BibleHearthPsalm 68 (NASB2020)
Psalm 68
The God of Sinai and of the Sanctuary.
For the music director. A Psalm of David. A Song.
1 68:1 Or God shallMay God arise, 68:1 Or His enemies shallmay His enemies be scattered,
And 68:1 Or those who hate Him shallmay those who hate Him flee from His presence.
2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
As wax melts before a fire,
So the wicked will perish before God.
3But the righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God;
Yes, they will rejoice with gladness.
4Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
68:4 Or Prepare the way for HimExalt Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is 68:4 Heb Yahthe Lord, and be jubilant before Him.
5¶A father of the fatherless and a judge 68:5 Lit offor the widows,
Is God in His holy dwelling.
6God 68:6 Lit makes the solitary to dwell in a housemakes a home for the lonely;
He leads out the prisoners into prosperity,
Only the rebellious live in parched lands.
7¶God, when You went forth before Your people,
When You marched through the desert, Selah
8The earth quaked;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
68:8 Lit This is Sinai whichSinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9You made plentiful rain fall, God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was 68:9 Lit wearyparched.
10Your creatures settled in it;
In Your kindness You provided for the poor, God.
11¶The Lord gives the 68:11 Lit wordcommand;
The women who proclaim good news are a great army:
12“Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will divide the spoils!”
13 68:13 Lit IfWhen you lie down among the sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with 68:13 I.e., gold alloyed with silverglistening gold.
14When the Almighty scattered the kings 68:14 Lit in itthere,
It was snowing in Zalmon.
15¶The mountain of Bashan is a 68:15 Or mighty mountainmountain of God;
The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.
16Why do you look with envy, you mountains of many peaks,
At the mountain God has desired as His dwelling?
Indeed, the Lord will dwell there forever.
17The chariots of God are 68:17 Lit twice 10,000myriads, thousands upon thousands;
68:17 Another reading is The Lord came from Sinai into the sanctuaryThe Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
18You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives;
You have received gifts among people,
Even among the rebellious as well, that 68:18 Heb Yahthe Lord God may dwell there.
19¶Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden,
The God who is our salvation. Selah
20God is to us a God of salvation;
And to 68:20 Heb YHWH, usually rendered LordGod the Lord belong ways of escape 68:20 I.e., in view of; lit forfrom death.
21God certainly will shatter the heads of His enemies,
The hairy 68:21 Lit skullhead of one who goes about in his guilt.
22The Lord 68:22 Or sayssaid, “I will bring them back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23So that 68:23 Some ancient versions render, you may bathe your foot in bloodyour foot may shatter them in blood,
And the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
24¶They have seen Your procession, God,
The procession of my God, my King, 68:24 Or in holinessinto the sanctuary.
25The singers went on, the musicians after them,
68:25 Or The maidens in the midstIn the midst of the young women beating tambourines.
26Bless God in the congregations,
Even the Lord, you who are of the fountain of Israel.
27Benjamin, the 68:27 Or smallestyoungest, is there, 68:27 Or their rulerruling them,
The leaders of Judah in their company,
The leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.
28¶68:28 Some mss Command, GodYour God has commanded your strength;
Show Yourself strong, God, You who acted 68:28 Lit for usin our behalf.
29 68:29 Or From Your templeBecause of Your temple at Jerusalem
Kings will bring gifts to You.
30Rebuke the animals 68:30 Lit ofin the reeds,
The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
Trampling the pieces of silver;
He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.
31 68:31 As in LXX; MT uncertain, possibly, Articles of bronze; or Articles of red clothMessengers will come from Egypt;
68:31 Or EthiopiaCush will quickly stretch out her hands to God.
32¶Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,
Sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33To Him who rides upon the 68:33 Lit heaven of heavens of oldhighest heavens, which are from ancient times;
Behold, He 68:33 Lit gives forthspeaks with His voice, a mighty voice.
34Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel,
And His strength is in the 68:34 Lit cloudsskies.
35 68:35 Or Awesome is God from your sanctuaryGod, You are awesome from Your 68:35 Lit holy placessanctuary.
The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people.
Blessed be God!
Understand Psalm 68
A verse-by-verse study of Psalm 68: what the chapter is doing, and what three commentaries say about it. Written to be readable if this is new to you.
Read the Psalm 68 commentary