Psalms 68

For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.

68:1 God springs into action!

His enemies scatter;

his adversaries run from him.

68:2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.

As wax melts before fire,

so the wicked are destroyed before God.

68:3 But the godly are happy;

they rejoice before God

and are overcome with joy.

68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!

Exalt the one who rides on the clouds!

For the Lord is his name!

Rejoice before him!

68:5 He is a father to the fatherless

and an advocate for widows.

God rules from his holy palace.

68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes;

he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.

But sinful rebels live in the desert.

68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle,

when you march through the desert, (Selah)

68:8 the earth shakes,

yes, the heavens pour down rain

before God, the God of Sinai,

before God, the God of Israel.

68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people.

When they are tired, you sustain them,

68:10 for you live among them.

You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.

68:11 The Lord speaks;

many, many women spread the good news.

68:12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away!

The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.

68:13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds,

the wings of the dove are covered with silver

and with glittering gold.

68:14 When the sovereign judge scatters kings,

let it snow on Zalmon!

68:15 The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain;

the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.

68:16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,

at the mountain where God has decided to live?

Indeed the Lord will live there permanently!

68:17 God has countless chariots;

they number in the thousands.

The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.

68:18 You ascend on high,

you have taken many captives.

You receive tribute from men,

including even sinful rebels.

Indeed the Lord God lives there!

68:19 The Lord deserves praise!

Day after day he carries our burden,

the God who delivers us. (Selah)

68:20 Our God is a God who delivers;

the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.

68:21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,

the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.

68:22 The Lord says,

“I will retrieve them from Bashan,

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

68:23 so that your feet may stomp in their blood,

and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”

68:24 They see your processions, O God –

the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.

68:25 Singers walk in front;

musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,

in the midst of young women playing tambourines.

68:26 In your large assemblies praise God,

the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel!

68:27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler,

and the princes of Judah in their robes,

along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful.

O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,

68:29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem!

Kings bring tribute to you.

68:30 Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds,

and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls!

They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute.

God scatters the nations that like to do battle.

68:31 They come with red cloth from Egypt,

Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.

68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God!

Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)

68:33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times!

Look! He thunders loudly.

68:34 Acknowledge God’s power,

his sovereignty over Israel,

and the power he reveals in the skies!

68:35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple!

It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength.

God deserves praise!