New International Version

New Living Translation

Psalm 68^a

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

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

1

For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.

Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.
Let those who hate God run for their lives.

2

May you blow them away like smoke —
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.

2

Blow them away like smoke.
Melt them like wax in a fire.
Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.

3

But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

3

But let the godly rejoice.
Let them be glad in God’s presence.
Let them be filled with joy.

4

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the cloudsb;
rejoice before him — his name is the Lord.

4

Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.a
His name is the LORD —
rejoice in his presence!

5

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

5

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows —
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.

6

God sets the lonely in families,c
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

6

God 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.

7

When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,d

7

O God, when you led your people out from Egypt,
when you marched through the dry wasteland,
Interlude

8

the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

8

the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
before you, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

9

You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.

9

You sent abundant rain, O God,
to refresh the weary land.

10

Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

10

There your people finally settled,
and with a bountiful harvest, O God,
you provided for your needy people.

11

The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:

11

The Lord gives the word,
and a great armyb brings the good news.

12

“Kings and armies flee in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.

12

Enemy kings and their armies flee,
while the women of Israel divide the plunder.

13

Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,e
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.”

13

Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures —
doves with wings of silver
and feathers of gold.

14

When the Almightyf scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.

14

The Almighty scattered the enemy kings
like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.

15

Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,

15

The mountains of Bashan are majestic,
with many peaks stretching high into the sky.

16

why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell forever?

16

Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
where the LORD himself will live forever?

17

The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.g

17

Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots,
the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.

18

When you ascended on high,
you took many captives;
you received gifts from people,
even fromh the rebellious —
that you,iLord God, might dwell there.

18

When 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.

19

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.

19

Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms.
Interlude

20

Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

20

Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death.

21

Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

21

But God will smash the heads of his enemies,
crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.

22

The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,

22

The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan;
I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.

23

that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”

23

You, my people, will washc your feet in their blood,
and even your dogs will get their share!”

24

Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.

24

Your procession has come into view, O God —
the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.

25

In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the timbrels.

25

Singers are in front, musicians behind;
between them are young women playing tambourines.

26

Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.

26

Praise God, all you people of Israel;
praise the LORD, the source of Israel’s life.

27

There 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.

27

Look, 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.

28

Summon your power, Godj;
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.

28

Summon your might, O God.d
Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.

29

Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.

29

The kings of the earth are bringing tribute
to your Temple in Jerusalem.

30

Rebuke 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.

30

Rebuke 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.

31

Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cushk will submit herself to God.

31

Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metalse;
let Ethiopiaf bring tribute to God.

32

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,

32

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
Sing praises to the Lord.
Interlude

33

to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders with mighty voice.

33

Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
his mighty voice thundering from the sky.

34

Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.

34

Tell everyone about God’s power.
His majesty shines down on Israel;
his strength is mighty in the heavens.

35

You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!

35

God is awesome in his sanctuary.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!

Parallel

New International Version

New Living Translation

Psalms 68

Psalms 68