God Shall Scatter His Enemies

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.

68 (A)God shall arise, his enemies shall be (B)scattered;
    and those who hate him shall flee before him!
As (C)smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
    (D)as wax melts before fire,
    so the wicked shall perish before God!
But (E)the righteous shall be glad;
    they shall exult before God;
    they shall be jubilant with joy!

Sing to God, (F)sing praises to his name;
    (G)lift up a song to him who (H)rides through (I)the deserts;
his name is (J)the Lord;
    exult before him!
(K)Father of the fatherless and (L)protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
God (M)settles the solitary in a home;
    he (N)leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but (O)the rebellious dwell in (P)a parched land.

O God, when you (Q)went out before your people,
    (R)when you marched through (S)the wilderness, Selah
(T)the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God,[a] the God of Israel.
(U)Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
    you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock[b] found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you (V)provided for the needy.

11 The Lord gives (W)the word;
    (X)the women who announce the news are a great host:
12     (Y)“The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home (Z)divide the spoil—
13     though you men lie among (AA)the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,
    let snow fall on (AB)Zalmon.

15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked[c] mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God (AC)desired for his abode,
    yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
17 (AD)The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands;
    the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 (AE)You ascended on high,
    (AF)leading a host of captives in your train
    and (AG)receiving gifts among men,
even among (AH)the rebellious, (AI)that the Lord God may dwell there.

19 Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily (AJ)bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    (AK)and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 (AL)But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back (AM)from Bashan,
(AN)I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may (AO)strike your feet in their blood,
    that (AP)the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”

24 Your procession is[d] seen, O God,
    the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25 (AQ)the singers in front, (AR)the musicians last,
    between them (AS)virgins playing tambourines:
26 (AT)“Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you[e] who are of (AU)Israel's fountain!”
27 There is (AV)Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in their throng,
    the princes of (AW)Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

28 (AX)Summon your power, O God,[f]
    the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings shall (AY)bear gifts to you.
30 Rebuke (AZ)the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
    the herd of (BA)bulls with the calves of the peoples.
(BB)Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
    scatter the peoples who delight in war.[g]
31 Nobles shall come from (BC)Egypt;
    (BD)Cush shall hasten to (BE)stretch out her hands to God.

32 (BF)O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him (BG)who rides in (BH)the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    behold, he (BI)sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 (BJ)Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel,
    and whose (BK)power is in (BL)the skies.
35 (BM)Awesome is God from his[h] (BN)sanctuary;
    the God of Israel—he is the one who gives (BO)power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!

Save Me, O God

To the choirmaster: according to (BP)Lilies. Of David.

69 Save me, O God!
    For (BQ)the waters have come up to my neck.[i]
I sink in deep (BR)mire,
    where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
    and the flood (BS)sweeps over me.
(BT)I am weary with my crying out;
    (BU)my throat is parched.
(BV)My eyes grow dim
    with (BW)waiting for my God.

(BX)More in number than the hairs of my head
    are (BY)those who hate me (BZ)without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
    (CA)those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
    must I now restore?
O God, you know my folly;
    the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

Let not those who hope in you (CB)be put to shame through me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
    O God of Israel.
For it is (CC)for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that dishonor has covered my face.
I have become (CD)a stranger to my brothers,
    an alien to my mother's sons.

For (CE)zeal for your house has consumed me,
    and (CF)the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled[j] my soul with fasting,
    it became my reproach.
11 When I made (CG)sackcloth my clothing,
    I became (CH)a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who (CI)sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make (CJ)songs about me.

13 But as for me, my (CK)prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At (CL)an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
    from sinking in (CM)the mire;
(CN)let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from (CO)the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
    or the deep swallow me up,
    or (CP)the pit close (CQ)its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your (CR)steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant (CS)mercy, (CT)turn to me.
17 (CU)Hide not your face from your servant,
    (CV)for I am in distress; (CW)make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
    ransom me because of my enemies!

19 You know my (CX)reproach,
    and my shame and my dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.
20 (CY)Reproaches have broken my heart,
    so that I am in (CZ)despair.
I (DA)looked for (DB)pity, but there was none,
    and for (DC)comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me (DD)poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me (DE)sour wine to drink.

