Psalm 68

1God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
   and those who hate him shall flee before him! 2As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
   as wax melts before fire,
   so the wicked shall perish before God! 3But the righteous shall be glad;
   they shall exult before God;
   they shall be jubilant with joy!

4Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
   lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD;
   exult before him! 5Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation. 6God settles the solitary in a home;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

7O God, when you went out before your people,
   when you marched through the wilderness, Selah 8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
   before God, the One of Sinai,
   before God,Or before God, even Sinai before God the God of Israel. 9Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
   you restored your inheritance as it languished; 10your flockOr your congregation found a dwelling in it;
   in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.

11The Lord gives the word;
   the women who announce the news are a great host: 12   "The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!"
The women at home divide the spoil— 13   though you men lie among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
   its pinions with shimmering gold. 14When the Almighty scatters kings there,
   let snow fall on Zalmon.

15O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
   O many-peakedOr hunch-backed; also verse 16 mountain, mountain of Bashan! 16Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
   at the mount that God desired for his abode,
   yes, where the LORD will dwell forever? 17The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
   thousands upon thousands;
   the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary. 18You ascended on high,
   leading a host of captives in your train
   and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.

19Blessed be the Lord,
   who daily bears us up;
   God is our salvation. Selah 20Our God is a God of salvation,
   and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death. 21But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
   the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways. 22The Lord said,
   "I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 23that you may strike your feet in their blood,
   that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe."

24Your procession isOr has been seen, O God,
   the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary— 25the singers in front, the musicians last,
   between them virgins playing tambourines: 26"Bless God in the great congregation,
   the LORD, O youThe Hebrew for you is plural here who are of Israel's fountain!" 27There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
   the princes of Judah in their throng,
   the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

28Summon your power, O God,By revocalization (compare Septuagint); Hebrew Your God has summoned your power
   the power, O God, by which you have worked for us. 29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
   kings shall bear gifts to you. 30Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
   the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
   scatter the peoples who delight in war.The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain 31Nobles shall come from Egypt;
   Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.

32O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
   sing praises to the Lord, Selah 33to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
   behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 34Ascribe power to God,
   whose majesty is over Israel,
   and whose power is in the skies. 35Awesome is God from hisSeptuagint; Hebrew your sanctuary;
   the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!