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PSALMS • CHAPTER 68
Psalms 68
Prayer, praise, lament, kingship, justice, suffering, worship, wisdom, anger, hope, and Israel's poetic life with God.
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Psalms 68
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1
Let God arise!
Let his enemies be scattered!
Let them who hate him also flee before him.
Let his enemies be scattered!
Let them who hate him also flee before him.
2
As smoke is driven away,
so drive them away.
As wax melts before the fire,
so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
so drive them away.
As wax melts 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.
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
Let them rejoice before God.
Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.
4
Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Extol him who rides on the clouds:
to Yah, his name!
Rejoice before him!
Extol him who rides on the clouds:
to Yah, his name!
Rejoice before him!
5
A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows,
is God in his holy habitation.
is God in his holy habitation.
6
God sets the lonely in families.
He brings out the prisoners with singing,
but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
He brings out the prisoners with singing,
but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
7
God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness...
when you marched through the wilderness...
8
The earth trembled.
The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai—
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
The sky also poured down rain at the presence of the God of Sinai—
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9
You, God, sent a plentiful rain.
You confirmed your inheritance when it was weary.
You confirmed your inheritance when it was weary.
10
Your congregation lived therein.
You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.
You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.
11
The Lord announced the word.
The ones who proclaim it are a great company.
The ones who proclaim it are a great company.
12
“Kings of armies flee! They flee!”
She who waits at home divides the plunder,
She who waits at home divides the plunder,
13
while you sleep among the camp fires,
the wings of a dove sheathed with silver,
her feathers with shining gold.
the wings of a dove sheathed with silver,
her feathers with shining gold.
14
When the Almighty scattered kings in her,
it snowed on Zalmon.
it snowed on Zalmon.
15
The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains.
The mountains of Bashan are rugged.
The mountains of Bashan are rugged.
16
Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign?
Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.
at the mountain where God chooses to reign?
Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.
17
The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands.
The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.
The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.
18
You have ascended on high.
You have led away captives.
You have received gifts among people,
yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.
You have led away captives.
You have received gifts among people,
yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.
19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens,
even the God who is our salvation.
even the God who is our salvation.
20
God is to us a God of deliverance.
To Yahweh, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
To Yahweh, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
21
But God will strike through the head of his enemies,
the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.
the hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.
22
The Lord said, “I will bring you again from Bashan,
I will bring you again from the depths of the sea,
I will bring you again from the depths of the sea,
23
that you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood,
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
24
They have seen your processions, God,
even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25
The singers went before, the minstrels followed after,
among the ladies playing with tambourines,
among the ladies playing with tambourines,
26
“Bless God in the congregations,
even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”
even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”
27
There is little Benjamin, their ruler,
the princes of Judah, their council,
the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
the princes of Judah, their council,
the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
28
Your God has commanded your strength.
Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.
29
Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings shall bring presents to you.
kings shall bring presents to you.
30
Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds,
the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples.
Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations that delight in war.
the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples.
Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations that delight in war.
31
Princes shall come out of Egypt.
Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
32
Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth!
Sing praises to the Lord!
Sing praises to the Lord!
33
To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old;
behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.
34
Ascribe strength to God!
His excellency is over Israel,
his strength is in the skies.
His excellency is over Israel,
his strength is in the skies.
35
You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people.
Praise be to God!
The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people.
Praise be to God!
POETRY
Where this chapter fits
Psalms belongs to Israel's wisdom/poetic tradition, where literary form matters as much as historical setting.
Chapter numbers were added long after the biblical books were written.
Read this chapter together with what comes immediately before and after it.
ANCIENT TEXT, MODERN QUESTIONS
Historical claims should be compared with historical evidence.
Scientific claims should be compared with science.
Moral claims should be examined morally.
Theological claims require theological and philosophical argument.
QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
Don't skip the hard parts.
What kind of literature is this?
Narrative, poetry, prophecy, law, letters, wisdom, and apocalypse communicate differently.
What historical evidence matters?
Ask whether names, places, institutions, events, customs, and chronology can be independently investigated.
What are the strongest competing interpretations?
Compare serious Jewish, Christian, academic, and skeptical readings rather than caricatures.
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