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Psalm 68
New English Translation

Psalm 68[a]

For the music director, by David, a psalm, a song.

68 God springs into action.[b]
His enemies scatter;
his adversaries[c] run from him.[d]
2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.[e]
As wax melts before fire,
so the wicked are destroyed before God.
3 But the godly[f] are happy;
they rejoice before God
and are overcome with joy.[g]
4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name.
Exalt the one who rides on the clouds.[h]
For the Lord is his name.[i]
Rejoice before him.
5 He is a father to the fatherless
and an advocate for widows.[j]
God rules from his holy dwelling place.[k]
6 God settles in their own homes those who have been deserted;[l]
he frees prisoners and grants them prosperity.[m]
But sinful rebels live in the desert.[n]
7 O God, when you lead your people into battle,[o]
when you march through the wastelands,[p] (Selah)
8 the earth shakes.
Yes, the heavens pour down rain
before God, the God of Sinai,[q]
before God, the God of Israel.[r]
9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall[s] on your chosen people.[t]
When they[u] are tired, you sustain them,[v]
10 for you live among them.[w]
You sustain the oppressed with your good blessings, O God.
11 The Lord speaks;[x]
many, many women spread the good news.[y]
12 Kings leading armies run away—they run away![z]
The lovely lady[aa] of the house divides up the loot.
13 When[ab] you lie down among the sheepfolds,[ac]
the wings of the dove are covered with silver
and with glittering gold.[ad]
14 When the Sovereign One[ae] scatters kings,[af]
let it snow[ag] on Zalmon.
15 The mountain of Bashan[ah] is a towering mountain;[ai]
the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks.[aj]
16 Why do you look with envy,[ak] O mountains[al] with many peaks,
at the mountain where God has decided to live?[am]
Indeed[an] the Lord will live there[ao] permanently.
17 God has countless chariots;
they number in the thousands.[ap]
The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.[aq]
18 You ascend on high;[ar]
you have taken many captives.[as]
You receive tribute[at] from[au] men,
including even sinful rebels.
Indeed, the Lord God lives there.[av]
19 The Lord deserves praise.[aw]
Day after day[ax] he carries our burden,
the God who delivers us. (Selah)
20 Our God is a God who delivers;
the Lord, the Sovereign Lord, can rescue from death.[ay]
21 Indeed, God strikes the heads of his enemies,
the hairy foreheads of those who persist in rebellion.[az]
22 The Lord says,
“I will retrieve them[ba] from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 so that your feet may stomp[bb] in their blood,
and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”[bc]
24 They[bd] see your processions, O God—
the processions of my God, my king, who marches along in holy splendor.[be]
25 Singers walk in front;
musicians follow playing their stringed instruments,[bf]
in the midst of young women playing tambourines.[bg]
26 In your large assemblies praise God,
the Lord, in the assemblies of Israel.[bh]
27 There is little Benjamin, their ruler,[bi]
and the princes of Judah in their robes,[bj]
along with the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali.
28 God has decreed that you will be powerful.[bk]
O God, you who have acted on our behalf, demonstrate your power.
29 Because of your temple in Jerusalem,[bl]
kings bring tribute to you.
30 Sound your battle cry against[bm] the wild beast of the reeds,[bn]
and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls.[bo]
They humble themselves[bp] and offer gold and silver as tribute.[bq]
God[br] scatters[bs] the nations that like to do battle.
31 They come with red cloth[bt] from Egypt.
Ethiopia[bu] voluntarily offers tribute[bv] to God.
32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)
33 to the one who rides through the sky from ancient times.[bw]
Look! He thunders loudly.[bx]
34 Acknowledge God’s power,[by]
his sovereignty over Israel,
and the power he reveals in the skies.[bz]
35 You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple.[ca]
It is the God of Israel[cb] who gives the people power and strength.
God deserves praise![cc]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 sn Psalm 68. The psalmist depicts God as a mighty warrior and celebrates the fact that God exerts his power on behalf of his people.
  2. Psalm 68:1 tn Or “rises up.” The verb form is an imperfect, not a jussive. The psalmist is describing God’s appearance in battle in a dramatic fashion.
  3. Psalm 68:1 tn Heb “those who hate him.”
  4. Psalm 68:1 sn The wording of v. 1 echoes the prayer in Num 10:35: “Spring into action, Lord. Then your enemies will be scattered and your adversaries will run from you.”
  5. Psalm 68:2 tn Heb “as smoke is scattered, you scatter [them].”
  6. Psalm 68:3 tn By placing the subject first the psalmist highlights the contrast between God’s ecstatic people and his defeated enemies (vv. 1-2).
