Psalms 68:1-23

Psalm 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.”