0 For the director. A composition of David. A song.
Psalm 68:1–6 Triumphant Grace
1 God arises.
His enemies are scattered.
And those who hate him flee from his face.
2 As smoke is blown away so you will drive them off.
like wax melting from the face of fire,
the wicked will perish from before the face of God.
3 But the righteous rejoice,
they are excited before the face of God,
and they are gladdened in joy.
4 Sing to God.
Put his name to music.
Construct a road for the one who rides the plains with Yah, his name.
Celebrate before him.
5 Father of fatherless and judge of widows
is God in his lair of holiness.
6 God causes those who are alone to dwell in a household,
leading prisoners out among female singers,
but stubborn ones settle barren land.
Psalm 68:7–10 Triumphs Past: Exodus
7 O God when you went out at the front of your people;
when you marched in the desert. Selah
8 The land shook, even the skies rained before the face of God.
This was Sinai, before the face of God, the God of Israel.
9 You showered rain on your inheritance freely, God;
It was tired but you established it..
10 Your mob dwelt in it.
God, in your goodness you made preparations for the afflicted.
Psalm 68:11–18 Triumphs Past: Promised Land
11 The Lord gives a word.
The women who announce the news are a great army.
12 The kings of armies flee, they flee.
The women who stayed at home divide the loot.
13 When you men lie down between the saddlebags
(they are) like the wings of a dove overlaid with silver,
with its wings of greenish gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
It snowed in Zalmon.
15 Mountain of God,
Mountain of Bashan,
Mountain of peaks,
mountain of Bashan,
16 Why are you standing watch,
mountains of peaks?
The mountain God desired for his dwelling,
even Yahweh, dwells forever.
17 The chariotry of God is twenty-thousand, multiple thousands.
My lord was among them.
Sinai was within his holiness.
18 You went up to the height,
(You took captives captive.
You took gifts among men,
[even the stubborn ones])
For Yahweh God to dwell.
Psalm 68:19–27 Triumphs Now
19 Blessed be my lord.
day by day he loads himself up for us.
God is our salvation. Selah
20 The God who is ours is God of saving actions,
and to Yahweh my lord
belong the exits for death.
21 But God will pierce the head of his enemies;
the top of the hair of the one who walks about in his guilt.
22 My lord said, “from Bashan I will bring back,
I will bring back from the depths of the sea
23 so that you might plunge your feet in their blood,
the tongue of your dogs will have their share of the enemies.”
24 They see your movements, God,
the movements of my God, My king in holiness.
25 The singers go in front, the musicians are behind,
between them the girls striking tambourines.
26 Bless God in the assemblies,
Yahweh from the fountain of Israel.
27 There is Benjamin, the least,
chiefs of Judah ruling their crowds,
chiefs of Zebulun, chiefs of Naphtali.
Psalm 68:28–35 The Nations Respond
28 Your God commanded your strength.
Be strong God. This you do for us
29 from your palace.
Up to Jerusalem kings transport a gift to you.
30 Rebuke the beast of the reeds,
a congregation of mighty ones among the young bulls of the peoples.
He scatters the peoples, fouling pieces of silver.
They delight in war.
31 Ambassadors come from Egypt.
Cush’s hands hurry to God.
32 Kingdoms of the earth sing to God.
They make music my Lord. Selah
33 To the one who rides in the skies,
the eastern skies.
Lo he gives out with his voice a loud voice.
34 Concede strength to God.
His majesty is over Israel.
His strength is in the clouds.
35 God is to be feared from your holy place,
God of Israel.
He gives strength and might to the people.
Blessed be God.