Psalms 68

Psalm 68

Praise and Thanksgiving

1Let God rise up; let his enemies be scattered;[#Num 10.35; Isa 33.3]

let those who hate him flee before him.

2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;[#Ps 97.5; Isa 9.18; Hos 13.3; Mic 1.4]

as wax melts before the fire,

let the wicked perish before God.

3But let the righteous be joyful;[#Ps 32.11]

let them exult before God;

let them be jubilant with joy.

4Sing to God; sing praises to his name;[#Ps 66.2; 83.18; Isa 40.3; 57.14]

lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds—

his name is the Lord —

be exultant before him.

5Father of orphans and protector of widows[#Deut 10.18; 26.15; Ps 146.9]

is God in his holy habitation.

6God gives the desolate a home to live in;[#Ps 107.34; 113.9; Acts 12.6]

he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,

but the rebellious live in a parched land.

7O God, when you went out before your people,[#Ex 13.21; Judg 4.14]

when you marched through the wilderness, Selah

8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain[#Ex 19.16, 18; Judg 5.4]

at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,

at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;[#Deut 11.11]

you restored your heritage when it languished;

10your flock found a dwelling in it;[#Deut 26.5; Ps 74.19]

in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.

11The Lord gives the command;

great is the company of those who bore the tidings:

12“The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!”[#1 Sam 30.24; Ps 135.11]

The women at home divide the spoil,

13though they stay among the sheepfolds—[#Gen 49.14]

the wings of a dove covered with silver,

its pinions with green gold.

14When the Almighty scattered kings there,[#Josh 10.10; #68.14 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai]

snow fell on Zalmon.

15O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;

O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!

16Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,[#Deut 12.5; Ps 87.1, 2]

at the mount that God desired for his abode,

where the Lord will reside forever?

17With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,[#Deut 33.2; Dan 7.10]

thousands upon thousands,

the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.

18You ascended the high mount,[#Judg 5.12; Acts 1.9; Eph 4.8; 1 Tim 1.13]

leading captives in your train

and receiving gifts from people,

even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.

19Blessed be the Lord,[#Ps 55.22; 65.5]

who daily bears us up;

God is our salvation. Selah

20Our God is a God of salvation,[#Ps 49.15; 56.13]

and to God , the Lord, belongs escape from death.

21But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,[#Ps 55.23; 110.6]

the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.

22The Lord said,[#Ex 14.22; Num 21.33]

“I will bring them back from Bashan;

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

23so that you may bathe your feet in blood,[#1 Kings 21.9; Ps 58.10; #68.23 Gk Syr Tg: Heb shatter]

so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.”

24Your solemn processions are seen, O God,[#Ps 63.2; 77.13; #68.24 Or have been seen]

the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—

25the singers in front, the musicians last,[#Judg 11.34; 1 Chr 13.8]

between them young women playing tambourines:

26“Bless God in the great congregation,[#Deut 33.28; Ps 26.12; Isa 48.1]

the Lord , O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”

27There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,[#1 Sam 9.21]

the princes of Judah in a body,

the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

28Summon your might, O God;

show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.

29Because of your temple at Jerusalem,[#Ps 72.10]

kings bear gifts to you.

30Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,[#Ps 22.12; 89.10]

the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.

Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;

scatter the peoples who delight in war.

31Let bronze be brought from Egypt;[#Isa 19.19; 45.14]

let Cush hasten to stretch out its hands to God.

32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;

sing praises to the Lord, Selah

33O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;[#Deut 10.14; Ps 18.10; 29.4; 46.6]

listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.

34Ascribe power to God,[#Ps 29.1]

whose majesty is over Israel

and whose power is in the skies.

35Awesome is God in his sanctuary,[#Ps 29.11; 47.2; 66.20; #68.35 Gk: Heb from your]

the God of Israel;

he gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Published by: National Council of the Churches of Christ