Psalm 68

For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.

1God springs into action!

His enemies scatter;

his adversaries run from him.

2As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.

As wax melts before fire,

so the wicked are destroyed before God.

3But the godly are happy;

they rejoice before God

and are overcome with joy.

4Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!

Exalt the one who rides on the clouds!

For the Lord is his name!

Rejoice before him!

5He is a father to the fatherless

and an advocate for widows.

God rules from his holy palace.

6God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes;

he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.

But sinful rebels live in the desert.

7O God, when you lead your people into battle,

when you march through the desert, (Selah)

8the earth shakes,

yes, the heavens pour down rain

before God, the God of Sinai,

before God, the God of Israel.

9O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people.

When they are tired, you sustain them,

10for you live among them.

You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.

11The Lord speaks;

many, many women spread the good news.

12Kings leading armies run away – they run away!

The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.

13When you lie down among the sheepfolds,

the wings of the dove are covered with silver

and with glittering gold.

14When the sovereign judge scatters kings,

let it snow on Zalmon!

15The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain;

the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.

16Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,

at the mountain where God has decided to live?

Indeed the Lord will live there permanently!

17God has countless chariots;

they number in the thousands.

The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.

18You ascend on high,

you have taken many captives.

You receive tribute from men,

including even sinful rebels.

Indeed the Lord God lives there!

19The Lord deserves praise!

Day after day he carries our burden,

the God who delivers us. (Selah)

20Our God is a God who delivers;

the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.

21Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,

the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.

22The Lord says,

“I will retrieve them from Bashan,

I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

23so that your feet may stomp in their blood,

and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”

24They see your processions, O God –

the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.

25Singers walk in front;

musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,

in the midst of young women playing tambourines.

26In your large assemblies praise God,

the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel!

27There is little Benjamin, their ruler,

and the princes of Judah in their robes,

along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

28God has decreed that you will be powerful.

O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,

29as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem!

Kings bring tribute to you.

30Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds,

and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls!

They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute.

God scatters the nations that like to do battle.

31They come with red cloth from Egypt,

Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.

32O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God!

Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)

33to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times!

Look! He thunders loudly.

34Acknowledge God’s power,

his sovereignty over Israel,

and the power he reveals in the skies!

35You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple!

It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength.

God deserves praise!