  7. Psalm 68:3 tn Heb “and they are happy with joy” (cf. NEB). Some translate the prefixed verbal forms of v. 3 as jussives, “Let the godly be happy, let them rejoice before God, and let them be happy with joy!” (Cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV; note the call to praise in v. 4.)
  8. Psalm 68:4 tn Traditionally the Hebrew term עֲרָבוֹת (ʿaravot) is taken as “steppe-lands” (often rendered “deserts”), but here the form is probably a homonym meaning “clouds.” Verse 33, which depicts God as the one who “rides on the sky” strongly favors this (see as well Deut 33:26), as does the reference in v. 9 to God as the source of rain. The term עֲרָבָה (ʿaravah, “cloud”) is cognate with Akkadian urpatu/erpetu and with Ugaritic ʿrpt. The phrase rkb ʿrpt (“one who rides on the clouds”) appears in Ugaritic mythological texts as an epithet of the storm god Baal. The nonphonemic interchange of the bilabial consonants b and p is attested elsewhere in roots common to Hebrew and Ugaritic, though the phenomenon is relatively rare.
  9. Psalm 68:4 tc Heb “in the Lord his name.” If the MT is retained, the preposition ב (bet) is introducing the predicate (the so-called bet of identity), “the Lord is his name.” However, some prefer to emend the text to כִּי יָהּ שְׁמוֹ (ki yah shemo, “for Yah is his name”). This emendation, reflected in the present translation, assumes a confusion of ב (bet) and כ (kaf) and haplography of י (yod).
  10. Psalm 68:5 sn God is depicted here as a just ruler. In the ancient Near Eastern world a king was responsible for promoting justice, including caring for the weak and vulnerable, epitomized by the fatherless and widows.
  11. Psalm 68:5 tn Heb “God [is] in his holy dwelling place.” He occupies his throne and carries out his royal responsibilities.
  12. Psalm 68:6 tn Heb “God causes the solitary ones to dwell in a house.” The participle suggests this is what God typically does.
  13. Psalm 68:6 tn Heb “he brings out prisoners into prosperity.” Another option is to translate, “he brings out prisoners with singing” (cf. NIV). The participle suggests this is what God typically does.
  14. Psalm 68:6 tn Or “in a parched [land].”sn God delivers the downtrodden and oppressed, but sinful rebels who oppose his reign are treated appropriately.
  15. Psalm 68:7 tn Heb “when you go out before your people.” The Hebrew idiom “go out before” is used here in a militaristic sense of leading troops into battle (see Judg 4:14; 9:39; 2 Sam 5:24).
  16. Psalm 68:7 sn When you march through the wastelands. Some interpreters think that v. 7 alludes to Israel’s exodus from Egypt and its subsequent travels in the wilderness. Another option is that v. 7, like v. 8, echoes Judg 5:4, which describes how the God of Sinai marched across the plains of Edom to do battle with Sisera and his Canaanite army.
  17. Psalm 68:8 tn Heb “this one of Sinai.” The phrase is a divine title, perhaps indicating that the Lord rules from Sinai.
  18. Psalm 68:8 sn The language of vv. 7-8 is reminiscent of Judg 5:4-5, which tells how the God of Sinai came in the storm and annihilated the Canaanite forces led by Sisera. The presence of allusion does not mean, however, that this is a purely historical reference. The psalmist is describing God’s typical appearance as a warrior in terms of his prior self-revelation as ancient events are reactualized in the psalmist’s experience. (For a similar literary technique, see Hab 3.)
  19. Psalm 68:9 tn The verb נוּף (nuf, “cause rain to fall”) is a homonym of the more common נוּף (“brandish”).
  20. Psalm 68:9 tn Heb “[on] your inheritance.” This refers to Israel as God’s specially chosen people (see Pss 28:9; 33:12; 74:2; 78:62, 71; 79:1; 94:5, 14; 106:40). Some take “your inheritance” with what follows, but the vav (ו) prefixed to the following word (note וְנִלְאָה, venilʾah) makes this syntactically unlikely.
  21. Psalm 68:9 tn Heb “it [is],” referring to God’s “inheritance.”
  22. Psalm 68:9 tn Heb “it,” referring to God’s “inheritance.”
  23. Psalm 68:10 tn The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear; it appears to read, “your animals, they live in it,” but this makes little, if any, sense in this context. Some suggest that חָיָּה (khayah) is a rare homonym here, meaning “community” (BDB 312 s.v.) or “dwelling place” (HALOT 310 s.v. III *הַיָּה). In this case one may take “your community/dwelling place” as appositional to the third feminine singular pronominal suffix at the end of v. 9, the antecedent of which is “your inheritance.” The phrase יָשְׁבוּ־בָהּ (yashevu vah, “they live in it”) may then be understood as an asyndetic relative clause modifying “your community/dwelling place.” A literal translation of vv. 9b-10a would be, “when it [your inheritance] is tired, you sustain it, your community/dwelling place in [which] they live.”
  24. Psalm 68:11 tn Heb “gives a word.” Perhaps this refers to a divine royal decree or battle cry.
