Psalm 68:1-35

To the Chief Musician. David’s. A Melody, a Song. 68  Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered, Yea let them that hate him flee before him:  As smoke is driven about Let them be driven about,—As wax is melted before a fire Let the lawless perish before God.  But let the righteous be glad, let them exult before God, Yea let them rejoice with gladness.  Sing ye to God, Make music of his Name,—Lift up (a song) to him that rideth through the waste plains,—Since Yah is his name exult ye before him.  The father of the fatherless And the advocate of widows Is God in his holy habitation.  God is he that causeth the solitary to dwell in a home, That bringeth out prisoners into prosperity, But the rebellious have made their habitation in a sunburnt land.  O God! When thou camest forth before thy people, When thou didst stride through the wilderness [Selah.  Earth trembled, Yea the heavens dripped at the presence of God,—This Sinai—at the presence of God, the God of Israel.  A bounteous rain dost thou shed abroad, O God, upon thine inheritance, When exhausted thou thyself hast supported it: 10  Thy living host have remained therein, Thou dost provide in thy bounty for the humbled one—O God! 11  Let My Lord but give the word The herald bands will be a mighty host: 12  Kings of armies they flee! they flee! And she that stayeth at home shall share the spoil. 13  Though ye rest between the folds The wings of the dove shall be covered with silver, And her pinions with green-shimmering gold. 14  When the Almighty scattereth kings therein It will gleam like snow in the gloom. 15  A mighty mountain is the mountain of Bashan, A mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan!— 16  Wherefore start ye up, ye mountains, ye peaks? The mountain God hath coveted for his habitation Surely Yahweh will inhabit it ever! 17  The chariots of God are two myriads—thousands repeated, My Lord is among them, Sinai is in the sanctuary! 18  Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led in procession a body of captives, Thou hast received gifts consisting of men, Yea even the rebellious, That Yah Elohim might settle down to rest. 19  Blessed be My Lord! Day by day he beareth our burden for us, God himself is our salvation. [Selah. 20  The God we have is a God of saving deeds, And due to Yahweh My Lord are escapes from death. 21  Yea God himself will smite through the head of his foes,—The hairy crown of him that is marching on in his guilty deeds. 22  Said My Lord, From Bashan will I bring back,—I will bring back from the depths of the sea: 23  That thou mayest bathe thy foot in blood,—The tongue of thy dogs from the foes hath its portion. 24  They have seen thy progress O God, The progress of my God, my king into the sanctuary: 25  In front are the singers, Behind are the harpers, In the midst of damsels playing on timbrels: 26  In the congregations bless ye God, My Lord, from among the called of Israel: 27  There is Benjamin, the Diminutive—ruling them, The princes of Judah—their throng, The princes of Zebulun, The princes of Naphtali. 28  Thy God hath commanded thy strength,—The strength O God, which thou hast wrought for us. 29  Because of thy temple above Jerusalem Unto thee shall kings bear along a gift— 30  Rebuke thou The wild beast of the reeds, The herd of mighty oxen among the calves of the peoples—Each one bowing down with bars of silver,—Scatter thou the peoples, who in wars take delight. 31  Ambassadors come out of Egypt, The Ethiopian eagerly stretcheth out his hands unto God. 32  Ye kingdoms of the earth sing unto God, Praise in song Adonay. [Selah. 33  Unto him that rideth upon the most ancient heavens, Lo! he uttereth his voice, a voice of strength. 34  Ascribe ye strength unto God,—Over Israel is his majesty, And his strength in the skies. To be revered is God for his sanctuary,— 35  As for the God of Israel he is giving strength and abundant might to the people. Blessed be God!

Footnotes