Psalm 68In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

1May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;

may his foes flee before him.

2May you blow them away like smoke –

as wax melts before the fire,

may the wicked perish before God.

3But may the righteous be glad

and rejoice before God;

may they be happy and joyful.

4Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,

extol him who rides on the clouds68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts;

rejoice before him – his name is the Lord.

5A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,

is God in his holy dwelling.

6God sets the lonely in families,68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland

he leads out the prisoners with singing;

but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

7When you, God, went out before your people,

when you marched through the wilderness,68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.

8the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,

before God, the One of Sinai,

before God, the God of Israel.

9You gave abundant showers, O God;

you refreshed your weary inheritance.

10Your people settled in it,

and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

11The Lord announces the word,

and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:

12‘Kings and armies flee in haste;

the women at home divide the plunder.

13Even while you sleep among the sheepfolds,68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags

the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,

its feathers with shining gold.’

14When the Almighty68:14 Hebrew Shaddai scattered the kings in the land,

it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.

15Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,

Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,

16why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,

at the mountain where God chooses to reign,

where the Lord himself will dwell for ever?

17The chariots of God are tens of thousands

and thousands of thousands;

the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness

18When you ascended on high,

you took many captives;

you received gifts from people,

even from68:18 Or gifts for people, / even the rebellious –

that you,68:18 Or they Lord God, might dwell there.

19Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour,

who daily bears our burdens.

20Our God is a God who saves;

from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

21Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,

the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

22The Lord says, ‘I will bring them from Bashan;

I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

23that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,

while the tongues of your dogs have their share.’

24Your procession, God, has come into view,

the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

25In front are the singers, after them the musicians;

with them are the young women playing the tambourines.

26Praise God in the great congregation;

praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.

27There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,

there the great throng of Judah’s princes,

and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

28Summon your power, God68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you;

show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.

29Because of your temple at Jerusalem

kings will bring you gifts.

30Rebuke the beast among the reeds,

the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.

Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.

Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31Envoys will come from Egypt;

Cush68:31 That is, the upper Nile region will submit herself to God.

32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,

sing praise to the Lord,

33to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,

who thunders with mighty voice.

34Proclaim the power of God,

whose majesty is over Israel,

whose power is in the heavens.

35You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;

the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!