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Psalm 67-69
The Message
Psalm 67-69
The Message
67 1-7 God, mark us with grace
and blessing! Smile!
The whole country will see how you work,
all the godless nations see how you save.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Let all far-flung people become happy
and shout their happiness because
You judge them fair and square,
you tend the far-flung peoples.
God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Earth, display your exuberance!
You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.
You mark us with blessing, O God.
Earth’s four corners—honor him!
68 1-4 Up with God!
Down with his enemies!
Adversaries, run for the hills!
Gone like a puff of smoke,
like a blob of wax in the fire—
one look at God and the wicked vanish.
When the righteous see God in action
they’ll laugh, they’ll sing,
they’ll laugh and sing for joy.
Sing hymns to God;
all heaven, sing out;
clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider.
Enjoy God,
cheer when you see him!
5-6 Father of orphans,
champion of widows,
is God in his holy house.
God makes homes for the homeless,
leads prisoners to freedom,
but leaves rebels to rot in hell.
7-10 God, when you took the lead with your people,
when you marched out into the wild,
Earth shook, sky broke out in a sweat;
God was on the march.
Even Sinai trembled at the sight of God on the move,
at the sight of Israel’s God.
You pour out rain in buckets, O God;
thorn and cactus become an oasis
For your people to camp in and enjoy.
You set them up in business;
they went from rags to riches.
11-14 The Lord gave the word;
thousands called out the good news:
“Kings of the armies
are on the run, on the run!”
While housewives, safe and sound back home,
divide up the plunder,
the plunder of Canaanite silver and gold.
On that day that Shaddai scattered the kings,
snow fell on Black Mountain.
15-16 You huge mountains, Bashan mountains,
mighty mountains, dragon mountains.
All you mountains not chosen,
sulk now, and feel sorry for yourselves,
For this is the mountain God has chosen to live on;
he’ll rule from this mountain forever.
17-18 The chariots of God, twice ten thousand,
and thousands more besides,
The Lord in the lead, riding down Sinai—
straight to the Holy Place!
You climbed to the High Place, captives in tow,
your arms full of plunder from rebels,
And now you sit there in state,
God, sovereign God!
19-23 Blessed be the Lord—
day after day he carries us along.
He’s our Savior, our God, oh yes!
He’s God-for-us, he’s God-who-saves-us.
Lord God knows all
death’s ins and outs.
What’s more, he made heads roll,
split the skulls of the enemy
As he marched out of heaven,
saying, “I tied up the Dragon in knots,
put a muzzle on the Deep Blue Sea.”
You can wade through your enemies’ blood,
and your dogs taste of your enemies from your boots.
24-31 See God on parade
to the sanctuary, my God,
my King on the march!
Singers out front, the band behind,
maidens in the middle with castanets.
The whole choir blesses God.
Like a fountain of praise, Israel blesses God.
Look—little Benjamin’s out
front and leading
Princes of Judah in their royal robes,
princes of Zebulun, princes of Naphtali.
Parade your power, O God,
the power, O God, that made us what we are.
Your temple, High God, is Jerusalem;
kings bring gifts to you.
Rebuke that old crocodile, Egypt,
with her herd of wild bulls and calves,
Rapacious in her lust for silver,
crushing peoples, spoiling for a fight.
Let Egyptian traders bring blue cloth
and Cush come running to God, her hands outstretched.
32-34 Sing, O kings of the earth!
Sing praises to the Lord!
There he is: Sky-Rider,
striding the ancient skies.
Listen—he’s calling in thunder,
rumbling, rolling thunder.
Call out “Bravo!” to God,
the High God of Israel.
His splendor and strength
rise huge as thunderheads.
35 A terrible beauty, O God,
streams from your sanctuary.
It’s Israel’s strong God! He gives
power and might to his people!
O you, his people—bless God!
69 God, God, save me!
I’m in over my head,
2 Quicksand under me, swamp water over me;
I’m going down for the third time.
3 I’m hoarse from calling for help,
Bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God.
4 I’ve got more enemies than hairs on my head;
Liars and cheats are out to knife me in the back.