  25. Psalm 68:11 tn Heb “the ones spreading the good news [are] a large army.” The participle translated “the ones spreading the good news” is a feminine plural form. Apparently the good news here is the announcement that enemy kings have been defeated (see v. 12).
  26. Psalm 68:12 tn The verbal repetition draws attention to the statement.
  27. Psalm 68:12 tn The Hebrew form appears to be the construct of נוּה (nuh, “pasture”) but the phrase “pasture of the house” makes no sense here. The translation assumes that the form is an alternative or textual variation of נאוה (“beautiful woman”). A reference to a woman would be appropriate in light of v. 11b.
  28. Psalm 68:13 tn Or “if.”
  29. Psalm 68:13 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word translated “sheepfolds” is uncertain. There may be an echo of Judg 5:16 here.
  30. Psalm 68:13 tn Heb “and her pinions with the yellow of gold.”sn The point of the imagery of v. 13 is not certain, though the reference to silver and gold appears to be positive. Both would be part of the loot carried away from battle (see v. 12b).
  31. Psalm 68:14 tn The divine name used here is שַׁדַּי (“Shaddai”). Shaddai/El Shaddai is the sovereign king/judge of the world who grants life, blesses and kills, and judges. In Genesis he blesses the patriarchs with fertility and promises numerous descendants. Outside Genesis he both blesses (protects) and takes away life and/or happiness.
  32. Psalm 68:14 tn The Hebrew text adds “in it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix may refer back to God’s community/dwelling place (v. 10).
  33. Psalm 68:14 tn The verb form appears to be a Hiphil jussive from שָׁלַג (shalag), which is usually understood as a denominative verb from שֶׁלֶג (sheleg, “snow”) with an indefinite subject. The form could be taken as a preterite, in which case one might translate, “when the sovereign judge scattered kings, it snowed on Zalmon” (cf. NIV, NRSV). The point of the image is unclear. Perhaps “snow” suggests fertility and blessing (see v. 9 and Isa 55:10), or the image of a snow-capped mountain suggests grandeur.sn Zalmon was apparently a mountain in the region, perhaps the one mentioned in Judg 9:46 as being in the vicinity of Shechem.
  34. Psalm 68:15 sn The mountain of Bashan probably refers to Mount Hermon.
  35. Psalm 68:15 tn Heb “a mountain of God.” The divine name is probably used here in a superlative sense to depict a very high mountain (“a mountain fit for God,” as it were). Cf. NIV “are majestic mountains”; NRSV “O mighty mountain.”
  36. Psalm 68:15 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term, which appears only here in the OT, is uncertain. HALOT 174 s.v. גַּבְנוֹן suggests “many-peaked,” while BDB 148 s.v. גַּבְנִן suggests “rounded summit.”
  37. Psalm 68:16 tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb רָצַד (ratsad), translated here “look with envy,” is uncertain; it occurs only here in the OT. See BDB 952-53. A cognate verb occurs in later Aramaic with the meaning “to lie in wait; to watch” (Jastrow 1492 s.v. רְצַד).
  38. Psalm 68:16 tn Perhaps the apparent plural form should be read as a singular with enclitic mem (ם; later misinterpreted as a plural ending). The preceding verse has the singular form.
  39. Psalm 68:16 tn Heb “[at] the mountain God desires for his dwelling place.” The reference is to Mount Zion/Jerusalem.
  40. Psalm 68:16 tn The Hebrew particle אַף (ʾaf) has an emphasizing function here.
  41. Psalm 68:16 tn The word “there” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
  42. Psalm 68:17 tn Heb “thousands of [?].” The meaning of the word שִׁנְאָן (shinʾan), which occurs only here in the OT, is uncertain. Perhaps the form should be emended to שַׁאֲנָן (shaʾanan, “at ease”) and be translated here “held in reserve.”
  43. Psalm 68:17 tc The MT reads, “the Lord [is] among them, Sinai, in holiness,” which is syntactically difficult. The present translation assumes an emendation to אֲדֹנָי בָּא מִסִּינַי (ʾadonay baʾ missinay; see BHS note b-b and Deut 33:2).
  44. Psalm 68:18 tn Heb “to the elevated place”; or “on high.” This probably refers to the Lord’s throne on Mount Zion.
  45. Psalm 68:18 tn Heb “you have taken captives captive.”
  46. Psalm 68:18 tn Or “gifts.”
  47. Psalm 68:18 tn Or “among.”
  48. Psalm 68:18 tn Heb “so that the Lord God might live [there].” Many take the infinitive construct with ל (lamed) as indicating purpose here, but it is unclear how the offering of tribute enables the Lord to live in Zion. This may be an occurrence of the relatively rare emphatic lamed (see HALOT 510-11 s.v. II לְ, though this text is not listed as an example there). If so, the statement corresponds nicely to the final line of v. 16, which also affirms emphatically that the Lord lives in Zion.
  49. Psalm 68:19 tn Heb “blessed [be] the Lord.”
  50. Psalm 68:19 tn It is possible to take this phrase with what precedes (“The Lord deserves praise day after day”) rather than with what follows.
  51. Psalm 68:20 tn Heb “and to the Lord, the Lord, to death, goings out.”
