For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song.
68:1 God springs into action! 2
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries 3 run from him. 4
68:2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away. 5
As wax melts before fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
68:3 But the godly 6 are happy;
they rejoice before God
and are overcome with joy. 7
68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds! 8
For the Lord is his name! 9
Rejoice before him!
68:5 He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows. 10
God rules from his holy palace. 11
68:6 God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; 12
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. 13
But sinful rebels live in the desert. 14
68:7 O God, when you lead your people into battle, 15
when you march through the desert, 16 (Selah)
68:8 the earth shakes,
yes, the heavens pour down rain
before God, the God of Sinai, 17
before God, the God of Israel. 18
68:9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall 19 on your chosen people. 20
When they 21 are tired, you sustain them, 22
68:10 for you live among them. 23
You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
68:11 The Lord speaks; 24
many, many women spread the good news. 25
68:12 Kings leading armies run away – they run away! 26
The lovely lady 27 of the house divides up the loot.
68:13 When 28 you lie down among the sheepfolds, 29
the wings of the dove are covered with silver
and with glittering gold. 30
68:14 When the sovereign judge 31 scatters kings, 32
let it snow 33 on Zalmon!
68:15 The mountain of Bashan 34 is a towering mountain; 35
the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks. 36
68:16 Why do you look with envy, 37 O mountains 38 with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live? 39
Indeed 40 the Lord will live there 41 permanently!
68:17 God has countless chariots;
they number in the thousands. 42
The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor. 43
68:18 You ascend on high, 44
you have taken many captives. 45
You receive tribute 46 from 47 men,
including even sinful rebels.
Indeed the Lord God lives there! 48
68:19 The Lord deserves praise! 49
Day after day 50 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. 51
68:21 Indeed God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion. 52
68:22 The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them 53 from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
68:23 so that your feet may stomp 54 in their blood,
and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.” 55
68:24 They 56 see your processions, O God –
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor. 57
68:25 Singers walk in front;
musicians follow playing their stringed instruments, 58
in the midst of young women playing tambourines. 59
68:26 In your large assemblies praise God,
the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel! 60
68:27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler, 61
and the princes of Judah in their robes, 62
along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
68:28 God has decreed that you will be powerful. 63
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power,