Psalm 68 – Victory

For the leader. Of David. A psalm. A song.

68 God arises, his enemies scatter:

they who hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke before wind is driven,

as wax melts before fire,

so before God vanish the wicked.

3 But the righteous rejoice in God’s presence,

they exult with exceeding joy.

4 Sing to God, make music to his name,

his name is the Lord, praise him who rides on the clouds,

and exult in his presence.

5 Father of orphans, defender of widows,

is God in his holy abode.

6 God brings home the lonely,

he leads forth the prisoner to comfort,

so that none but the rebel lives cheerless.

7 God, when you went in front of your people

in your march through the desert, Selah

8 earth shook, the heavens poured rain

at the presence of God, Sinai’s God

at the presence of God, Israel’s God.

9 Rain in abundance, God, you did sprinkle,

restoring the languishing land of your heritage.

10 A dwelling therein your people found:

in your goodness, O God, you did care for the poor.

11 The Lord spoke the glad tidings of victory,

a great army of women proclaim it:

12 ‘Kings of armies they flee, they flee,

and the housewife divides the spoil:

13 dove’s wings covered with silver

and pinions with shimmer of gold,

14 set with stones, like snow upon Zalmon.’

15 A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan,

a mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan.

16 You high-peaked mountains, why look you askance

at the mountain which God has desired for his home

whereon the Lord will live forever?

17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand:

the Lord came from Sinai, his holy place.

18 You did mount the height with trains of your captives,

and gifts that you had received from the people.

The rebels shall live with the Lord God.

19 Blest be the Lord who sustains us daily,

the God who is also our saviour. Selah

20 Our God is a God who is saviour.

The ways of escape from death

are known to the Lord God.

21 Yes, God will shatter the head of his foes

the rough scalp of those who strut on in their sins.

22 The Lord said: ‘I will bring you home from Bashan,

home from the depths of the sea,

23 that your feet you may bathe in blood,

and your dogs lick their share of the foe.’

24 In the temple appear God’s triumphal processions,

processions in praise of my king and my God,

25 with singers in front, and minstrels behind,

and maidens with timbrels between them, singing,

26 ‘You of the well-spring of Israel,

bless the Lord God in the dance.’

27 There, in front, is Benjamin the little,

the princes of Judah beside them,

the princes of Zebulon, princes of Naphtali.

28 God, show your strength,

your godlike might,

as you did in the past,

29 from your temple that crowns Jerusalem.

Kings shall bring tribute to you.

30 Rebuke the beast of the reed,

the herd of bulls, with the calves of the peoples.

Trample down the lovers of lies.

Scatter the nations whose joy is in war.

31 May they come from Egypt with gifts of oil,

Ethiopia haste with full hands to God.

32 Sing to God, O you kingdoms of earth,

make melody to the Lord. Selah

33 Praise him who rides on the ancient heavens.

See! He utters his voice, his mighty voice.

34 Ascribe strength to the God over Israel,

whose strength and majesty live in the skies.

35 Awe-inspiring is God in his holy place,

it is Israel’s God

who gives strength and might to his people.

Blessed be God.