1 (68-1) For the Leader. A Psalm of David, a Song. (68-2) Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Him flee before Him. 2 (68-3) As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 (68-4) But let the righteous be glad, let them exult before God; yea, let them rejoice with gladness. 4 (68-5) Sing unto God, sing praises to His name; extol Him that rideth upon the skies, whose name is the LORD; and exult ye before Him. 5 (68-6) A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation. 6 (68-7) God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house; He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; the rebellious dwell but in a parched land. 7 (68-8) O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah 8 (68-9) The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9 (68-10) A bounteous rain didst Thou pour down, O God; when Thine inheritance was weary, Thou didst confirm it. 10 (68-11) Thy flock settled therein; Thou didst prepare in Thy goodness for the poor, O God. 11 (68-12) The Lord giveth the word; the women that proclaim the tidings are a great host. 12 (68-13) Kings of armies flee, they flee; and she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil. 13 (68-14) When ye lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her pinions with the shimmer of gold. 14 (68-15) When the Almighty scattereth kings therein, it snoweth in Zalmon. 15 (68-16) A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan. 16 (68-17) Why look ye askance, ye mountains of peaks, at the mountain which God hath desired for His abode? Yea, the LORD will dwell therein for ever. 17 (68-18) The chariots of God are myriads, even thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in holiness. 18 (68-19) Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts among men, yea, among the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there. 19 (68-20) Blessed be the Lord, day by day He beareth our burden, even the God who is our salvation. Selah 20 (68-21) God is unto us a God of deliverances; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues of death. 21 (68-22) Surely God will smite through the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth about in his guiltiness. 22 (68-23) The Lord said: 'I will bring back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea; 23 (68-24) That thy foot may wade through blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies.' 24 (68-25) They see Thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, my King, in holiness. 25 (68-26) The singers go before, the minstrels follow after, in the midst of damsels playing upon timbrels. 26 (68-27) 'Bless ye God in full assemblies, even the Lord, ye that are from the fountain of Israel.' 27 (68-28) There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah their council, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 28 (68-29) Thy God hath commanded thy strength; be strong, O God, Thou that hast wrought for us 29 (68-30) Out of Thy temple at Jerusalem, whither kings shall bring presents unto Thee. 30 (68-31) Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, every one submitting himself with pieces of silver; He hath scattered the peoples that delight in war! 31 (68-32) Nobles shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall hasten to stretch out her hands unto God. 32 (68-33) Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah 33 (68-34) To Him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which are of old; lo, He uttereth His voice, a mighty voice. 34 (68-35) Ascribe ye strength unto God; His majesty is over Israel, and His strength is in the skies. 35 (68-36) Awful is God out of thy holy places; the God of Israel, He giveth strength and power unto the people; blessed be God.
Psalm 68 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
Cross references (35)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Numbers 10:35; Isaiah 51:9–10; Isaiah 42:13–14; Psalm 44:26; Psalm 89:10
- 2 Micah 1:4; Hosea 13:3; Psalm 37:20; Revelation 6:16–17; Isaiah 9:18
- 3 Psalm 64:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Psalm 100:1–2; Revelation 18:20; Psalm 95:1–2
- 4 Deuteronomy 33:26; Isaiah 12:4–6; Psalm 66:4; Psalm 104:3; Psalm 68:33
