Psalm 68

Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A praise song of David.

68 God, get up and scatter your enemies!
    May all your enemies run from you.
²May your enemies be scattered
    like smoke blown away by the wind.
May your enemies be destroyed
    like wax melting in a fire.
³But let good people be happy.
    Let them gather before God and enjoy themselves together.
⁴Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
    Prepare the way for the one who rides on the clouds.
His name is Yah.^[a]
    Worship before him with joy.
⁵God, who lives in his holy palace, is a father to orphans,
    and he takes care of widows.
⁶God provides homes for those who are lonely.
    He frees people from prison and makes them happy.
    But those who turn against him will live in the desert.

⁷God, you led your people out of Egypt.
    You marched across the desert. Selah
⁸The ground shook and rain poured from the sky
    when God, the God of Israel, came to Sinai.
⁹God, you sent the rain
    to make a tired, old land strong again.
¹⁰Your people^[b] came back to live there,
    and you provided good things for the poor.
¹¹My Lord gave the command,
    and many people went to tell the good news:
¹²“The armies of powerful kings ran away!
    At home, the women divide the things brought from the battle.
¹³Those who stayed home will share in the wealth—
    metal doves with wings covered in silver and feathers sparkling with gold.”

¹⁴God All-Powerful scattered the kings
    like snow falling on Mount Zalmon.
¹⁵Mount Bashan is a great mountain
    with many high peaks.
¹⁶But, Bashan, why are you jealous of Mount Zion?
    That is where God has chosen to live.
    The Lord will live there forever.
¹⁷With his millions of chariots,
    the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.
¹⁸You went up to your high place,
    leading a parade of captives.
You received gifts from people,^[c]
    even those who turned against you.
    The Lord God went up there to live.
¹⁹Praise the Lord!
    Every day he helps us with the loads we must carry.
    He is the God who saves us. Selah

²⁰He is our God, the God who saves us.
    My Lord God saves us from death.
²¹God will smash the heads of his enemies.
    He will punish those who fight against him.^[d]
²²My Lord said, “If they run up to Bashan or down to the depths of the sea,
    I will bring them back.
²³So you will march through pools of their blood,
    and there will be plenty left for your dogs.”

²⁴God, everyone can see your victory parade—
    the victory march of my God and King into his holy place!^[e]
²⁵Singers come marching in front, followed by the musicians;
    they are surrounded by young girls playing tambourines.
²⁶Praise God in the meeting place.^[f]
    Praise the Lord, people of Israel!
²⁷There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, leading them.
    And there comes a large group of leaders from Judah.
    Following them are the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.

²⁸God, show us your power!
    Show us the power you used for us in the past.
²⁹Kings will bring their wealth to you,
    to your Temple in Jerusalem.
³⁰Punish the people in Egypt.
    They are like cattle in the marshes, like bulls among the calves.
You humiliated them.
    You scattered them in war.
Now let them come crawling to you,
    bringing their pieces of silver.
³¹Messengers from Egypt will come bearing gifts.
    Ethiopia will offer God their tribute.
³²Kings on earth, sing to God!
    Sing songs of praise to our Lord! Selah

³³Sing to him who rides his chariot through the ancient skies.
    Listen to his powerful voice!
³⁴Tell everyone how powerful he is!
    He rules over Israel.
    His power fills the skies.
³⁵God, you are awesome in your Temple!
    The God of Israel is the one who gives strength and power to his people.

Praise God!

Footnotes

Psalm 68:4 Yah This is a Hebrew name for God. It is like the Hebrew name usually translated “Lord.” Also in verse 18.
Psalm 68:10 people Or “animals” or “living things.”
Psalm 68:18 received gifts from people Or “took people as gifts.” Or “gave gifts to people,” as in the ancient Syriac and Aramaic versions and in Eph. 4:8.
Psalm 68:21 Literally, “God will smash the heads of his enemies. He will smash the hairy skull walking in guilt.”
Psalm 68:24 of my God … holy place Or “led by my holy God and King!”
Psalm 68:26 in the meeting place Or “with the trumpets that announce the assembly!”