  52. Psalm 68:21 tn Heb “the hairy forehead of the one who walks about in his guilt.” The singular is representative.
  53. Psalm 68:22 tn That is, the enemies mentioned in v. 21. Even if they retreat to distant regions, God will retrieve them and make them taste his judgment.
  54. Psalm 68:23 tc Some (e.g. NRSV) prefer to emend מָחַץ (makhats, “smash; stomp”; see v. 21) to רָחַץ (rakhats, “bathe”; see Ps 58:10).
  55. Psalm 68:23 tn Heb “[and] the tongue of your dogs from [the] enemies [may eat] its portion.”
  56. Psalm 68:24 tn The subject is probably indefinite, referring to bystanders in general who witness the procession.
  57. Psalm 68:24 tn The Hebrew text has simply “in holiness.” The words “who marches along” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  58. Psalm 68:25 tn Heb “after [are] the stringed instrument players.”
  59. Psalm 68:25 sn To celebrate a military victory, women would play tambourines (see Exod 15:20; Judg 11:34; 1 Sam 18:6).
  60. Psalm 68:26 tn Heb “from the fountain of Israel,” which makes little, if any, sense here. The translation assumes an emendation to בְּמִקְרָאֵי (bemiqraʾe, “in the assemblies of [Israel]”).
  61. Psalm 68:27 sn Little Benjamin, their ruler. This may allude to the fact that Israel’s first king, Saul, was from the tribe of Benjamin.
  62. Psalm 68:27 tc The MT reads רִגְמָתָם (rigmatam), which many derive from רָגַם (ragam, “to kill by stoning”) and translates, “[in] their heaps,” that is, in large numbers. One Hebrew ms and Jerome’s iuxta Hebraeos (“in purpura sua”) support “robes.”
  63. Psalm 68:28 tn Heb “God has commanded your strength.” The statement is apparently addressed to Israel (see v. 26).
  64. Psalm 68:29 tn Heb “Be strong, O God, [you] who have acted for us, from your temple in Jerusalem.”
  65. Psalm 68:30 tn The Hebrew verb גָּעַר (gaʿar) is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts such as Ps 68 this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Ps 106:9 and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 18:15; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.
  66. Psalm 68:30 sn The wild beast of the reeds probably refers to a hippopotamus, which in turn symbolizes the nation of Egypt.
  67. Psalm 68:30 tn Heb “an assembly of bulls, with calves of the nations.”
  68. Psalm 68:30 tn Heb “humbling himself.” The verb form is a Hitpael participle from the root רָפַס (rafas, “to trample”). The Hitpael of this verb appears only here and in Prov 6:3, where it seems to mean, “humble oneself,” a nuance that fits nicely in this context. The apparent subject is “wild beast” or “assembly,” though both of these nouns are grammatically feminine, while the participle is a masculine form. Perhaps one should emend the participial form to a masculine plural (מִתְרַפִּם, mitrappim) and understand “bulls” or “calves” as the subject.
  69. Psalm 68:30 tc Heb “with pieces [?] of silver.” The meaning of the Hebrew term רַצֵּי (ratse) is unclear. It is probably best to emend the text to בֶּצֶר וְכָסֶף (betser vekhasef, “[with] gold and silver”).
  70. Psalm 68:30 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  71. Psalm 68:30 tn The verb בָּזַר (bazar) is an alternative form of פָּזַר (pazar, “scatter”).
  72. Psalm 68:31 tn This noun, which occurs only here in the OT, apparently means “red cloth” or “bronze articles” (see HALOT 362 s.v. חַשְׁמַן; cf. NEB “tribute”). Traditionally the word has been taken to refer to “nobles” (see BDB 365 s.v. חַשְׁמַן; cf. NIV “envoys”). Another option would be to emend the text to הַשְׁמַנִּים (hashmannim, “the robust ones,” i.e., leaders).
  73. Psalm 68:31 tn Heb “Cush.”
  74. Psalm 68:31 tn Heb “causes its hands to run,” which must mean “quickly stretches out its hands” (to present tribute).
  75. Psalm 68:33 tc Heb “to the one who rides through the skies of skies of ancient times.” If the MT is retained, one might translate, “to the one who rides through the ancient skies.” (שְׁמֵי [sheme, “skies of”] may be accidentally repeated.) The present translation assumes an emendation to בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִקֶּדֶם (bashamayim miqqedem, “[to the one who rides] through the sky from ancient times”), that is, God has been revealing his power through the storm since ancient times.
  76. Psalm 68:33 tn Heb “he gives his voice, a strong voice.” In this context God’s “voice” is the thunder that accompanies the rain (see vv. 8-9, as well as Deut 33:26).
  77. Psalm 68:34 tn Heb “give strength to God.”
  78. Psalm 68:34 sn The language of v. 34 echoes that of Deut 33:26.
  79. Psalm 68:35 tn Heb “awesome [is] God from his holy places.” The plural of מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash, “holy places”) perhaps refers to the temple precincts (see Ps 73:17; Jer 51:51).
  80. Psalm 68:35 tn Heb “the God of Israel, he.”
  81. Psalm 68:35 tn Heb “blessed [be] God.”
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Psalm 68
New Catholic Bible