22 (DF)Let their own (DG)table before them become a snare;
    (DH)and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.[k]
23 (DI)Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
    (DJ)and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
    and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 (DK)May their camp be a desolation;
    let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they (DL)persecute him whom (DM)you have struck down,
    and they recount the pain of (DN)those you have wounded.
27 (DO)Add to them punishment upon punishment;
    may they have no acquittal from you.[l]
28 Let them be (DP)blotted out of the book of the living;
    let them not be (DQ)enrolled among the righteous.

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
    let your salvation, O God, (DR)set me on high!

30 I will (DS)praise the name of God with a song;
    I will (DT)magnify him with (DU)thanksgiving.
31 This will (DV)please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull (DW)with horns and hoofs.
32 When (DX)the humble see it they will be glad;
    you who seek God, (DY)let your hearts revive.
33 For the Lord hears the needy
    and (DZ)does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

34 Let (EA)heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For (EB)God will save Zion
    and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36     (EC)the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
    and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

O Lord, Do Not Delay

To the choirmaster. Of David, (ED)for the memorial offering.

70 (EE)Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let them be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
Let them turn back because of their shame
    who say, “Aha, Aha!”

May all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
But I am poor and needy;
    (EF)hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!

Forsake Me Not When My Strength Is Spent

71 (EG)In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me, and save me!
Be to me a rock of (EH)refuge,
    to which I may continually come;
you have (EI)given the command to save me,
    for you are my (EJ)rock and my fortress.

(EK)Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
For you, O Lord, are my (EL)hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned (EM)from before my birth;
    you are he who (EN)took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

I have been as (EO)a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.
My (EP)mouth is filled with your praise,
    and with your glory all the day.
(EQ)Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    forsake me not when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me;
    those who (ER)watch for my life (ES)consult together
11 and say, “God has forsaken him;
    pursue and seize him,
    for there is none to deliver him.”

12 O God, be not (ET)far from me;
    O my God, (EU)make haste to help me!
13 May my accusers be (EV)put to shame and consumed;
    (EW)with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
    who (EX)seek my hurt.
14 But I will (EY)hope continually
    and will (EZ)praise you yet more and more.
15 My (FA)mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all the day,
    for (FB)their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to (FC)old age and gray hairs,
    O God, (FD)do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
    your power to all those to come.
19 Your (FE)righteousness, O God,
    reaches the high heavens.
You who have done (FF)great things,
    O God, (FG)who is like you?
20 You who have (FH)made me see many troubles and calamities
    will (FI)revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
    you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
    and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with (FJ)the harp
    for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
    O (FK)Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
    when I sing praises to you;
    my soul also, which you have (FL)redeemed.
24 And my (FM)tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been (FN)put to shame and disappointed
    who sought to do me hurt.

Give the King Your Justice

Of (FO)Solomon.

72 Give the king your (FP)justice, O God,
    and your righteousness to the royal son!
May he (FQ)judge your people with righteousness,
    and your poor with justice!
Let the mountains bear (FR)prosperity for the people,
    and the hills, in righteousness!
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
    give deliverance to the children of the needy,
    and crush the oppressor!

May they fear you[m] while (FS)the sun endures,
    and as long as the moon, (FT)throughout all generations!
May he be like (FU)rain that falls on (FV)the mown grass,
    like (FW)showers that water the earth!
In his days may (FX)the righteous flourish,
    and (FY)peace abound, till the moon be no more!

May he have dominion from (FZ)sea to sea,
    and from (GA)the River[n] to the (GB)ends of the earth!
May desert tribes (GC)bow down before him,
    and his enemies (GD)lick the dust!
10 May the kings of (GE)Tarshish and of (GF)the coastlands
    render him (GG)tribute;
may the kings of (GH)Sheba and (GI)Seba
    bring gifts!
11 May all kings (GJ)fall down before him,
    all nations serve him!

12 For he delivers (GK)the needy when he calls,
    the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
    and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
    and (GL)precious is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live;
    may (GM)gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made (GN)for him continually,
    and blessings invoked for him all the day!
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
    on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
    may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people (GO)blossom in the cities
    like the (GP)grass of the field!
17 (GQ)May his name endure forever,
    his fame continue as long as the sun!
(GR)May people be blessed in him,
    (GS)all nations call him blessed!

