PSALM 68
1For the lead player, for David, a psalm, a song.
2Let God arise, let His enemies scatter,
and let His foes flee before Him.
3As smoke disperses may they disperse,
as wax melts before fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
4And may the righteous rejoice and exult
before God, and be gladdened in joy.
5Sing to God, hymn His name.
Pave the way for the Rider of Clouds,
for Yah is His name, and exult before Him.
6Father of orphans and widows’ judge,
God in His holy abode.
7God brings the lonely back to their homes,
sets free captives in jubilation.
But the wayward abide in parched land.
8God, when You sallied forth before Your people,
when You strode through the desert.
selah
9The earth shook,
the heavens, too, poured down before God,
Sinai itself before God, God of Israel.
10A bountiful rain You shed, O God.
Your estate that had languished You made firm.
11Your cohorts dwelled there,
You made it firm in Your goodness for the lowly, O God.
12The Master gives word—
the women who bear tidings are a great host:
13“The kings of armies run away, run away,
and the mistress of the house shares out the spoils.”
14If you lie down among sheepfolds . . .
The wings of the dove are inlaid with silver,
and her pinions with precious gold.
15When Shaddai scattered the kings there,
16Mountain of God, Mount Bashan,
crooked-ridged mountain, Mount Bashan.
17Why do you leap, O crooked-ridged mountains,
the mountain God desired for His dwelling?
Yes, the LORD will abide there forever!
18The chariots of God are myriads beyond count,
thousands of thousands.
The Master among them—
O, Sinai in holiness!
19You went up to the heights,
You took hold of your captives,
the wayward as well—
20Blessed be the Master day after day.
God heaps upon us our rescue.
selah
21God is to us a rescuing God.
The LORD Master possesses the ways out from death.
22Yes, God will smash His enemies’ heads,
the hairy pate of those who walk about in their guilt.
23The Master said, “From Bashan I shall bring back,
bring back from the depths of the sea.
24That your foot may wade in blood,
the tongues of your dogs lick the enemies.”
25They saw Your processions, O God,
my God’s processions, my King in holiness.
26The singers came first and then the musicians
in the midst of young women beating their drums.
27In choruses bless God,
the LORD, from the fountain of Israel.
28There little Benjamin holds sway over them,
Judah’s princes in their raiment,
Zebulun’s princes, Naphtali’s princes.
29Ordain, O God, Your strength,
strength, O God, that You showed for us,
30from Your temple, over Jerusalem.
To You the kings bring gifts.
31Rebuke the beast of the marsh,
the herd of bulls among calves of the peoples—
cringing with offerings of silver.
He scattered peoples that delighted in battle.
32Let notables come from Egypt,
33Kingdoms of earth, sing to God,
hymn to the Master.
selah
34To the Rider in the utmost heavens of yore.
Look, He makes His voice ring, the voice of strength.
35Acclaim strength to God,
over Israel is His pride
and His strength in the skies.
36Fearsome, O God, from Your sanctuaries!
Israel’s God—He gives strength and might to His people.
Blessed is God.