Psalm 68[a]

Song of Victory

1 For the director.[b] A psalm of David. A song.

2 [c]May God rise up, and his enemies be scattered;
    may his foes flee before him.
3 As smoke is blown away in the wind,
    so will they be blown away.
As wax melts away before a flame,
    so will the wicked perish before God.
4 But those who are righteous will rejoice;
    they will exult before God,
    crying out with great delight.
5 [d]Sing to God, sing praise to his name;[e]
    exalt him who rides upon the clouds.
Rejoice in the presence of this God
    whose name is the Lord.
6 [f]The Father of orphans and the defender of widows:
    such is God in his holy dwelling place.
7 He gives a home to those who are forsaken
    and leads out prisoners amid chants of exultation,
    while rebels are forced to live in an arid land.
8 [g]O God, when you set out at the head of your people,
    when you went marching through the wilderness, Selah
9 the earth quaked,[h]
    and rain poured down from the heavens,
at the presence of God, the One of Sinai,
    at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
10 [i]You poured down rain in abundance, O God,
    and revived your exhausted inheritance.
11 It was there that your people settled;
    and in your great goodness, O God,
    you provided for those who were needy.
12 [j]The Lord issues the word,[k]
    and a vast army proclaims good tidings:
13 “Kings and their armies are beating a hasty retreat;
    even those who remained in camp are dividing up the spoils.
14 “While you linger by the sheepfolds,
    the wings of the dove are covered[l] with silver,
    its feathers brilliant with shining gold.”
15 When the Almighty[m] routed the kings there,
    it was like snow fallen upon Zalmon.
16 [n]The mountains of Bashan are God’s mountains;
    the mountains of Bashan are mighty peaks.
17 Why, O rugged mountains, do you gaze enviously
    at the mountain[o] that God has chosen as his abode,
    where the Lord himself will dwell forever?
18 The chariots of God[p] are myriad,
    thousands upon thousands;
the Lord has come down from Sinai
    and entered into the holy place.
19 You ascended on high,
    leading captives in your train;
you accepted slaves as tribute,
    so that even rebels might dwell with the Lord God.[q]
20 [r]Blessed be the Lord, day after day,
    the God of our salvation, who carries our burden. Selah
21 Our God is a God who saves;
    the Lord God delivers from death.[s]
22 God himself will smite the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who persist in their sins.
23 The Lord has said:
    “I will bring them back even from Bashan,
    I will bring them back even from the depths of the sea,[t]
24 so that you may bathe your feet in the blood of your foes
    and the tongues of your dogs may have their share.”[u]
25 [v]Your procession, O God, comes into view,
    the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
26 The singers enter first,
    with musicians trailing behind them,
    while in their midst are the maidens playing tambourines.[w]
27 Bless God in the assembly;
    the Lord, the source of Israel.
28 In the lead is Benjamin, the smallest in number,
    with the princes of Judah in a council,
as well as the princes of Zebulun and Naphtali.
29 [x]Marshal your power once again, O God,
    the power of God that you have often wielded for us.
30 For to your temple in Jerusalem
    kings will come to you bearing gifts.[y]
31 Rebuke those wild beasts of the reeds,[z]
    the herd of mighty bulls, the calves of nations,
who bring bars of silver and prostrate themselves;
    rout the nations that delight in war.
32 Envoys will come from Egypt;
    Ethiopia will stretch out its hands to God.[aa]
33 [ab]Sing to God, all you kingdoms of the earth;
    sing the praises of the Lord, Selah
34 who rides the ancient heavens above[ac]
    and speaks with his voice of thunder.
35 Acknowledge the power of God,
    whose majesty is over Israel
    and whose power is in the skies.
36 Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
    the God of Israel, who gives power and strength to his people.[ad]
