Psalm, 68

To the director. Of David. A melody. A song.

¹ Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered, And let those who hate him flee from before him.

² As smoke is driven away, may you drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish before God.

³ But let the righteous rejoice; May they be overjoyed before God; May they exult with rejoicing.

⁴ Sing to God; sing praises^*1 to his name. Sing to the One riding through the desert plains.^*2 Jah^*3 is his name! Rejoice before him!

⁵ A father of the fatherless and a protector^*1 of widows Is God in his holy dwelling.

⁶ God gives those who are alone a home to dwell in; He leads prisoners out into prosperity. But the stubborn^*1 must live in a parched land.

⁷ O God, when you led^*1 your people, When you marched through the desert, (Selah)

⁸ The earth quaked; Heaven poured down rain^*1 because of God; This Siʹnai quaked because of God, the God of Israel.

⁹ You made it rain in abundance, O God; You reinvigorated your exhausted people.^*1

¹⁰ They dwelled in your tent community; In your goodness, you provided for the poor, O God.

¹¹ Jehovah gives the command; The women proclaiming the good news are a large army.

¹² The kings of armies flee, they flee! She who remains at home shares in the spoil.

¹³ Although you men were lying among the campfires,^*1 There will be the wings of a dove covered with silver, With pinions of fine^*2 gold.

¹⁴ When the Almighty One scattered its kings, Snow fell in Zalʹmon.^*1

¹⁵ The mountain of Baʹshan is a mountain of God;^*1 The mountain of Baʹshan is a mountain of peaks.

¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, you mountains of peaks, Toward the mountain that God has chosen^*1 as his dwelling? Indeed, Jehovah will reside there forever.

¹⁷ The war chariots of God are tens of thousands, thousands upon thousands. Jehovah has come from Siʹnai into the holy place.

¹⁸ You ascended on high; You carried away captives; You took gifts in the form of men, Yes, even stubborn ones, to reside among them, O Jah God.

¹⁹ May Jehovah be praised, who daily carries our load, The true God of our salvation. (Selah)

²⁰ The true God is for us a God who saves; And Jehovah the Sovereign Lord provides escape from death.

²¹ Yes, God will smash the heads of his enemies, The hairy crown of the head of anyone who continues^*1 in his guilt.

²² Jehovah has said: “I will bring them back from Baʹshan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

²³ So that your foot may be awash in blood And the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from the enemies.”

²⁴ They see your processions, O God, The processions of my God, my King, into the holy place.

²⁵ The singers walk in front, the musicians playing stringed instruments after them; In between are the young women playing tambourines.

²⁶ In congregated throngs,^*1 praise God; Praise Jehovah, you who are from the Source of Israel.

²⁷ There Benjamin, the youngest, is subduing them, Also the princes of Judah with their noisy crowd, The princes of Zebʹu·lun, the princes of Naphʹta·li.

²⁸ Your God has decreed that you will be strong. Show your strength, O God, you who have acted in our behalf.

²⁹ Because of your temple at Jerusalem, Kings will bring gifts to you.

³⁰ Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, The assembly of bulls and their calves, Until the peoples bow down bringing^*1 pieces of silver. But he scatters the peoples who delight in war.

³¹ Bronze articles will be brought^*1 out of Egypt; Cush will hasten to offer gifts to God.

³² O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, Sing praises^*1 to Jehovah, (Selah)

³³ To the one who rides the ancient heaven of heavens. Look! He thunders with his voice, his mighty voice.

³⁴ Acknowledge God’s strength. His majesty is over Israel, And his strength is in the skies.^*1

³⁵ God is awe-inspiring from his^*1 grand sanctuary. He is the God of Israel, Who gives strength and power to the people. Praise to God.