Psalm 68

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!^*