Add parallel Print Page Options

Psalm 68

Praise and Thanksgiving

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.

Let God rise up; let his enemies be scattered;
    let those who hate him flee before him.(A)
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
    as wax melts before the fire,
    let the wicked perish before God.(B)
But let the righteous be joyful;
    let them exult before God;
    let them be jubilant with joy.(C)

Sing to God; sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds[a]
his name is the Lord
    be exultant before him.(D)

Father of orphans and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.(E)
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but the rebellious live in a parched land.(F)

O God, when you went out before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness, Selah(G)
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
    at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
    at the presence of God, the God of Israel.(H)
Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
    you restored your heritage when it languished;(I)
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.(J)

11 The Lord gives the command;
    great is the company of those[b] who bore the tidings:
12     “The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil,(K)
13     though they stay among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with green gold.(L)
14 When the Almighty[c] scattered kings there,
    snow fell on Zalmon.(M)

15 O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God desired for his abode,
    where the Lord will reside forever?(N)

17 With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands,
    the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.[d](O)
18 You ascended the high mount,
    leading captives in your train
    and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.(P)
19 Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah(Q)
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.(R)

21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.(S)
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back from Bashan;
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,(T)
23 so that you may bathe[e] your feet in blood,
    so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”(U)

24 Your solemn processions are seen,[f] O God,
    the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—(V)
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
    between them young women playing tambourines:(W)
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”(X)
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in a body,
    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.(Y)

28 Summon your might, O God;
    show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
    kings bear gifts to you.(Z)
30 Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
    the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample[g] under foot those who lust after tribute;
    scatter the peoples who delight in war.[h](AA)
31 Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
    let Cush hasten to stretch out its hands to God.(AB)

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.(AC)
34 Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel
    and whose power is in the skies.(AD)
35 Awesome is God in his[i] sanctuary,
    the God of Israel;
    he gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 68.4 Or cast up a highway for him who rides through the deserts
  2. 68.11 Or company of the women
  3. 68.14 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  4. 68.17 Cn: Heb The Lord among them Sinai in the holy (place)
  5. 68.23 Gk Syr Tg: Heb shatter
  6. 68.24 Or have been seen
  7. 68.30 Cn: Heb Trampling
  8. 68.30 Meaning of Heb of 68.30 is uncertain
  9. 68.35 Gk: Heb from your

Psalm 68[a]

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

May God arise,(A) may his enemies be scattered;(B)
    may his foes flee(C) before him.
May you blow them away like smoke—(D)
    as wax melts(E) before the fire,
    may the wicked perish(F) before God.
But may the righteous be glad
    and rejoice(G) before God;
    may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(H)
    extol him who rides on the clouds[b](I);
    rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(J)
A father to the fatherless,(K) a defender of widows,(L)
    is God in his holy dwelling.(M)
God sets the lonely(N) in families,[c](O)
    he leads out the prisoners(P) with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(Q)

When you, God, went out(R) before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness,[d](S)
the earth shook,(T) the heavens poured down rain,(U)
    before God, the One of Sinai,(V)
    before God, the God of Israel.(W)
You gave abundant showers,(X) O God;
    you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
    and from your bounty,(Y) God, you provided(Z) for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,
    and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(AA)
12 “Kings and armies flee(AB) in haste;
    the women at home divide the plunder.(AC)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[e](AD)
    the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
    its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[f] scattered(AE) the kings in the land,
    it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(AF)

15 Mount Bashan,(AG) majestic mountain,(AH)
    Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
    at the mountain where God chooses(AI) to reign,
    where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(AJ)
17 The chariots(AK) of God are tens of thousands
    and thousands of thousands;(AL)
    the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[g]
18 When you ascended(AM) on high,(AN)
    you took many captives;(AO)
    you received gifts from people,(AP)
even from[h] the rebellious(AQ)
    that you,[i] Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(AR)
    who daily bears our burdens.(AS)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(AT)
    from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(AU)
21 Surely God will crush the heads(AV) 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,(AW)
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,(AX)
    while the tongues of your dogs(AY) have their share.”

24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
    the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.(AZ)
25 In front are the singers,(BA) after them the musicians;(BB)
    with them are the young women playing the timbrels.(BC)
26 Praise God in the great congregation;(BD)
    praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.(BE)
27 There is the little tribe(BF) of Benjamin,(BG) leading them,
    there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
    and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.(BH)

28 Summon your power,(BI) God[j];
    show us your strength,(BJ) our God, as you have done(BK) before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings will bring you gifts.(BL)
30 Rebuke the beast(BM) among the reeds,(BN)
    the herd of bulls(BO) among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
    Scatter the nations(BP) who delight in war.(BQ)
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;(BR)
    Cush[k](BS) will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,(BT)
    sing praise(BU) to the Lord,
33 to him who rides(BV) across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
    who thunders(BW) with mighty voice.(BX)
34 Proclaim the power(BY) of God,
    whose majesty(BZ) is over Israel,
    whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome(CA) in your sanctuary;(CB)
    the God of Israel gives power and strength(CC) to his people.(CD)

Praise be to God!(CE)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
  2. Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
  3. Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
  4. Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
  5. Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  6. Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
  7. Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
  8. Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
  9. Psalm 68:18 Or they
  10. Psalm 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
  11. Psalm 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region