Psalms Chapter 68
For the Choir Director. A Psalm of David
A Song
1 Arise, God, scatter your enemies;
chase off those who hate you!
2 Blow them away like smoke;
melt them like wax near fire;
make sinners perish in your presence.
3 But may good people be happy,
delight in your presence,
celebrate and be glad.
4 So sing to God, sing praises to him;
lay out a highway for the One that rides through deserts,
whose name is Yahveh,
and celebrate with him.
Ps 68:1-4
5 God in his holy Temple
is a father for the fatherless and a judge for widows;
6 he makes a home for the lonely
and leads prisoners out to prosperity;
only the rebellious live in a parched land.
7 God of Israel, when you went out ahead of your people
and marched through the desert,
8 the ground shook,
the sky poured down rain,
Sinai itself quaked in front of you.
9 You sent widespread, abundant rain, God,
and refreshed your inheritance when it was parched.
10 The animals settled in it;
in your goodness you provided for the poor.
Ps 68:5-10
11 The Lord gives the command,
and a host of women sing the good news:
12 “Kings and their armies flee
the women that stayed home divide the spoil!”
13 Even those who stayed among the flocks found treasure
like the wings of a dove covered with silver
and pinions covered with glistening gold.
14 The Almighty scattered the enemy kings there
like blowing snow in Zalmon.
15 The mountain in Bashan is majestic,
a mountain range with many peaks.
16 Mountain with many peaks, why do you look with envy
at the mountain God wanted for his home?
He’ll certainly live there forever.
17 God had twice ten thousand chariots, thousands upon thousands;
Yahveh came with them from Sinai to the holy place.
18 When you ascended on high and led captivityLXX captive,
and received gifts from people, even rebellious people—
so Yahveh God might live there.
Ps 68:11-18
15 The mountain in Bashan is majestic,
a mountain range with many peaks.
16 Mountain with many peaks, why do you look with envy
at the mountain that God wanted for his home?
He’ll certainly live there forever.
17 God had twice ten thousand chariots, thousands upon thousands;
Yahveh came with them from Sinai to the holy place.
18 He has ascended on high and led captivityLXX captive,
and received gifts among people,
even among the rebellious so Yahveh God might live there.
Ps 68:15-18
19 Bless Yahveh, who carries our burdens every day,
who keeps us safe 20 and rescues us;
deliverance from death comes from Yahveh the Lord.
21 He’ll bash in the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who keep doing their guilty deeds.
22 The Lord said, “I’ll bring them down from Bashan
and bring them up from the ocean depths
23 so you can wash your feet in their blood
and your dogs can have their share of your enemies.”
Ps 68:19-23
24 They’ve seen your solemn procession, God,
the procession of God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 singers first, then musicians,
with young women playing tambourines.
26 Bless God as a community,
Yahveh, the fountain of Israel.
27 There’s Benjamin, the youngest, leading them,
the officials of Judah in the throng,
the officials of Zebulun and Naphtali.
28 Summon your strength, God;
show us your power like you have before.
29 Kings will bring you gifts
because of your Temple in Jerusalem.
30 Scare off the beast that lives in the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Trample underfoot its bars of silver;
scatter the nations that delight in war.
31 Let envoys bring gifts out of Egypt;
let Nubia quickly submit to God.
Ps 68:24-31
32 Sing to God, kingdoms on earth;
sing praises to Yahveh,
33 that rides high in the ancient sky,
that thunders out his loud voice.
34 Attribute power to God,
whose majesty shines on Israel,
whose strength is displayed in the sky.
35 He’s awesome in his sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives strength and power to his people.
Bless God!
Ps 68:32-35