- 5 Psalm 10:14; Jeremiah 49:11; Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalm 82:3–4; Psalm 146:9
- 6 Psalm 113:9; Psalm 69:33; Psalm 107:10; Isaiah 61:1; Psalm 107:14
- 7 Exodus 13:21; Judges 5:4; Judges 4:14; Habakkuk 3:12–13; Micah 2:13
- 8 Exodus 19:18; Exodus 19:16; Judges 5:4–5; Deuteronomy 5:23–25; Hebrews 12:26
- 9 Deuteronomy 11:14; Ezekiel 34:26; Psalm 65:9–13; Psalm 78:24–27; Deuteronomy 11:10–12
- 10 Deuteronomy 26:9–10; Psalm 74:19; Matthew 11:5; 1 Samuel 2:8; Luke 1:53
- 11 Exodus 15:20; Psalm 40:3; Psalm 68:25; Exodus 17:9–16; Judges 4:6–5:31
- 12 Joshua 10:16; Judges 5:19; Revelation 19:17–20; Joshua 12:7–24; 1 Samuel 30:24
- 13 Genesis 49:14; Psalm 105:37; Judges 5:16; Titus 3:3; Revelation 1:5–6
- 14 Isaiah 1:18; Revelation 19:14–21; Judges 2:7; Judges 9:48; Joshua 10:10–43
- 15 Psalm 87:1–2; Psalm 2:6; Psalm 78:68–69; Micah 7:14; Deuteronomy 3:10
- 16 Deuteronomy 12:5; Psalm 132:13–14; Revelation 21:2–3; Hebrews 12:22–23; 1 Kings 9:3
- 17 Deuteronomy 33:2; Daniel 7:10; Revelation 5:11; Revelation 9:16; Habakkuk 3:8
- 18 Ephesians 4:8–10; Revelation 21:3; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Peter 3:22; Psalm 110:1
- 19 Isaiah 46:4; Lamentations 3:23; Ephesians 1:3; Psalm 55:22; Psalm 103:1–22
- 20 Deuteronomy 32:39; Revelation 1:18; Isaiah 12:2; John 5:21; 1 Samuel 2:6
- 21 Habakkuk 3:13; Psalm 7:12; Luke 13:5; Psalm 110:6; Revelation 2:14–16
- 22 Numbers 21:33; Ezekiel 36:24; Exodus 14:22; Isaiah 51:10–11; Amos 9:2–3
- 23 1 Kings 21:19; Psalm 58:10; 1 Kings 22:38; Revelation 19:17–21; 2 Kings 9:33–37
- 24 Psalm 47:5–7; 1 Chronicles 15:16–24; 2 Samuel 6:12–17; 1 Chronicles 13:8; Psalm 24:7–10
- 25 1 Chronicles 13:8; Judges 11:34; Exodus 15:20; Revelation 14:2–3; Revelation 15:2–3
- 26 Isaiah 48:1; Deuteronomy 33:28; Psalm 111:1; Proverbs 5:16; Psalm 26:12
- 27 1 Samuel 9:21; 1 Chronicles 12:16; Psalm 60:7; Isaiah 11:13; Judges 21:6–25
- 28 Psalm 138:8; Psalm 71:3; Philippians 1:6; Isaiah 40:31; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
- 29 1 Kings 10:10; Psalm 76:11; 1 Chronicles 29:3; Isaiah 60:6–11; Isaiah 18:7
- 30 Psalm 22:12–13; Romans 7:22; Psalm 89:10; Psalm 18:44; Isaiah 37:1–38
- 31 Isaiah 45:14; Zephaniah 3:10; Acts 8:27–40; Isaiah 19:18–25; Psalm 44:20
- 32 Deuteronomy 32:43; Romans 15:10–11; Psalm 67:2–5; Psalm 117:1–2; Revelation 15:4
- 33 Psalm 18:10; Psalm 104:3; Psalm 68:4; 1 Kings 8:27; Revelation 11:19
- 34 Revelation 19:6; 1 Chronicles 16:28–29; 2 Peter 1:17; Psalm 150:1; Psalm 96:6–8
- 35 Psalm 29:11; Colossians 1:11; Philippians 4:13; Isaiah 40:29; Psalm 65:5
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Your Love remembereth, that in two Psalms, which have been already treated of, we have stirred up our soul to bless the Lord, and with godly chant have said, "Bless thou, O my soul, the Lord." If therefore we have stirred up our soul in those Psalms to bless the Lord, in this Psalm is well said, "May God have …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
For the Lord, through means of suffering, "ascending into the lofty place, led captivity captive, gave gifts to men," and conferred on those that believe in Him the power "to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy," that is, of the leader of apostasy.
Lo, this also I confess unto Thy mercy, "Father of the fatherless," that I bathed, and felt the same as before I had done so.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
For one saith, "Thou hast gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and hast received gifts amongst men." And, "The Lord strong and mighty in battle." And another saith, "He shall divide the spoils of the strong." For indeed to this purpose He came, that He might "preach deliverance to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind." …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And if the Psalmist says, Let them be troubled from His countenance, the Father of the fatherless, and Judge of the widows, is it not manifest to all, that when God is called the Father of orphans who have lately lost their own fathers, He is so named not as begetting them of Himself, but as caring for them …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)