Psalm 68:1–70:5

¹To the Overseer.—A Psalm, a song of David. Rise doth God—scattered are His enemies! And those hating Him flee from His face.

²As the driving away of smoke Thou drivest away, As the melting of wax before fire, The wicked perish at the presence of God.

³And the righteous rejoice, they exult before God, And they joy with gladness.

⁴Sing ye to God—praise His name, Raise up a highway for Him who is riding in deserts, In Jah is His name, and exult before Him.

⁵Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows, Is God in His holy habitation.

⁶God—causing the lonely to dwell at home, Bringing out bound ones into prosperity, Only—the refractory have inhabited a dry place.

⁷O God, in Thy going forth before Thy people, In Thy stepping through the wilderness, Selah.

⁸The earth hath shaken, Yea, the heavens have dropped before God, This Sinai—before God, the God of Israel.

⁹A shower of free-will gifts thou shakest out, O God. Thine inheritance, when it hath been weary, Thou hast established it.

¹⁰Thy company have dwelt in it, Thou preparest in Thy goodness for the poor, O God.

¹¹The Lord doth give the saying, The female proclaimers are a numerous host.

¹²Kings of hosts flee utterly away, And a female inhabitant of the house apportioneth spoil.

¹³Though ye do lie between two boundaries, Wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold.

¹⁴When the Mighty spreadeth kings in it, It doth snow in Salmon.

¹⁵A hill of God is the hill of Bashan, A hill of heights is the hill of Bashan.

¹⁶Why do ye envy, O high hills, The hill God hath desired for His seat? Jehovah also doth tabernacle for ever.

¹⁷The chariots of God are myriads, thousands of changes, The Lord is among them, in Sinai, in the sanctuary.

¹⁸Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast taken captive captivity, Thou hast taken gifts for men, That even the refractory may rest, O Jah God.

¹⁹Blessed is the Lord, day by day He layeth on us. God Himself is our salvation. Selah.

²⁰God Himself is to us a God for deliverances, And Jehovah Lord hath the outgoings of death.

²¹Only—God doth smite The head of His enemies, The hairy crown of a habitual walker in his guilt.

²²The Lord said: ‘From Bashan I bring back, I bring back from the depths of the sea.

²³So that thou dashest thy foot in blood, In the blood of enemies—the tongue of Thy dogs.’

²⁴They have seen Thy goings, O God, Goings of my God, my king, in the sanctuary.

²⁵Singers have been before, Behind are players on instruments, In the midst virgins playing with timbrels.

²⁶In assemblies bless ye God, The Lord—from the fountain of Israel.

²⁷There is little Benjamin their ruler, Heads of Judah their defence, Heads of Zebulun—heads of Naphtali.

²⁸Thy God hath commanded thy strength, Be strong, O God, this Thou hast wrought for us.

²⁹Because of Thy temple at Jerusalem, To Thee do kings bring a present.

³⁰Rebuke a beast of the reeds, a company of bulls, With calves of the peoples, Each humbling himself with pieces of silver, Scatter Thou peoples delighting in conflicts.

³¹Come do fat ones out of Egypt, Cush causeth her hands to run to God.

³²Kingdoms of the earth, sing ye to God, Praise ye the Lord. Selah.

³³To him who is riding on the heavens of the heavens of old, Lo, He giveth with His voice a strong voice.

³⁴Ascribe ye strength to God, Over Israel is His excellency, and His strength in the clouds.

³⁵Fearful, O God, out of Thy sanctuaries, The God of Israel Himself, Giving strength and might to the people. Blessed is God!

Psalm 69

¹To the Overseer.—‘On the Lilies,’ by David. Save me, O God, for come have waters unto the soul.

²I have sunk in deep mire, And there is no standing, I have come into the depths of the waters, And a flood hath overflown me.

³I have been wearied with my calling, Burnt hath been my throat, Consumed have been mine eyes, waiting for my God.

⁴Those hating me without cause Have been more than the hairs of my head, Mighty have been my destroyers, My lying enemies, That which I took not away—I bring back.

⁵O God, Thou—Thou hast known Concerning my overturn, And my desolations from Thee have not been hid.

⁶Let not those waiting on Thee be ashamed because of me, O Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Let not those seeking Thee Blush because of me, O God of Israel.

⁷For because of Thee I have borne reproach, Shame hath covered my face.

⁸A stranger I have been to my brother, And a foreigner to sons of my mother.

⁹For zeal for Thy house hath consumed me, And the reproaches of Thy reproachers Have fallen upon me.

¹⁰And I weep in the fasting of my soul, And it is for a reproach to me.

¹¹And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am to them for a simile.

¹²Those sitting at the gate meditate concerning me, And those drinking strong drink, Play on instruments.

¹³And I—my prayer is to Thee, O Jehovah, A time of good pleasure, O God, In the abundance of Thy kindness, Answer me in the truth of Thy salvation.

¹⁴Deliver me from the mire, and let me not sink, Let me be delivered from those hating me, And from deep places of waters.

¹⁵Let not a flood of waters overflow me, Nor let the deep swallow me up, Nor let the pit shut her mouth upon me.

¹⁶Answer me, O Jehovah, for good is Thy kindness, According to the abundance Of Thy mercies turn Thou unto me,

¹⁷And hide not Thy face from Thy servant, For I am in distress—haste, answer me.

¹⁸Be near unto my soul—redeem it, Because of mine enemies ransom me.

¹⁹Thou—Thou hast known my reproach, And my shame, and my blushing, Before Thee are all mine adversaries.

²⁰Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am sick, And I look for a bemoaner, and there is none, And for comforters, and I have found none.

²¹And they give for my food gall, And for my thirst cause me to drink vinegar.

²²Their table before them is for a snare, And for a recompence—for a trap.

²³Darkened are their eyes from seeing, And their loins continually shake Thou.

²⁴Pour upon them Thine indignation, And the fierceness of Thine anger doth seize them.

²⁵Their tower is desolated, In their tents there is no dweller.

²⁶For they have pursued him Thou hast smitten, And recount of the pain of Thy pierced ones.

²⁷Give punishment for their iniquity, And they enter not into Thy righteousness.

²⁸They are blotted out of the book of life, And with the righteous are not written.

²⁹And I am afflicted and pained, Thy salvation, O God, doth set me on high.

³⁰I praise the name of God with a song, And I magnify Him with thanksgiving,

³¹And it is better to Jehovah than an ox, A bullock—horned—hoofed.

³²The humble have seen—they rejoice, Ye who seek God—and your heart liveth.

³³For Jehovah hearkeneth unto the needy, And His bound ones He hath not despised.

³⁴The heavens and earth do praise Him, Seas, and every moving thing in them.

³⁵For God doth save Zion, And doth build the cities of Judah, And they have dwelt there, and possess it.

³⁶And the seed of His servants inherit it, And those loving His name dwell in it!

Psalm 70

¹To the Overseer, by David.—‘To cause to remember.’ O God, to deliver me, O Jehovah, for my help, haste.

²Let them be ashamed and confounded Who are seeking my soul, Let them be turned backward and blush Who are desiring my evil.

³Let them turn back because of their shame, Who are saying, ‘Aha, aha.’

⁴Let all those seeking Thee joy and be glad in Thee, And let those loving Thy salvation Say continually, ‘God is magnified.’

⁵And I am poor and needy, O God, haste to me, My help and my deliverer art Thou, O Jehovah, tarry Thou not!

Psalm 71