Psalm 68

W. W. J. VanOene, 1972

1. God shall arise, and by His might
   Put all His enemies to flight;
   In conquest shall He quell them.
   Let those who hate Him, scattered, flee
   Before His glorious majesty,
   For God Himself shall fell them.
   Just as the wind drives smoke away,
   So God will scatter the array
   Of those who evil cherish.
   As wax that melts before the fire,
   So vanquished by God’s dreadful ire,
   Shall all the wicked perish.
   
2. But let the just with joyful voice
   In God’s victorious might rejoice;
   Let them exult before Him!
   O sing to God, His praise proclaim
   And raise a Psalm unto His Name;
   In joyful songs adore Him.
   Lift up your voice and sing aloud
   To Him who rides upon the clouds
   High in the spacious heavens.
   The LORD, that is His glorious Name.
   Sing unto Him with loud acclaim;
   To Him be glory given.
   
3. The Father to the fatherless,
   Defense of widows in distress,
   Is in His habitation.
   He in the goodness of His grace
   Gives lonely ones a dwelling-place;
   He grants them consolation.
   He leads the captive out to see
   The joys of newfound liberty,
   For bounteous is God’s mercy.
   But who against Him dare rebel
   Most certainly with famine dwell:
   Their land is dry and thirsty.
   
4. When through the desert’s solitude
   Thou to Thy people’s multitude
   Didst show a path to travel,
   The rain poured down, the earth did quake,
   Yes, even Sinai’s base did shake
   Before the God of Israel.
   Rain in abundance Thou, O God,
   Upon Thy host didst shed abroad,
   Thy heritage reviving.
   Thy flock has found a dwelling there:
   Thou to Thy poor didst show Thy care,
   For all their needs providing.
   
5. When God but speaks His mighty word,
   Great is the host whose shouts are heard:
   “The kings have fled like cattle!”
   The women who at home abide,
   Yes, even they the spoil divide,
   Gained by their men in battle.
   See here the wealth which they did bring:
   Now silver decks a pigeon’s wings
   And glistening gold its feathers.
   Before the LORD the kings all fled
   As snow is on Mount Zalmon spread
   By blasts of stormy weather.
   
6. O mount of Bashan, massive height,
   Far higher than all peaks in sight,
   So great and elevated!
   O you, whose tops are seen from far,
   Whose peaks so high and numerous are,
   So glorious and elated!
   Why do you still with envy look
   At Zion’s mount, which God once took
   And made His throne’s location?
   God has desired this mountain fair
   For His abode, and always there
   Will have His habitation.
   
7. With mighty chariotry untold,
   His host ten thousand thousand-fold,
   The LORD came to His nation.
   From Sinai’s mount He made His way
   To Zion, which He made for aye
   His holy habitation.
   Thou didst, O LORD, ascend again,
   With many captives in Thy train
   And gifts from men obtaining,
   From even those who did rebel,
   That here the LORD our God may dwell,
   Here evermore remaining.
   
8. Blest be the LORD, who on our way
   Provides for us, and day by day
   Upholds us by His power.
   God of Salvation is His Name;
   This glorious Name shall we proclaim.
   He is our shield and tower.
   Our God, the LORD, is strong to save
   From mortal danger, from the grave
   And every cruel oppression.
   But God will crush the head of foes,
   The hairy crown of him who goes
   In ways of foul transgression.
   
9. The LORD has said, “From where they are,
   Yes even though it be from far,
   From Bashan I will guide them
   And bring them back by My own hand,
   Returning them from distant lands,
   Though ocean depths should hide them,
   That you may bathe your feet in blood
   Of those who bear the wrath of God
   For all their sinful actions;
   In blood of foes, whom none can save,
   Your dogs their eager tongues will lave
   Unto their satisfaction.
   
10. Thy solemn throngs are gathered here;
    To God, my King, do they draw near.
    They come with sounding cymbals:
    The singers first, the minstrels last;
    And in among them, filing past,
    The maidens play their timbrels.
    In this great congregation’s throng
    Bless all the LORD in joyful song,
    O Jacob’s generation!
    See, Benjamin, though least, leads on
    The chiefs of Judah and Zebulun
    And Naphtali’s whole nation.
    
11. To Thee Thy strength has glory brought.
    Show now Thy might, Thou who hast wrought
    For us so great a treasure!
    Because of Thy great temple here
    Kings in Jerusalem appear
    With bounties in great measure.
    Rebuke the beasts among the reeds,
    Both bulls and calves, those filled with greed,
    All that in wars take pleasure.
    Let bronze be brought from Egypt’s land;
    To God let Ethiopia’s hand
    Stretch out to give its treasure.
    
12. Praise God and magnify His worth,
    O kings and kingdoms of the earth!
    Unto the LORD sing praises,
    To Him who in the heavens rides,
    Who in the ancient skies resides,
    From whence His voice He raises.
    Ascribe then strength to God alone,
    Whose glory is in Israel known,
    Whose might is in the heavens.
    He from His temple terror sows,
    But on His people strength bestows.
    To God let praise be given.