Blessed be God!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 This psalm may have been used in a processional liturgy celebrating the triumphal march of Israel’s God to his sanctuary, possibly as part of the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles that included a procession of the tribes (vv. 25-28). With the words “May God rise up, . . .” the poet sets in motion the procession with the Ark, as at the time when it went before the marches of the people (v. 2; see Num 10:35). And he lets the whole history of Israel unfold before our eyes like a grand march of God, like his procession into the heart of Jerusalem. God rises, and the darkness dissipates; he takes the head of his people, and the adversaries are thrown into disorder. This epic poem assembles a series of allusive images, many of which remain obscure for us.
    In this coming of God, however, we will recognize stirring moments in the destiny of Israel: the Exodus from Egypt and the divine manifestation at Sinai (vv. 8-9; see Ex 19:16), the wonders of the Exodus (vv. 10-11), the exploits of the Judges (vv. 12-15; see Book of Judges), the Conquest of Jerusalem (vv. 15-19), the sad fate of the criminal Ahab (v. 24; see 1 Ki 21:19), and the solemn Passover of Hezekiah who had reunited all the tribes of Israel (vv. 25-36; see 2 Chr 30), which foreshadowed the gathering in the holy city of the pagans who had finally come to render homage to the Lord of all nations.
    The important thing in this psalm is not so much to grasp all the allusions as it is to let ourselves be carried along by the rhythm of the chant; we should listen to it as to a heroic march, as the glorious epic that draws Israel out of the atmosphere of everyday life. It is the ideal psalm for processions to the temple.
    In the ascent of God, who rises to take possession of the sacred hill of Jerusalem, the apostle Paul sees the Ascension of Christ, who draws after him the redeemed people, the Church that is filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit (v. 19; see Eph 4:8-11). When Christians sing this hymn, they recall the presence of God in the working out of the world’s destiny and the march of humanity, which is continually called by God until it is made one again in glory.
  2. Psalm 68:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
  3. Psalm 68:2 This first of nine parts prays that God will come at the head of his people to defeat their enemies and enter his sanctuary in triumph.
  4. Psalm 68:5 This second part calls for God to be praised as savior.
  5. Psalm 68:5 Name: see notes on Pss 5:12; 8:1. Who rides upon the clouds: the psalmist applies to Yahweh the image of the Canaanite storm-god Baal riding to battle on storm clouds; he thus stresses that Yahweh rather than Baal is the exalted God who makes the storm clouds his chariot (see v. 34; Pss 18:10f; 104:3; Deut 33:26; Isa 19:1; Hab 3:8; Mt 26:64).
  6. Psalm 68:6 The Lord watches over the whole human race, acting on behalf of those who seek protection and vindication: the fatherless, the widows, the forsaken, and the exiles. His rule brings about justice out of injustice and vindication out of oppression (see Pss 10:14; 25:16; 79:11; 102:20f; 103:6; 146:9; Ex 22:21-23; Deut 10:18; Isa 61:1; Bar 6:37).
  7. Psalm 68:8 This third part recalls God’s march at the head of his people from Egypt, through the Desert of Sinai, and into the Promised Land (see Ps 60:14; Ex 13:21; 19:16; Num 14:14; Deut 33:2; Hab 3:3).
  8. Psalm 68:9 Earth quaked: a reference to the “trembling” of Mount Sinai (see Ex 19:18). Rain poured down from the heavens: although there is no record of rain in the Sinai story, there is mention of “thunder, lightning, a dense cloud” (see Ex 19:16), which would usually indicate rain. In addition, rain is connected with the shaking of the earth (see Jdg 5:4).
  9. Psalm 68:10 These two verses evoke the miracles of the Exodus: the cloud (see Ex 13:21; Num 14:14), the manna and quail (see Ps 78:24f; Ex 16:4f), and the entrance into the Promised Land (v. 11: it was there).
  10. Psalm 68:12 This fourth part recalls the defeat of the Canaanite kings by God.
  11. Psalm 68:12 Issues the word: God foretells his victory over the Canaanites (see Ex 23:22f, 27f, 31; Deut 7:10-24; 11:23-25; Jos 1:2-6).
  12. Psalm 68:14 Wings of the dove are covered: even while in camp, before the battle, Israel (God’s “dove”: see Ps 74:19; Hos 7:11) is already assured of enjoying the booty (silver and gold) of the Canaanite kings, for God had guaranteed it (see Jos 2:8-11; 5:1; 6:16).
