Psalm 68a

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

1 May God arise,p may his enemies be scattered;q

may his foes fleer before him.

2 May you blow them away like smoke—s

as wax meltst before the fire,

may the wicked perishu before God.

3 But may the righteous be glad

and rejoicev before God;

may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,w

extol him who rides on the cloudsb x;

rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.y

5 A father to the fatherless,z a defender of widows,a

is God in his holy dwelling.b

6 God sets the lonelyc in families,c d

he leads out the prisonerse with singing;

but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.f

7 When you, God, went outg before your people,

when you marched through the wilderness,d h

8 the earth shook,i the heavens poured down rain,j

before God, the One of Sinai,k

before God, the God of Israel.l

9 You gave abundant showers,m O God;

you refreshed your weary inheritance.

10 Your people settled in it,

and from your bounty,n God, you providedo for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,

and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:p

12 “Kings and armies fleeq in haste;

the women at home divide the plunder.r

13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,e s

the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,

its feathers with shining gold.”

14 When the Almightyf scatteredt the kings in the land,

it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.u

15 Mount Bashan,v majestic mountain,w

Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,

16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,

at the mountain where God choosesx to reign,

where the Lord himself will dwell forever?y

17 The chariotsz of God are tens of thousands

and thousands of thousands;a

the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.g

18 When you ascendedb on high,c

you took many captives;d

you received gifts from people,e

even fromh the rebelliousf—

that you,i Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,g

who daily bears our burdens.h

20 Our God is a God who saves;i

from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.j

21 Surely God will crush the headsk of his enemies,

the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

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

I will bring them from the depths of the sea,l

23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,m

while the tongues of your dogsn have their share.”

24 Your procession, God, has come into view,

the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.o

25 In front are the singers,p after them the musicians;q

with them are the young women playing the timbrels.r

26 Praise God in the great congregation;s

praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.t

27 There is the little tribeu of Benjamin,v leading them,

there the great throng of Judah’s princes,

and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.w

28 Summon your power,x Godj;

show us your strength,y our God, as you have donez before.

29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem

kings will bring you gifts.a

30 Rebuke the beastb among the reeds,c

the herd of bullsd among the calves of the nations.

Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.

Scatter the nationse who delight in war.f

31 Envoys will come from Egypt;g

Cushk h will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,i

sing praisej to the Lord,

33 to him who ridesk across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,

who thundersl with mighty voice.m

34 Proclaim the powern of God,

whose majestyo is over Israel,

whose power is in the heavens.

35 You, God, are awesomep in your sanctuary;q

the God of Israel gives power and strengthr to his people.s

Praise be to God!t