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68:1  For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song. Let God rise up and scatter his enemies; let those who hate him ·run away [flee] from him.
68:2  Blow them away as smoke is ·driven [blown] away by the wind [Hos. 13:3]. As wax melts before a fire, let the wicked ·be destroyed [perish] before God [Mic. 1:4].
68:3  But ·those who do right [the righteous] should be glad and should rejoice before God; they should be happy and glad.
68:4  Sing to God; ·sing praises [make a psalm] to his name. Prepare the way for him who rides ·through the desert [on the clouds; C as on a chariot; 18:10–19; 104:3; Is. 19:1; Dan. 7:13–14; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7], whose name is the Lord. Rejoice before him.
68:5  God is in his holy ·Temple [L abode]. He is a father to orphans [10:14; 146:9], and he defends the widows [146:9].
68:6  God gives the lonely a home. He leads prisoners out ·with joy [with singing; or to prosperity], but ·those who turn against God [L the rebellious] will live in a dry land.
68:7  God, you led your people out when you marched through the ·desert [wasteland; wilderness]. ·Selah [Interlude]
68:8  The ·ground [earth; land] shook and the ·sky [heavens] poured down rain before God, the God of Mount Sinai [Ex. 19], before God, the God of Israel.
68:9  God, you sent much rain; you ·refreshed [restored] your ·tired [withering] ·land [L inheritance].
68:10  Your people settled there. God, in your goodness you took care of the poor.
68:11  The Lord gave the command, and a great ·army [or company of women] told the news:
68:12  “Kings and their ·armies [hosts] ·run away [L flee]. ·In camp they [L The abode of the house; C may indicate the women] divide the ·wealth taken in war [plunder].
68:13  Those who stayed ·by the campfires [L between the saddlebags/or sheepfolds] will share the ·riches taken in battle [L wings of a dove covered with silver and its feathers with green gold; C specific precious items among the plunder].”
68:14  The Almighty scattered kings like snow on Mount Zalmon [C perhaps near Shechem; Judg. 9:48].
68:15  The mountains of Bashan [C in the Golan heights, east of the Sea of Galilee] are ·high [mighty]; the mountains of Bashan have many peaks.
68:16  Why do you mountains with many peaks look with ·envy [or hostility] on the mountain that God ·chose [L desired] for his home [C Zion, the location of the Temple]? The Lord will live there forever.
68:17  God comes with ·millions [L twice ten thousand, thousands of thousands] of chariots; the Lord ·comes from Mount Sinai to his holy place [L is among them Sinai in holiness].
68:18  When you went up to the heights, you led a parade of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who ·turned [rebelled] against you [2 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 4:8]. And the Lord God will live there.
68:19  ·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, God our ·Savior [Victor], who ·helps us [L bears our burdens] every day. ·Selah [Interlude]
68:20  Our God is a God who ·saves us [gives us victory]; the Lord God ·saves us [L brings us out] from death.
68:21  God will ·crush [shatter] his enemies’ heads, the hairy ·skulls [pates; C tops of their heads] of those who continue to ·sin [L walk in their guilt].
68:22  The Lord said, “I will bring ·the enemy [L them] back from Bashan [v. 15]; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea [C representing chaos].
68:23  Then you can ·stick [bathe; or shatter] your feet in their blood, and ·your dogs can lick [L the tongues of your dogs can have] their share.”
68:24  God, people have seen your victory ·march [procession]; God my King marched into the holy place [C the Tabernacle].
68:25  The singers are in front and the ·instruments [musicians] are behind. In the middle are the girls with the tambourines.
68:26  ·Praise [Bless] God in the ·meeting place [assembly]; ·praise [bless] the Lord ·in the gathering [or the fountain] of Israel.
68:27  There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, ·leading them [L bringing them down]. And there are the ·leaders [princes] of Judah with their group. There also are the ·leaders [princes] of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
68:28  God, ·order up [command] your power; show the mighty power you have used for us before.
68:29  Kings will bring their ·wealth [L presents; gifts] to you, ·to [or because of] your Temple in Jerusalem.
68:30  ·Punish [Reprimand; Rebuke] the beast in the ·tall grass along the river [L reed; C crocodile or hippopotamus representing Egypt]. ·Punish [Reprimand; Rebuke] ·those bulls among the cows [L the herd of bulls among the calves of the peoples; C leaders of other nations]. ·Defeated [Trampled], they will bring you their silver. Scatter those ·nations [peoples] that ·love [delight in] war.
68:31  Messengers will come from Egypt; the people of ·Cush [Ethiopia] will ·pray [L stretch their hands] to God.
68:32  Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; ·sing praises [make a psalm] to the Lord. ·Selah [Interlude]
68:33  Sing to the one who rides through the ·skies [heavens], ·which are from long ago [the ancient heavens; v. 4]. He ·speaks with a thundering voice [L puts forth his voice, his strong voice].
68:34  ·Announce [Ascribe] that God is ·powerful [strong]. ·He rules [L His majesty is] over Israel, and his power is in the ·skies [clouds].
68:35  God, you are ·wonderful [awesome] in your ·Temple [sanctuary; L Holy Place]. The God of Israel gives his people strength and power. ·Praise [Bless] God!