Psalms 68

God arises and his enemies scatter

Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives.a ²Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God. ³But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.

⁴Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord— rejoice in his presence!b ⁵Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy.c ⁶God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.d

⁷O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interludee ⁸the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.f ⁹You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land.

¹⁰There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people. ¹¹The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.g ¹²Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder.

¹³Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures— doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold. ¹⁴The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon. ¹⁵The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky.

¹⁶Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever? ¹⁷Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.h ¹⁸When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.i

¹⁹Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Interludej ²⁰Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.k ²¹But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.

²²The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea. ²³You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!”l ²⁴Your procession has come into view, O God— the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.

²⁵Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines. ²⁶Praise God, all you people of Israel; praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life. ²⁷Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way. Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.

²⁸Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past. ²⁹The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem. ³⁰Rebuke these enemy nations— these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war.

³¹Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bring tribute to God. ³²Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude ³³Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky.

³⁴Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens. ³⁵God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!m