Psalms 68
1 For the chief musician. Of David. A psalm. A song.
2 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him.
3 As smoke is driven away, so you drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so the wicked perish before God.
4 But the righteous rejoice; they exult before God and leap for joy.
5 Sing to God; sing praises to his name. Make a way for him who rides across the steppes—LORD is his name—and exult before him.
6 God, in his holy dwelling, is a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows.
7 God gives the lonely a home and brings prisoners out into prosperity; only the rebellious live in a parched land.
8 O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah.
9 The earth trembled, and even the heavens poured down rain before God—this is Sinai—before God, the God of Israel.
10 You poured down abundant rain, O God; your inheritance was weary, and you restored it.
11 Your flock settled there; in your goodness, O God, you prepared it for the poor.
12 The Lord gives the word; the women who proclaim the good news are a great army.
13 The kings of the armies flee, they flee; the woman who stays at home shares the plunder.
14 When you lie among the sheepfolds, the dove’s wings are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold.
15 When the Almighty scattered kings there, snow fell on Zalmon.
16 The mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; the mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
17 Why do you gaze enviously, you mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God chose for his dwelling; the LORD will dwell there forever.
18 God’s chariots are twenty thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them, Sinai in the sanctuary.
19 You ascended on high, leading captives; you received gifts among humankind, even among the rebellious, so that the LORD God might dwell among them.
20 Blessed be the Lord! Day after day he carries our burden; he is the God of our salvation. Selah.
21 That God is our God, the God who saves; to GOD, the Lord, belong the ways out of death.
22 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy skull of whoever persists in his guilt.
23 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea.”
24 So that your foot may crush them in blood, and your dogs’ tongues may have their share of the enemies.
25 They saw your processions, O God, the processions of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
26 The singers go in front, the musicians follow, among the young women playing tambourines.
27 In the assemblies, bless God; bless the LORD, you who come from Israel’s spring.
28 There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them; the chiefs of Judah in their throng, the chiefs of Zebulun, the chiefs of Naphtali.
29 Your God has ordained your strength. Show your strength, O God, you who have acted for us.
30 From your temple above Jerusalem, kings will bring you gifts.
31 Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the peoples’ calves, those who grovel for bars of silver. He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.
32 Nobles will come from Egypt; Cush will quickly stretch out its hands to God.
33 Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord. Selah.
34 Sing to him who rides across the ancient heavens; he makes his voice resound, a mighty voice.
35 Ascribe strength to God: his majesty is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.
36 You are awe-inspiring, O God, from your sanctuaries. The God of Israel is the one who gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!
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