Psalm 68

Praise and Thanksgiving

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.
¹Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
   let those who hate him flee before him.
²As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
   as wax melts before the fire,
   let the wicked perish before God.
³But let the righteous be joyful;
   let them exult before God;
   let them be jubilant with joy.

⁴Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
   lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds^*—
his name is the Lord—
   be exultant before him.

⁵Father of orphans and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation.
⁶God gives the desolate a home to live in;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious live in a parched land.

⁷O God, when you went out before your people,
   when you marched through the wilderness,
          Selah
⁸the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
   at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
   at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
⁹Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
   you restored your heritage when it languished;
¹⁰your flock found a dwelling in it;
   in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.

¹¹The Lord gives the command;
   great is the company of those^* who bore the tidings:
¹²   ‘The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!’
The women at home divide the spoil,
¹³   though they stay among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
   its pinions with green gold.
¹⁴When the Almighty^* scattered kings there,
   snow fell on Zalmon.

¹⁵O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
   O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
¹⁶Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
   at the mount that God desired for his abode,
   where the Lord will reside for ever?

¹⁷With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
   thousands upon thousands,
   the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.^*
18You ascended the high mount,
   leading captives in your train
   and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God’s abiding there.
¹⁹Blessed be the Lord,
   who daily bears us up;
   God is our salvation.
          Selah
²⁰Our God is a God of salvation,
   and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.