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Psalm 68 :: New International Version (NIV)

Psa 68:1[fn]For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song. May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.
Psa 68:2May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
Psa 68:3But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
Psa 68:4Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds[fn]; rejoice before him—his name is the LORD.
Psa 68:5A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
Psa 68:6God sets the lonely in families,[fn] he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
Psa 68:7When you, God, went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness,[fn]
Psa 68:8the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
Psa 68:9You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.
Psa 68:10Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
Psa 68:11The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:
Psa 68:12“Kings and armies flee in haste; the women at home divide the plunder.
Psa 68:13Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[fn] the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.”
Psa 68:14When the Almighty[fn] scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.
Psa 68:15Mount Bashan, majestic mountain, Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
Psa 68:16why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever?
Psa 68:17The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[fn]
Psa 68:18When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from[fn] the rebellious— that you,[fn] LORD God, might dwell there.
Psa 68:19Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Psa 68:20Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.
Psa 68:21Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
Psa 68:22The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
Psa 68:23that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”
Psa 68:24Your procession, God, has come into view, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
Psa 68:25In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the young women playing the timbrels.
Psa 68:26Praise God in the great congregation; praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.
Psa 68:27There 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.
Psa 68:28Summon your power, God[fn]; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.
Psa 68:29Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts.
Psa 68:30Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Psa 68:31Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush[fn] will submit herself to God.
Psa 68:32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord,
Psa 68:33to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice.
Psa 68:34Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens.
Psa 68:35You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!
NIV Footnotes
In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
Or the desolate in a homeland
The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
Hebrew Shaddai
Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
Or gifts for people, / even
Or they
Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
That is, the upper Nile region
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