  13. Psalm 68:15 Almighty: the Hebrew is Shaddai, “the Mountain One.” The name by which God revealed himself to the patriarchs was El-Shaddai: “God Almighty” (see Gen 17:1), which stressed God’s power or his home in the mountains (see Ps 121:1). Zalmon: a mountain near Shechem (see Jdg 9:46-48) or a dark volcanic mountain in Bashan or Hauran east of the Sea of Galilee. It was known as the “dark one” in opposition to the “white one,” Lebanon.
  14. Psalm 68:16 This fifth part celebrates the taking of Jerusalem to which God ascends and from which he will rule the world.
  15. Psalm 68:17 The mountain: Mount Zion, a little mount, which God has made the highest mountain because he has placed his temple there and dwells in it.
  16. Psalm 68:18 Chariots of God: the heavenly hosts (see Hab 3:8, 15), later termed “legions” by Jesus (see Mt 26:53). It may also refer to the heavenly chariots seen by Elisha (see 2 Ki 6:17) rather than the chariots of Solomon (see 1 Ki 10:26).
  17. Psalm 68:19 When God went up to his place of enthronement on Mount Zion (see Ps 47:6f), he had captives in his train and received gifts like a victor in battle. The apostle Paul applies this verse in its Greek translation to the ministry of the ascended Christ (Eph 4:8: “When he ascended to the heights, / he took prisoners into captivity / and gave gifts to men”). It assures all who believe in Christ that by trusting him they can overcome evil.
  18. Psalm 68:20 This sixth part offers joyous praise and the fervent hope that God’s victories will continue.
  19. Psalm 68:21 Delivers from death: God delivers his faithful from the death inflicted on them by their enemies and also from the death that comes to all human beings (see notes on Pss 6:6; 11:7; 16:9-11; 17:15; 49:16; 73:23-26; 139:18; Job 19:23-29; Isa 26:19; Dan 12:2; see also 1 Cor 15).
  20. Psalm 68:23 From Bashan . . . from the depths of the sea: i.e., the heights and the depths, the farthest places to which enemies might flee.
  21. Psalm 68:24 A vivid expression indicating complete victory over one’s foes that was common in the Near East (see Ps 58:11). It alludes to the predictions of Elijah (1 Ki 21:19f) about the death of Ahab (1 Ki 22:38), his son Joram, wounded at Ramoth Gilead and brought back to Jezreel (2 Ki 8:29; 9:15), and Jezebel (2 Ki 9:36).
  22. Psalm 68:25 This seventh part describes the procession as it approaches the temple and renews God’s taking up residence there (see Pss 24; 47) in the presence of all Israel, both north and south. It also alludes to the Passover of Hezekiah in which all the tribes participated (see Ps 80:2f; 2 Chr 30:1ff; Isa 9:1).
  23. Psalm 68:26 Tambourines: instruments played especially after a victory in battle (see Ex 15:20; 1 Sam 10:5; 18:6; 2 Sam 6:5; Jer 31:4).
  24. Psalm 68:29 This eighth part gives the prayer that God may continue to rule over the enemies of his people and exact tribute from them.
  25. Psalm 68:30 The defeated nations, led by their kings, will bring tribute to the Lord who has established his majesty in his temple at Jerusalem (see Ps 76:12; Isa 18:7; 60:3-7; 66:20; Hag 2:7; Zec 2:11-13; 6:15; 8:21f; Rev 21:24).
  26. Psalm 68:31 The prayer contains a petition to strike the nations that will not submit to the Lord. Wild beasts of the reeds: the reference is to the crocodile, a symbol for Egypt (see Ezek 29:3), which in turn stands for all the hostile nations. Herd of mighty bulls: the “lords of nations” who oppress and seduce their peoples. Bars of silver: tribute from the foreign nations brought to Zion.
  27. Psalm 68:32 Egypt will submit, as will Ethiopia (i.e., the upper Nile region) who usually formed an alliance with Egypt (see Isa 18:1—19:15; 20:1-6).
  28. Psalm 68:33 This ninth part calls upon all nations to praise the God of Israel who dwells in the temple and acclaim him as the God of all nations (see Ps 47).
  29. Psalm 68:34 The words who rides the ancient heavens above indicate the Lord’s majesty, for he rules the highest heavens (see Deut 10:14; 1 Ki 8:27). The thunder symbolizes the power and majesty of his rule (see Pss 18:14; 29:3) on behalf of his people (see Deut 33:26).
  30. Psalm 68:36 Although the Lord is awesome in his deeds (see Pss 47:3; 65:6; Ex 15:11; Deut 10:17; Rev 15:3f), he condescends to be present to his people in the sanctuary in order to aid them.
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Psalm 68
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Psalm 68[a]

