⁸Summon your might, O God;

show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.

²⁹Because of your temple at Jerusalem,

kings bear gifts to you.^*

³⁰Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,

the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.

Trampleⁱ under foot those who lust after tribute;

scatter the peoples who delight in war.^j*

³¹Let bronze be brought from Egypt;

let Cush hasten to stretch out its hands to God.^*

³²Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;

sing praises to the Lord,   Selah

³³O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;

listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.^*

³⁴Ascribe power to God,

whose majesty is over Israel

and whose power is in the skies.^*

³⁵Awesome is God in his^k sanctuary,

the God of Israel;

he gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!^*

Psalm 69

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecution

To the leader: according to Lilies. Of David.

¹Save me, O God,

for the waters have come up to my neck.^*

²I sink in deep mire,

where there is no foothold;

I have come into deep waters,

and the flood sweeps over me.^*

³I am weary with my crying;

my throat is parched.

My eyes grow dim

with waiting for my God.^*

⁴More in number than the hairs of my head

are those who hate me without cause;

many are those who would destroy me,

my enemies who accuse me falsely.

What I did not steal,

must I now restore?^*

⁵O God, you know my folly;

the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.^*

⁶Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me,

O Lord God of hosts;

do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me,

O God of Israel.

⁷It is for your sake that I have borne reproach,

that shame has covered my face.^*

⁸I have become a stranger to my kindred,

an alien to my mother’s children.^*

⁹It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;

the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.^*

¹⁰When I humbled my soul with fasting,^l

they insulted me for doing so.^*

¹¹When I made sackcloth my clothing,

I became a byword to them.^*

¹²I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,

and the drunkards make songs about me.^*

¹³But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.

At an acceptable time, O God,

in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.

With your faithful help^{* 14}rescue me

from sinking in the mire;

let me be delivered from my enemies

and from the deep waters.^*

¹⁵Do not let the flood sweep over me

or the deep swallow me up

or the Pit close its mouth over me.^*

¹⁶Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;

according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.^*

¹⁷Do not hide your face from your servant,

for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.^*

¹⁸Draw near to me; redeem me;

set me free because of my enemies.

¹⁹You know the insults I receive

and my shame and dishonor;

my foes are all known to you.^*

²⁰Insults have broken my heart,

so that I am in despair.

I looked for pity, but there was none;

and for comforters, but I found none.^*

²¹They gave me poison for food,

and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.^*

²²Let their table be a trap for them,

a snare for their allies.^*

²³Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,

and make their loins tremble continually.^*

²⁴Pour out your indignation upon them,

and let your burning anger overtake them.^*

²⁵May their camp be a desolation;

let no one live in their tents.^*

²⁶For they persecute those whom you have struck down,

and those whom you have wounded they attack still more.^m*

²⁷Add guilt to their guilt;

may they have no acquittal from you.

²⁸Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;

let them not be enrolled among the righteous.^*

²⁹But I am lowly and in pain;

let your salvation, O God, protect me.^*

³⁰I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.^*

³¹This will please the Lord more than an ox

or a bull with horns and hoofs.^*

³²Let the oppressed see it and be glad;

you who seek God, let your hearts revive.^*

³³For the Lord hears the needy

and does not despise his own who are in bonds.^*

³⁴Let heaven and earth praise him,

the seas and everything that moves in them.^*

³⁵For God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah,

and his servants shall liveⁿ there and possess it;^*

³⁶the children of his servants shall inherit it,

and those who love his name shall live in it.^*

Psalm 70

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. Of David, for the memorial offering.

¹Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.

O Lord, make haste to help me!^*

²Let those be put to shame and confusion

who seek my life.

Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor

who desire to hurt me.^*

³Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!”

turn back because of their shame.^*

⁴Let all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you.

Let those who love your salvation

say evermore, “God is great!”

⁵But I am poor and needy;

hasten to me, O God!

You are my help and my deliverer;

O Lord, do not delay!^*