Psalms 68

¹ [For the choirmaster Of David Psalm Song] Let God arise, let his enemies scatter, let his opponentsflee before him.

² You disperse them like smoke; as wax melts in the presence of a fire, so the wicked melt at thepresence of God.

³ The upright rejoice in the presence of God, delighted and crying out for joy.

⁴ Sing to God, play music to his name, build a road for the Rider of the Clouds, rejoice in Yahweh,dance before him.

⁵ Father of orphans, defender of widows, such is God in his holy dwel ing.

⁶ God gives the lonely a home to live in, leads prisoners out into prosperity, but rebels must live in thebare wastelands.

⁷ God, when you set out at the head of your people, when you strode over the desert,

⁸ the earth rocked,Pause the heavens pelted down rain at the presence of God, at the presence of God,the God of Israel.

⁹ God, you rained down a shower of blessings, when your heritage was weary you gave it strength.

¹⁰ Your family found a home, which you in your generosity provided for the humble.

¹¹ The Lord gave a command, the good news of a countless army.

¹² The chieftains of the army are in flight, in flight, and the fair one at home is sharing out the spoils.

¹³ While you are at ease in the sheepfolds, the wings of the Dove are being covered with silver, and herfeathers with a sheen of green gold;

¹⁴ when Shaddai scatters the chieftains, through her it snows on the Dark Mountain.

¹⁵ A mountain of God, the mountain of Bashan! a haughty mountain, the mountain of Bashan!

¹⁶ Why be envious, haughty mountains, of the mountain God has chosen for his dwel ing? There Godwil dwell for ever.

¹⁷ The chariots of God are thousand upon thousand; God has come from Sinai to the sanctuary.

¹⁸ You have climbed the heights, taken captives, you have taken men as tribute, even rebels thatYahweh God might have a dwelling-place.

¹⁹ Blessed be the Lord day after day, he carries us along, God our Saviour.Pause

²⁰ This God of ours is a God who saves; from Lord Yahweh comes escape from death;

²¹ but God smashes the head of his enemies, the long-haired skul of the prowling criminal.

²² The Lord has said, 'I wil bring them back from Bashan, I wil bring them back from the depths of thesea,

²³ so that you may bathe your feet in blood, and the tongues of your dogs feast on your enemies.'

²⁴ Your processions, God, are for all to see, the processions of my God, of my king, to the sanctuary;

²⁵ singers ahead, musicians behind, in the middle come girls, beating their drums.

²⁶ In choirs they bless God, Yahweh, since the foundation of Israel.

²⁷ Benjamin was there, the youngest in front, the princes of Judah in bright-coloured robes, the princesof Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

²⁸ Take command, my God, as befits your power, the power, God, which you have wielded for us,

²⁹ from your temple high above Jerusalem. Kings wil come to you bearing tribute.

³⁰ Rebuke the Beast of the Reeds, that herd of bul s, that people of calves, who bow down with ingotsof silver. Scatter the people who delight in war.

³¹ From Egypt nobles wil come, Ethiopia wil stretch out its hands to God.

³² Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, play for

³³ the Rider of the Heavens, the primeval heavens.Pause There he speaks, with a voice of power!

³⁴ Acknowledge the power of God. Over Israel his splendour, in the clouds his power.

³⁵ Awesome is God in his sanctuary. He, the God of Israel, gives strength and power to his people.Blessed be God.