What I never stole
Must I now give back?
5 God, you know every sin I’ve committed;
My life’s a wide-open book before you.
6 Don’t let those who look to you in hope
Be discouraged by what happens to me,
Dear Lord! God of the armies!
Don’t let those out looking for you
Come to a dead end by following me—
Please, dear God of Israel!
7 Because of you I look like an idiot,
I walk around ashamed to show my face.
8 My brothers shun me like a bum off the street;
My family treats me like an unwanted guest.
9 I love you more than I can say.
Because I’m madly in love with you,
They blame me for everything they dislike about you.
10 When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting,
All it got me was more contempt.
11 When I put on a sad face,
They treated me like a clown.
12 Now drunks and gluttons
Make up drinking songs about me.
13 And me? I pray.
God, it’s time for a break!
God, answer in love!
Answer with your sure salvation!
14 Rescue me from the swamp,
Don’t let me go under for good,
Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy;
This whirlpool is sucking me down.
15 Don’t let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole
Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me.
16 Now answer me, God, because you love me;
Let me see your great mercy full-face.
17 Don’t look the other way; your servant can’t take it.
I’m in trouble. Answer right now!
18 Come close, God; get me out of here.
Rescue me from this deathtrap.
19 You know how they kick me around—
Pin on me the donkey’s ears, the dunce’s cap.
20 I’m broken by their taunts,
Flat on my face, reduced to a nothing.
I looked in vain for one friendly face. Not one.
I couldn’t find one shoulder to cry on.
21 They put poison in my soup,
Vinegar in my drink.
22 Let their supper be bait in a trap that snaps shut;
May their best friends be trappers who’ll skin them alive.
23 Make them become blind as bats,
Give them the shakes from morning to night.
24 Let them know what you think of them,
Blast them with your red-hot anger.
25 Burn down their houses,
Leave them desolate with nobody at home.
26 They gossiped about the one you disciplined,
Made up stories about anyone wounded by God.
27 Pile on the guilt,
Don’t let them off the hook.
28 Strike their names from the list of the living;
No rock-carved honor for them among the righteous.
29 I’m hurt and in pain;
Give me space for healing, and mountain air.
30 Let me shout God’s name with a praising song,
Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks.
31 For God, this is better than oxen on the altar,
Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.
32 The poor in spirit see and are glad—
Oh, you God-seekers, take heart!
33 For God listens to the poor,
He doesn’t walk out on the wretched.
34 You heavens, praise him; praise him, earth;
Also ocean and all things that swim in it.
35 For God is out to help Zion,
Rebuilding the wrecked towns of Judah.
Guess who will live there—
The proud owners of the land?
36 No, the children of his servants will get it,
The lovers of his name will live in it.
Psalm 67-69
New International Version
Psalm 67-69
New International Version
Psalm 67[a]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—[b](A)
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation(B) among all nations.(C)
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.(D)
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,(E)
for you rule the peoples with equity(F)
and guide the nations of the earth.(G)
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;(H)
God, our God, blesses us.(I)
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth(J) will fear him.(K)
Psalm 68[c]
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
1 May God arise,(L) may his enemies be scattered;(M)
may his foes flee(N) before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke—(O)
as wax melts(P) before the fire,
may the wicked perish(Q) before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice(R) before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(S)
extol him who rides on the clouds[d](T);
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(U)
5 A father to the fatherless,(V) a defender of widows,(W)
is God in his holy dwelling.(X)
6 God sets the lonely(Y) in families,[e](Z)
he leads out the prisoners(AA) with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(AB)
7 When you, God, went out(AC) before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,[f](AD)
8 the earth shook,(AE) the heavens poured down rain,(AF)
before God, the One of Sinai,(AG)
before God, the God of Israel.(AH)
9 You gave abundant showers,(AI) O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty,(AJ) God, you provided(AK) for the poor.