18 (GT)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who alone does (GU)wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his (GV)glorious name forever;
    may (GW)the whole earth be filled with his glory!
(GX)Amen and Amen!

20 (GY)The prayers of (GZ)David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:8 Or before God, even Sinai before God
  2. Psalm 68:10 Or your congregation
  3. Psalm 68:15 Or hunch-backed; also verse 16
  4. Psalm 68:24 Or has been
  5. Psalm 68:26 The Hebrew for you is plural here
  6. Psalm 68:28 By revocalization (compare Septuagint); Hebrew Your God has summoned your power
  7. Psalm 68:30 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
  8. Psalm 68:35 Septuagint; Hebrew your
  9. Psalm 69:1 Or waters threaten my life
  10. Psalm 69:10 Hebrew lacks and humbled
  11. Psalm 69:22 Hebrew; a slight revocalization yields (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome) a snare, and retribution and a trap
  12. Psalm 69:27 Hebrew may they not come into your righteousness
  13. Psalm 72:5 Septuagint He shall endure
  14. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates

Psalm 68[a]

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

May God arise,(A) may his enemies be scattered;(B)
    may his foes flee(C) before him.
May you blow them away like smoke—(D)
    as wax melts(E) before the fire,
    may the wicked perish(F) before God.
But may the righteous be glad
    and rejoice(G) before God;
    may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,(H)
    extol him who rides on the clouds[b](I);
    rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.(J)
A father to the fatherless,(K) a defender of widows,(L)
    is God in his holy dwelling.(M)
God sets the lonely(N) in families,[c](O)
    he leads out the prisoners(P) with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(Q)

When you, God, went out(R) before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness,[d](S)
the earth shook,(T) the heavens poured down rain,(U)
    before God, the One of Sinai,(V)
    before God, the God of Israel.(W)
You gave abundant showers,(X) O God;
    you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
    and from your bounty,(Y) God, you provided(Z) for the poor.

11 The Lord announces the word,
    and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:(AA)
12 “Kings and armies flee(AB) in haste;
    the women at home divide the plunder.(AC)
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,[e](AD)
    the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
    its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty[f] scattered(AE) the kings in the land,
    it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.(AF)

15 Mount Bashan,(AG) majestic mountain,(AH)
    Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
    at the mountain where God chooses(AI) to reign,
    where the Lord himself will dwell forever?(AJ)
17 The chariots(AK) of God are tens of thousands
    and thousands of thousands;(AL)
    the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.[g]
18 When you ascended(AM) on high,(AN)
    you took many captives;(AO)
    you received gifts from people,(AP)
even from[h] the rebellious(AQ)
    that you,[i] Lord God, might dwell there.

19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,(AR)
    who daily bears our burdens.(AS)
20 Our God is a God who saves;(AT)
    from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.(AU)
21 Surely God will crush the heads(AV) of his enemies,
    the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
    I will bring them from the depths of the sea,(AW)
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,(AX)
    while the tongues of your dogs(AY) have their share.”

24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
    the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.(AZ)
25 In front are the singers,(BA) after them the musicians;(BB)
    with them are the young women playing the timbrels.(BC)
26 Praise God in the great congregation;(BD)
    praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.(BE)
27 There is the little tribe(BF) of Benjamin,(BG) leading them,
    there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
    and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.(BH)

28 Summon your power,(BI) God[j];
    show us your strength,(BJ) our God, as you have done(BK) before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
    kings will bring you gifts.(BL)
30 Rebuke the beast(BM) among the reeds,(BN)
    the herd of bulls(BO) among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
    Scatter the nations(BP) who delight in war.(BQ)
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;(BR)
    Cush[k](BS) will submit herself to God.

32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,(BT)
    sing praise(BU) to the Lord,
33 to him who rides(BV) across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
    who thunders(BW) with mighty voice.(BX)
34 Proclaim the power(BY) of God,
    whose majesty(BZ) is over Israel,
    whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome(CA) in your sanctuary;(CB)
    the God of Israel gives power and strength(CC) to his people.(CD)

Praise be to God!(CE)

Psalm 69[l]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.

