1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him. |
2 As smoke is blown away by the wind,
may you blow them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God. |
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful. |
4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds1 -
his name is the LORD -
and rejoice before him. |
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling. |
6 God sets the lonely in families,2 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. |
7 When you went out before your people, O God,
when you marched through the wasteland,
Selah |
8 the earth shook,
the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel. |
9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance. |
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor. |
11 The Lord announced the word,
and great was the company of those who proclaimed it: |
12 "Kings and armies flee in haste;
in the camps men divide the plunder. |
13 Even while you sleep among the campfires,3 68:13 Or saddlebags
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold." |
14 When the Almighty4 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Zalmon. |
15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains;
rugged are the mountains of Bashan. |
16 Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the LORD himself will dwell forever? |
17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. |
18 When you ascended on high,
you led captives in your train;
you received gifts from men,
even from5 68:18 Or gifts for men, / even the rebellious-
that you,6 68:18 Or they O LORD God, might dwell there. |
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Selah |
20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death. |
21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins. |
22 The Lord says, "I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea, |
23 that you may plunge your feet in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share." |
24 Your procession has come into view, O God,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary. |
25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the maidens playing tambourines. |
26 Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel. |
27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah's princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali. |
28 Summon your power, O God7 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you ;
show us your strength, O God, as you have done before. |
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts. |
30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may it bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war. |
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush8 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region will submit herself to God. |
32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,
Selah |
33 to him who rides the ancient skies above,
who thunders with mighty voice. |
34 Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the skies. |
35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. |
