Psalms 68
68
PSALM 68
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
To the chief Musician,
A Psalm or Song of David.
1Let God arise, and scatterèd
let all his en'mies be;
And let all those that do him hate
before his presence flee.
2As smoke is driv'n, so drive thou them;
as fire melts wax away,
Before God's face let wicked men
so perish and decay.
3But let the righteous be glad:
let them before God's sight
Be very joyful; yea, let them
rejoice with all their might.
4To God sing, to his name sing praise;
extol him with your voice,
That rides on heav'n, by his name Jah,
before his face rejoice.
5Because the Lord a father is
unto the fatherless;
God is the widow's judge, within
his place of holiness.
6God doth the solitary set
in fam'lies: and from bands
The chain'd doth free; but rebels do
inhabit parched lands.
7O God, what time thou didst go forth
before thy people's face;
And when through the great wilderness
thy glorious marching was;
8Then at God's presence shook the earth,
then drops from heaven fell;
This Sinai shook before the Lord,
the God of Israel.
9O God, thou to thine heritage
didst send a plenteous rain,
Whereby thou, when it weary was,
didst it refresh again.
10Thy congregation then did make
their habitation there:
Of thine own goodness for the poor,
O God, thou didst prepare.
11The Lord himself did give the word,
the word abroad did spread;
Great was the company of them
the same who published.
12Kings of great armies foiled were,
and forced to flee away;
And women, who remained at home,
did distribute the prey.
13Though ye have lien among the pots,
like doves ye shall appear,
Whose wings with silver, and with gold
whose feathers covered are.
14When there th' Almighty scatter'd kings,
like Salmon's snow 'twas white.
15God's hill is like to Bashan hill,
like Bashan hill for height.
16Why do ye leap, ye mountains high?
this is the hill where God
Desires to dwell; yea, God in it
for aye will make abode.
17God's chariots twenty thousand are,
thousands of angels strong;
In's holy place God is, as in
mount Sinai, them among.
18Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious,
ascended up on high;
And in triumph victorious led
captive captivity:
Thou hast received gifts for men,
for such as did rebel;
Yea, ev'n for them, that God the Lord
in midst of them might dwell.
19Blessed be the Lord, who is to us
of our salvation God;
Who daily with his benefits
us plenteously doth load.
20He of salvation is the God,
who is our God most strong;
And unto God the Lord from death
the issues do belong.
21But surely God shall wound the head
of those that are his foes;
The hairy scalp of him that still
on in his trespass goes.
22God said, My people I will bring
again from Bashan hill;
Yea, from the sea's devouring depths
them bring again I will;
23That in the blood of enemies
thy foot imbrued may be,
And of thy dogs dipped in the same
the tongues thou mayest see.
24Thy goings they have seen, O God;
the steps of majesty
Of my God, and my mighty King,
within the sanctuary.
25Before went singers, players next
on instruments took way;
And them among the damsels were
that did on timbrels play.
26Within the congregations
bless God with one accord:
From Isr'el's fountain do ye bless
and praise the mighty Lord.
27With their prince, little Benjamin,
princes and council there
Of Judah were, there Zabulon's
and Napht'li's princes were.
28Thy God commands thy strength; make strong
what thou wrought'st for us, Lord.
29For thy house at Jerusalem
kings shall thee gifts afford.
30The spearmen's host, the multitude
of bulls, which fiercely look,
Those calves which people have forth sent,
O Lord our God, rebuke,
Till ev'ry one submit himself,
and silver pieces bring:
The people that delight in war
disperse, O God and King.
31Those that be princes great shall then
come out of Egypt lands;
And Ethiopia to God
shall soon stretch out her hands.
32O all ye kingdoms of the earth,
sing praises to this King;
For he is Lord that ruleth all,
unto him praises sing.
33To him that rides on heav'ns of heav'ns,
which he of old did found;
Lo, he sends out his voice, a voice
in might that doth abound.
34Strength unto God do ye ascribe;
for his excellency
Is over Israel, his strength
is in the clouds most high.
35Thou'rt from thy temple dreadful, Lord;
Isr'el's own God is he,
Who gives his people strength and pow'r:
O let God blessed be.
Currently Selected:
Psalms 68: MP1650
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 68
68
For the music director. A psalm of David. A song.
1Stand up, God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate him run away from him!
