NETtext - Psalms - 68

68:1  For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.God springs into action! His enemies scatter; his adversaries run from him.

68:2  As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away. As wax melts before fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God.

68:3  But the godly are happy; they rejoice before God and are overcome with joy.

68:4  Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides on the clouds! For the LORD is his name! Rejoice before him!

68:5  He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows. God rules from his holy palace.

68:6  God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. But sinful rebels live in the desert.

68:7  O God, when you lead your people into battle, when you march through the desert, (Selah)

68:8  the earth shakes, yes, the heavens pour down rain before God, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.

68:9  O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people. When they are tired, you sustain them,

68:10  for you live among them. You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.

68:11  The Lord speaks; many, many women spread the good news.

68:12  Kings leading armies run away - they run away! The lovely lady of the house divides up the loot.

68:13  When you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver and with glittering gold.

68:14  When the sovereign judge scatters kings, let it snow on Zalmon!

68:15  The mountain of Bashan is a towering mountain; the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.

68:16  Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain where God has decided to live? Indeed the LORD will live there permanently!

68:17  God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.

68:18  You ascend on high, you have taken many captives. You receive tribute from men, including even sinful rebels. Indeed the LORD God lives there!

68:19  The Lord deserves praise! Day after day he carries our burden, the God who delivers us. (Selah)

68:20  Our God is a God who delivers; the LORD, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.

68:21  Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies, the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.

68:22  The Lord says, "I will retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

68:23  so that your feet may stomp in their blood, and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies' corpses."

68:24  They see your processions, O God - the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.

68:25  Singers walk in front; musicians follow playing their stringed instruments, in the midst of young women playing tambourines.

68:26  In your large assemblies praise God, the LORD, in the assemblies of Israel!

68:27  There is little Benjamin, their ruler, and the princes of Judah in their robes, along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.

68:28  God has decreed that you will be powerful. O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,

68:29  as you come out of your temple in Jerusalem! Kings bring tribute to you.

68:30  Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds, and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls! They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute. God scatters the nations that like to do battle.

68:31  They come with red cloth from Egypt, Ethiopia voluntarily offers tribute to God.

68:32  O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God! Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)

68:33  to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times! Look! He thunders loudly.

68:34  Acknowledge God's power, his sovereignty over Israel, and the power he reveals in the skies!

68:35  You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength. God deserves praise!