Psalms 68

1 For the chief musician; A psalm of David, a song. Let God arise; let his enemies be scattered; let those also who hate him flee before him.⋮

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish in the presence of God.⋮

3 But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; may they rejoice and be happy.⋮

4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Praise the one who rides through the plains of the Jordan River valley! Yahweh is his name! Rejoice before him!⋮

5 A father of the fatherless, a judge of the widows, is God in the holy place where he lives.⋮

6 God puts the lonely into families; he brings out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a parched land.⋮

7 God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah⋮

8 The earth trembled; the heavens also dropped rain in God's presence, in the presence of God when he came to Sinai, in the presence of God, the God of Israel.⋮

9 You, God, sent a plentiful rain; you strengthened your inheritance when it was weary.⋮

10 Your people lived in it; You, God, gave from your goodness to the poor.⋮

11 The Lord gave the orders, and those who announced them were a great army.⋮

12 Kings of armies flee, they flee, and the women waiting at home divide the plunder: doves covered with silver with wings of yellow gold. When some of you people stayed among the sheepfolds, why did you do this?⋮

13 The Almighty scattered kings there, it was as when it snowed on Mount Zalmon.⋮

14 A mighty mountain is the hill country of Bashan; a high mountain is the hill country of Bashan.⋮

15 Why do you look in envy, you high hill country, at the mountain which God desires for the place he will live? Indeed, Yahweh will live in it forever.⋮

16 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them in the holy place, as at Sinai.⋮

17 You have ascended on high; you have led away captives; you have received gifts from among men, even from those who fought against you, so that you, Yahweh God, might live there.⋮

18 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, the God who is our salvation. Selah⋮

19 Our God is a God who saves; Yahweh the Lord is the one who is able to rescue us from death.⋮

20 But God will strike through the heads of his enemies, through the hairy scalps of those who walk in offenses against him.⋮

21 The Lord said, “I will bring my enemies back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea⋮

22 so that you may crush your enemies, dipping your foot in blood, and so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from your enemies.”⋮

23 They have seen your processions, God, the processions of my God, my King, into the holy place.⋮

24 The singers went first, the minstrels followed after, and in the middle were the unmarried girls playing tambourines.⋮

25 Bless God in the assemblies; praise Yahweh, you who are from the fountain of Israel.⋮

26 There is first Benjamin, the smallest tribe, then the leaders of Judah and their multitudes, the leaders of Zebulun and the leaders of Naphtali.⋮

27 Your God, Israel, has decreed your strength; reveal to us your power, God, as you have revealed it in times past.⋮

28 Reveal your power to us from your temple at Jerusalem, where kings bring gifts to you.⋮

29 Shout in battle against the wild beasts in the reeds, against the peoples, that multitude of bulls and calves. Humiliate them and make them bring you gifts; scatter the peoples who love to wage war.⋮

30 Princes will come out of Egypt; Cush will hurry to reach out with her hands to God.⋮

31 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; Selah Sing praises to Yahweh.⋮

32 To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which exist from ancient times; see, he lifts up his voice with power.⋮

33 Ascribe strength to God; his majesty is over Israel, and his strength is in the skies.⋮

34 God, you are fearsome in your holy place; the God of Israel—he gives strength and power to his people. Blessed be God.⋮