2Blow them away as if they were smoke; melt them like beeswax in a fire. Let the wicked die in God's presence.
3But those who are right with God are happy, and they celebrate in God's presence, full of joy.
4Sing praises to God! Sing praises to his wonderful reputation!#68:4. Literally, “name.” Praise the rider of the clouds—his name is the Lord!#68:4. Literally, “Yah,” a short form of Yahweh. Be happy in his presence!
5He is a father to the orphans, a protector of widows. This is who God is, who lives in his holy place.#68:5. “His holy place”—this may be a reference to heaven or the Temple.
6God gives those who are abandoned#68:6. Or “lonely.” a family to live with. He sets prisoners free with celebration.#68:6. Or “singing.” This word only occurs once in the Old Testament. It has also been translated as “prosperity.” But those who rebel live in a desert wasteland.
7God, when you led your people out,#68:7. Referring to the Exodus. when you marched through the desert, Selah,
8the earth quaked, and the heavens shook#68:8. Or “poured down rain.” before God, the one of Sinai; before God, the God of Israel.
9You sent plenty of rain to water the promised land; refreshing it when it was dry.#68:9. This line could also be directly applied to the people of Israel, since the “inheritance” was both the land and the people.
10Your people settled there, and because of your kindness, God, you looked after the poor. Selah.
11The Lord gives the command, and a great army of women spread the good news.
12The kings of the foreign armies are quick to run away, and the women#68:12. The women of Israel. who stayed at home divide the plunder!
13Why are you staying at home?#68:13. The meaning here is uncertain. Literally, “you lie down by the hearthstones (or sheepfolds).” There are ornaments in the shape of a dove with wings of silver and feathers of fine gold to be taken.#68:13. “To be taken.” Implied. Though the text is not clear it seems that this is related to the plunder mentioned in verse 12.
14The Almighty scattered the foreign kings like a snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15“Mountain of God,” Mount Bashan, with your many high peaks, Mount Bashan,
16why do you look enviously, mountain with many peaks, at the mountain God chose as his home, where the Lord will live forever?#68:16. While this verse is complex, it seems to be suggesting that there were those who questioned the superiority of Mount Zion, and that their own mountains (Mount Bashan) were equally acceptable as places for God to dwell and be worshiped. It's interesting to note that even much later this issue of “which mountain” was brought up by the Samaritan woman to Jesus, since the Samaritans identified Mount Gerizim as their holy mountain.
17God's chariots can't be counted; there are thousands and thousands of them. He comes among them from Sinai into his Temple.
18As you ascended to your high throne you led a procession of prisoners. You received gifts from the people, even from those who had rebelled against the home of the Lord God.
19May the Lord be blessed, for every day he carries our burdens.#68:19. Or “every day he carries us.” God is our salvation. Selah.
20For us, God is a God who saves. The Lord God provides our escape from death.
21But God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy heads#68:21. This may refer to the practice of warriors not cutting their hair during times of war. of those who continue to sin.
22The Lord says, “I will drag them down from Bashan; I will drag them up from the depths of the sea,
23so that you may walk in their blood. Even your dogs will have their share of your enemies.”
24People watch your processions, God—the processions of my God and King as they go into the Temple.
25The singers are at the front, the musicians at the back, and in the middle girls playing tambourines.
26Praise God, everyone who has come to worship; praise the Lord, everyone who belongs to Israel.
27There is the little tribe of Benjamin, followed by the many leaders from Judah; then come the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.
28Display your power, God! Reveal your strength, Lord, as you have done for us in the past.
29Because of your Temple in Jerusalem, kings bring tribute to you.
30Condemn the beasts of the reeds, the bulls and calves!#68:30. The meaning of this line is not clear. It may refer to Egypt, and also to other foreign nations. May they be humbled and bring bars of silver in tribute! Scatter the war-loving nations!
31Let Egypt come with bronze gifts;#68:31. The word only occurs here in the OT. Alternatively it may mean ambassadors, natron, or expensive cloth. let Ethiopia come quickly and hand over their tributes to God!
32Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. Selah.
33Sing to the rider of the ancient heavens,#68:33. In other words, the Creator. his strong voice sounding like thunder!
34Let everyone know of God's power: how his majesty extends over Israel, how his strength is revealed in the heavens.#68:34. Literally, “clouds” as a symbol of heaven above.
35How awesome is God in his Temple! The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people! Praise God!
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com