Psalm 68

To the chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David.


Tunes PCC uses:   Richmond,  Weymouth

 

1

Let God arise, and scattered

 

 

let all his en’mies be;

 

And let all those that do him hate

 

 

before his presence flee.

2

As smoke is driv’n, so drive thou them;

 

 

as fire melts wax away,

 

Before God’s face let wicked men

 

 

so perish and decay.

 

3

But let the righteous be glad:

 

 

let them before God’s sight

 

Be very joyful; yea, let them

 

 

rejoice with all their might.

4

To God sing, to his name sing praise;

 

 

extol him with your voice,

 

That rides on heav’n, by his name JAH,

 

 

before his face rejoice.

 

5

Because the Lord a father is

 

 

unto the fatherless;

 

God is the widow’s judge, within

 

 

his place of holiness.

6

God doth the solitary set

 

 

in fam’lies: and from bands

 

The chain’d doth free; but rebels do

 

 

inhabit parched lands.

 

7

O God, what time thou didst go forth

 

 

before thy people’s face;

 

And when through the great wilderness

 

 

thy glorious marching was;

8

Then at God’s presence shook the earth,

 

 

then drops from heaven fell;

 

This Sinai shook before the Lord,

 

 

the God of Israel.

 

9

O God, thou to thine heritage

 

 

didst send a plenteous rain,

 

Whereby thou, when it weary was,

 

 

didst it refresh again.

10

Thy congregation then did make

 

 

their habitation there:

 

Of thine own goodness for the poor,

 

 

O God, thou didst prepare.

 

11

The Lord himself did give the word,

 

 

the word abroad did spread;

 

Great was the company of them

 

 

the same who published.

12

Kings of great armies foiled were,

 

 

and forc’d to flee away;

 

And women, who remain’d at home,

 

 

did distribute the prey.

 

13

Though ye have lien among the pots,

 

 

like doves ye shall appear,

 

Whose wings with silver, and with gold

 

 

whose feathers cover’d are.

14

When there th’ Almighty scatter’d kings,

 

 

like Salmon’s snow ’twas white.

15

God’s hill is like to Bashan hill,

 

 

like Bashan hill for height.

 

16

Why do ye leap, ye mountains high?

 

 

this is the hill where God

 

Desires to dwell; yea, God in it

 

 

for aye will make abode.

17

God’s chariots twenty thousand are,

 

 

thousands of angels strong;

 

In ’s holy place God is, as in

 

 

mount Sinai, them among.

 

18

Thou hast, O Lord, most glorious,

 

 

ascended up on high;

 

And in triumph victorious led

 

 

captive captivity:

 

Thou hast received gifts for men,

 

 

for such as did rebel;

 

Yea, ev’n for them, that God the Lord

 

 

in midst of them might dwell.

 

19

Bless’d be the Lord, who is to us

 

 

of our salvation God;

 

Who daily with his benefits

 

 

us plenteously doth load.

20

He of salvation is the God,

 

 

who is our God most strong;

 

And unto God the Lord from death

 

 

the issues do belong.

 

21

But surely God shall wound the head

 

 

of those that are his foes;

 

The hairy scalp of him that still

 

 

on in his trespass goes.

22

God said, My people I will bring

 

 

again from Bashan hill;

 

Yea, from the sea’s devouring depths

 

 

them bring again I will;

 

23

That in the blood of enemies

 

 

thy foot imbru’d may be,

 

And of thy dogs dipp’d in the same

 

 

the tongues thou mayest see.

24

Thy goings they have seen, O God;

 

 

the steps of majesty

 

Of my God, and my mighty King,

 

 

within the sanctuary.

 

25

Before went singers, players next

 

 

on instruments took way;

 

And them among the damsels were

 

 

that did on timbrels play.

26

Within the congregations

 

 

bless God with one accord:

 

From Isr’el’s fountain do ye bless

 

 

and praise the mighty Lord.

 

27

With their prince, little Benjamin,

 

 

princes and council there

 

Of Judah were, there Zabulon’s

 

 

and Napht’li’s princes were.

28

Thy God commands thy strength; make strong

 

 

what thou wrought’st for us, Lord.

29

For thy house at Jerusalem

 

 

kings shall thee gifts afford.

 

30

The spearmen’s host, the multitude

 

 

of bulls, which fiercely look,

 

Those calves which people have forth sent,

 

 

O Lord our God, rebuke,

 

Till ev’ry one submit himself,

 

 

and silver pieces bring:

 

The people that delight in war

 

 

disperse, O God and King.

 

31

Those that be princes great shall then

 

 

come out of Egypt lands;

 

And Ethiopia to God

 

 

shall soon stretch out her hands.

32

O all ye kingdoms of the earth,

 

 

sing praises to this King;

 

For he is Lord that ruleth all,

 

 

unto him praises sing.

 

33

To him that rides on heav’ns of heav’ns,

 

 

which he of old did found;

 

Lo, he sends out his voice, a voice

 

 

in might that doth abound.

34

Strength unto God do ye ascribe;

 

 

for his excellency

 

Is over Israel, his strength

 

 

is in the clouds most high.

 

35

Thou’rt from thy temple dreadful, Lord;

 

 

Isr’el’s own God is he,

 

Who gives his people strength and pow’r:

 

 

O let God blessed be.



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