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Psalm 68 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Psa 68:1

Psa 68:1For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.

Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.
Let those who hate God run for their lives.

Psa 68:2

Psa 68:2Blow them away like smoke.
Melt them like wax in a fire.
Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.

Psa 68:3

Psa 68:3But let the godly rejoice.
Let them be glad in God’s presence.
Let them be filled with joy.

Psa 68:4

Psa 68:4Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the LORD—
rejoice in his presence!

Psa 68:5

Psa 68:5Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.

Psa 68:6

Psa 68:6God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Psa 68:7

Psa 68:7O God, when you led your people out from Egypt,
when you marched through the dry wasteland,
Interlude

Psa 68:8

Psa 68:8the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain
before you, the God of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

Psa 68:9

Psa 68:9You sent abundant rain, O God,
to refresh the weary land.

Psa 68:10

Psa 68:10There your people finally settled,
and with a bountiful harvest, O God,
you provided for your needy people.

Psa 68:11

Psa 68:11The Lord gives the word,
and a great army[fn] brings the good news.

Psa 68:12

Psa 68:12Enemy kings and their armies flee,
while the women of Israel divide the plunder.

Psa 68:13

Psa 68:13Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—
doves with wings of silver
and feathers of gold.

Psa 68:14

Psa 68:14The Almighty scattered the enemy kings
like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.

Psa 68:15

Psa 68:15The mountains of Bashan are majestic,
with many peaks stretching high into the sky.

Psa 68:16

Psa 68:16Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains,
at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live,
where the LORD himself will live forever?

Psa 68:17

Psa 68:17Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots,
the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.

Psa 68:18

Psa 68:18When you ascended to the heights,
you led a crowd of captives.
You received gifts from the people,
even from those who rebelled against you.
Now the LORD God will live among us there.

Psa 68:19

Psa 68:19Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms.
Interlude

Psa 68:20

Psa 68:20Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death.

Psa 68:21

Psa 68:21But God will smash the heads of his enemies,
crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.

Psa 68:22

Psa 68:22The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan;
I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.

Psa 68:23

Psa 68:23You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood,
and even your dogs will get their share!”

Psa 68:24

Psa 68:24Your procession has come into view, O God—
the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.

Psa 68:25

Psa 68:25Singers are in front, musicians behind;
between them are young women playing tambourines.

Psa 68:26

Psa 68:26Praise God, all you people of Israel;
praise the LORD, the source of Israel’s life.

Psa 68:27

Psa 68:27Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way.
Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah
and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Psa 68:28

Psa 68:28Summon your might, O God.
Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.

Psa 68:29

Psa 68:29The kings of the earth are bringing tribute
to your Temple in Jerusalem.

Psa 68:30

Psa 68:30Rebuke these enemy nations—
these wild animals lurking in the reeds,
this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.
Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute.
Scatter the nations that delight in war.

Psa 68:31

Psa 68:31Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals[fn];
let Ethiopia[fn] bow in submission to God.

Psa 68:32

Psa 68:32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
Sing praises to the Lord.
Interlude

Psa 68:33

Psa 68:33Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
his mighty voice thundering from the sky.

Psa 68:34

Psa 68:34Tell everyone about God’s power.
His majesty shines down on Israel;
his strength is mighty in the heavens.

Psa 68:35

Psa 68:35God is awesome in his sanctuary.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!
See the NLT Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NLT Footnotes
Or a host of women.
Or of rich cloth.
Hebrew Cush.
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