11 The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(AL)
12 “Kings and armies flee(AM) in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.(AN)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[g](AO)
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[h] scattered(AP) the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(AQ)
15 Mount Bashan,(AR) majestic mountain,(AS)
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses(AT) to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(AU)
17 The chariots(AV) of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;(AW)
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[i]
18 When you ascended(AX) on high,(AY)
you took many captives;(AZ)
you received gifts from people,(BA)
even from[j] the rebellious(BB)—
that you,[k] Lord God, might dwell there.
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(BC)
who daily bears our burdens.(BD)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(BE)
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(BF)
21 Surely God will crush the heads(BG) 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,(BH)
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,(BI)
while the tongues of your dogs(BJ) have their share.”
24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.(BK)
25 In front are the singers,(BL) after them the musicians;(BM)
with them are the young women playing the timbrels.(BN)
26 Praise God in the great congregation;(BO)
praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.(BP)
27 There is the little tribe(BQ) of Benjamin,(BR) leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.(BS)
28 Summon your power,(BT) God[l];
show us your strength,(BU) our God, as you have done(BV) before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.(BW)
30 Rebuke the beast(BX) among the reeds,(BY)
the herd of bulls(BZ) among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations(CA) who delight in war.(CB)
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;(CC)
Cush[m](CD) will submit herself to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,(CE)
sing praise(CF) to the Lord,
33 to him who rides(CG) across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders(CH) with mighty voice.(CI)
34 Proclaim the power(CJ) of God,
whose majesty(CK) is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome(CL) in your sanctuary;(CM)
the God of Israel gives power and strength(CN) to his people.(CO)
Praise be to God!(CP)
Psalm 69[n]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.
1 Save me, O God,
for the waters(CQ) have come up to my neck.(CR)
2 I sink in the miry depths,(CS)
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
3 I am worn out calling for help;(CT)
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,(CU)
looking for my God.
4 Those who hate me(CV) without reason(CW)
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,(CX)
those who seek to destroy me.(CY)
I am forced to restore
what I did not steal.
6 Lord, the Lord Almighty,
may those who hope in you
not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me.
7 For I endure scorn(DB) for your sake,(DC)
and shame covers my face.(DD)
8 I am a foreigner to my own family,
a stranger to my own mother’s children;(DE)
9 for zeal for your house consumes me,(DF)
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.(DG)
10 When I weep and fast,(DH)
I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,(DI)
people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate(DJ) mock me,
and I am the song of the drunkards.(DK)
13 But I pray to you, Lord,
in the time of your favor;(DL)
in your great love,(DM) O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep waters.(DN)
15 Do not let the floodwaters(DO) engulf me
or the depths swallow me up(DP)
or the pit close its mouth over me.(DQ)
16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;(DR)
in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face(DS) from your servant;
answer me quickly,(DT) for I am in trouble.(DU)
18 Come near and rescue me;
deliver(DV) me because of my foes.
19 You know how I am scorned,(DW) disgraced and shamed;
all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
for comforters,(DX) but I found none.(DY)
21 They put gall in my food
and gave me vinegar(DZ) for my thirst.(EA)
22 May the table set before them become a snare;
may it become retribution and[o] a trap.(EB)
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.(EC)
24 Pour out your wrath(ED) on them;
let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;(EE)
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.(EF)
26 For they persecute those you wound
and talk about the pain of those you hurt.(EG)
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;(EH)
do not let them share in your salvation.(EI)
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life(EJ)
and not be listed with the righteous.(EK)
29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
may your salvation, God, protect me.(EL)
30 I will praise God’s name in song(EM)
and glorify him(EN) with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with its horns and hooves.(EO)
32 The poor will see and be glad(EP)—
you who seek God, may your hearts live!(EQ)
33 The Lord hears the needy(ER)
and does not despise his captive people.
Footnotes
- Psalm 67:1 In Hebrew texts 67:1-7 is numbered 67:2-8.
- Psalm 67:1 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 4.
- Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
- Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
- Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
- Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
- Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
- Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
- Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
- Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
- Psalm 68:18 Or they
- Psalm 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
- Psalm 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region
- Psalm 69:1 In Hebrew texts 69:1-36 is numbered 69:2-37.
- Psalm 69:22 Or snare / and their fellowship become
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.