Psalm 68 - Modern English Version

For the Music Director. A Psalm of David. A Song.

¹ Let God arise; let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him.

² As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before God.

³ But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; let them rejoice exceedingly.

⁴ Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides upon the clouds; His name is the Lord; rejoice before Him.

⁵ A father of the fatherless and a protector of the widows is God in His holy habitation.

⁶ God settles the solitary in a home; He leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

⁷ O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness,   Selah

⁸ the earth shook; the heavens also poured down rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

⁹ You, O God, shed abroad a plentiful rain; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was weary.

¹⁰ Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided in Your goodness for the poor.

¹¹ The Lord gave the word; great was the company of the women who proclaimed it:

¹² “Kings of armies flee; they flee!” Even she who remains at home divides the spoil.

¹³ Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, you will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions with yellow gold.

¹⁴ When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow on Mount Zalmon.

¹⁵ The mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, you mountain of many peaks, at the mountain which God desires to dwell in? Yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever.

¹⁷ The chariots of God are twenty thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in the holy place.

¹⁸ You have ascended on high, leading captives in your train; You have received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell there.

¹⁹ Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up, the God of our salvation.   Selah

²⁰ Our God is the God of salvation; and to God the Lord belongs escape from death.

²¹ But God will wound the heads of His enemies, the hairy head of him who walks in his guilty ways.

²² The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

²³ that you may bathe your foot in blood, and the tongues of your dogs may have their share from your enemies.”

²⁴ They have seen Your processions, O God, the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

²⁵ The singers went in front, the musicians followed behind; between them were the young women playing tambourines.

²⁶ Bless God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.

²⁷ There is little Benjamin leading them, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

²⁸ Summon Your might, O God; show Your strength, O God, which You have done for us before.

²⁹ Because of Your temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring gifts to You.

³⁰ Rebuke the animals that live among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, until everyone submits himself with pieces of silver; scatter the peoples who delight in war.

³¹ Envoys will come from Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.

³² Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; oh, sing praises to the Lord,   Selah

³³ to Him who rides on the highest heavens, which were of old! Behold, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice.

³⁴ Ascribe strength to God; His excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the clouds.

³⁵ O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!