Psalms

The second book of Psalms, song 68, New English Translation and King James Version

Psalm 68

New English Translation

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

   1 God springs into action! His enemies scatter; his adversaries run from him.
   2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away. As wax melts before fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God.
   3 But the godly are happy; they rejoice before God and are overcome with joy.
   4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides on the clouds! For the LORD is his name! Rejoice before him!
   5 He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows. God rules from his holy palace.
   6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. But sinful rebels live in the desert.
   7 O God, when you lead your people into battle, when you march through the desert, (Selah)
   8 the earth shakes, yes, the heavens pour down rain before God, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
   9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people. When they are tired, you sustain them,
   10 for you live among them. You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
   11 The LORD speaks; many, many women spread the good news.
   12 Kings leading armies run away - they run away! The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.
   13 When you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver and with glittering gold.
   14 When the sovereign judge scatters kings, let it snow on Zalmon!
   15 The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain; the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.
   16 Why 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!
   17 God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The LORD comes from Sinai in holy splendor.
   18 You ascend on high, you have taken many captives. You receive tribute from men, including even sinful rebels. Indeed the LORD God lives there!
   19 The LORD deserves praise! Day after day he carries our burden, the God who delivers us. (Selah)
   20 Our God is a God who delivers; the LORD, the sovereign LORD, can rescue from death.
   21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies, the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.
   22 The LORD says, "I will retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
   23 so that your feet may stomp in their blood, and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies' corpses."
   24 They see your processions, O God - the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.
   25 Singers walk in front; musicians follow playing their stringed instruments, in the midst of young women playing tambourines.
   26 In your large assemblies praise God, the LORD, in the assemblies of Israel!
   27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler, and the princes of Judah in their robes, along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
   28 God has decreed that you will be powerful. O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,
   29 as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem! Kings bring tribute to you.
   30 Sound 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.
   31 They come with red cloth from Egypt, Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.
   32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God! Sing praises to the LORD, (Selah)
   33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times! Look! He thunders loudly.
   34 Acknowledge God's power, his sovereignty over Israel, and the power he reveals in the skies!
   35 You 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!

King James Version

To the chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David.

   1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
   2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
   3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
   4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
   5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
   6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
   7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:
   8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
   9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.
   10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.
   11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.
   12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
   13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
   14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.
   15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.
   16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
   17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
   18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
   19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
   20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.
   21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
   22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:
   23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.
   24 They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
   25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.
   26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.
   27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
   28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.
   29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.
   30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.
   31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.
   32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:
   33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.
   34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.
   35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.