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

1 May God arise,(A) may his enemies be scattered;(B)
    may his foes flee(C) before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke—(D)
    as wax melts(E) before the fire,
    may the wicked perish(F) before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
    and rejoice(G) before God;
    may they be happy and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(H)
    extol him who rides on the clouds[b](I);
    rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(J)
5 A father to the fatherless,(K) a defender of widows,(L)
    is God in his holy dwelling.(M)
6 God sets the lonely(N) in families,[c](O)
    he leads out the prisoners(P) with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(Q)

7 When you, God, went out(R) before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness,[d](S)
8 the earth shook,(T) the heavens poured down rain,(U)
    before God, the One of Sinai,(V)
    before God, the God of Israel.(W)
9 You gave abundant showers,(X) O God;
    you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
    and from your bounty,(Y) God, you provided(Z) for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,
    and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(AA)
12 “Kings and armies flee(AB) in haste;
    the women at home divide the plunder.(AC)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[e](AD)
    the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
    its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[f] scattered(AE) the kings in the land,
    it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(AF)

15 Mount Bashan,(AG) majestic mountain,(AH)
    Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
    at the mountain where God chooses(AI) to reign,
    where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(AJ)
17 The chariots(AK) of God are tens of thousands
    and thousands of thousands;(AL)
    the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[g]
18 When you ascended(AM) on high,(AN)
    you took many captives;(AO)
    you received gifts from people,(AP)
even from[h] the rebellious(AQ)—
    that you,[i] Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(AR)
    who daily bears our burdens.(AS)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(AT)
    from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(AU)
21 Surely God will crush the heads(AV) 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,(AW)
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,(AX)
    while the tongues of your dogs(AY) have their share.”

24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
    the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.(AZ)
25 In front are the singers,(BA) after them the musicians;(BB)
    with them are the young women playing the timbrels.(BC)
26 Praise God in the great congregation;(BD)
    praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.(BE)
27 There is the little tribe(BF) of Benjamin,(BG) leading them,
    there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
    and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.(BH)

28 Summon your power,(BI) God[j];
    show us your strength,(BJ) our God, as you have done(BK) before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings will bring you gifts.(BL)
30 Rebuke the beast(BM) among the reeds,(BN)
    the herd of bulls(BO) among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
    Scatter the nations(BP) who delight in war.(BQ)
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;(BR)
    Cush[k](BS) will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,(BT)
    sing praise(BU) to the Lord,
33 to him who rides(BV) across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
    who thunders(BW) with mighty voice.(BX)
34 Proclaim the power(BY) of God,
    whose majesty(BZ) is over Israel,
    whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome(CA) in your sanctuary;(CB)
    the God of Israel gives power and strength(CC) to his people.(CD)

Praise be to God!(CE)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
  2. Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
  3. Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
  4. Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
  5. Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  6. Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
  7. Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
  8. Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
  9. Psalm 68:18 Or they
  10. Psalm 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
  11. Psalm 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region
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Psalm 68
King James Version

68 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him.

5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.

13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.

15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:

23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

24 They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.

25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.

26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.

27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.

30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:

33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

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