Save me, O God,
    for the waters(CF) have come up to my neck.(CG)
I sink in the miry depths,(CH)
    where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
    the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;(CI)
    my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,(CJ)
    looking for my God.
Those who hate me(CK) without reason(CL)
    outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,(CM)
    those who seek to destroy me.(CN)
I am forced to restore
    what I did not steal.

You, God, know my folly;(CO)
    my guilt is not hidden from you.(CP)

Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    may those who hope in you
    not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
    may those who seek you
    not be put to shame because of me.
For I endure scorn(CQ) for your sake,(CR)
    and shame covers my face.(CS)
I am a foreigner to my own family,
    a stranger to my own mother’s children;(CT)
for zeal for your house consumes me,(CU)
    and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.(CV)
10 When I weep and fast,(CW)
    I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,(CX)
    people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate(CY) mock me,
    and I am the song of the drunkards.(CZ)

13 But I pray to you, Lord,
    in the time of your favor;(DA)
in your great love,(DB) O God,
    answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
    do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
    from the deep waters.(DC)
15 Do not let the floodwaters(DD) engulf me
    or the depths swallow me up(DE)
    or the pit close its mouth over me.(DF)

16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;(DG)
    in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face(DH) from your servant;
    answer me quickly,(DI) for I am in trouble.(DJ)
18 Come near and rescue me;
    deliver(DK) me because of my foes.

19 You know how I am scorned,(DL) disgraced and shamed;
    all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
    and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
    for comforters,(DM) but I found none.(DN)
21 They put gall in my food
    and gave me vinegar(DO) for my thirst.(DP)

22 May the table set before them become a snare;
    may it become retribution and[m] a trap.(DQ)
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.(DR)
24 Pour out your wrath(DS) on them;
    let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;(DT)
    let there be no one to dwell in their tents.(DU)
26 For they persecute those you wound
    and talk about the pain of those you hurt.(DV)
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;(DW)
    do not let them share in your salvation.(DX)
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life(DY)
    and not be listed with the righteous.(DZ)

29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
    may your salvation, God, protect me.(EA)

30 I will praise God’s name in song(EB)
    and glorify him(EC) with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
    more than a bull with its horns and hooves.(ED)
32 The poor will see and be glad(EE)
    you who seek God, may your hearts live!(EF)
33 The Lord hears the needy(EG)
    and does not despise his captive people.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and all that move in them,(EH)
35 for God will save Zion(EI)
    and rebuild the cities of Judah.(EJ)
Then people will settle there and possess it;
36     the children of his servants will inherit it,(EK)
    and those who love his name will dwell there.(EL)

Psalm 70[n](EM)

For the director of music. Of David. A petition.

Hasten, O God, to save me;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.(EN)

May those who want to take my life(EO)
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.(EP)
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(EQ)
    turn back because of their shame.
But may all who seek you(ER)
    rejoice and be glad(ES) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”(ET)

But as for me, I am poor and needy;(EU)
    come quickly to me,(EV) O God.
You are my help(EW) and my deliverer;(EX)
    Lord, do not delay.(EY)

Psalm 71(EZ)

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;(FA)
    let me never be put to shame.(FB)
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear(FC) to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.(FD)
Deliver(FE) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,(FF)
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.(FG)

For you have been my hope,(FH) Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence(FI) since my youth.
From birth(FJ) I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.(FK)
    I will ever praise(FL) you.
I have become a sign(FM) to many;
    you are my strong refuge.(FN)
My mouth(FO) is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor(FP) all day long.

Do not cast(FQ) me away when I am old;(FR)
    do not forsake(FS) me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies(FT) speak against me;
    those who wait to kill(FU) me conspire(FV) together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken(FW) him;
    pursue him and seize him,
    for no one will rescue(FX) him.”
12 Do not be far(FY) from me, my God;
    come quickly, God, to help(FZ) me.
13 May my accusers(GA) perish in shame;(GB)
    may those who want to harm me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.(GC)

14 As for me, I will always have hope;(GD)
    I will praise you more and more.

15 My mouth will tell(GE) of your righteous deeds,(GF)
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,(GG) Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught(GH) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.(GI)
18 Even when I am old and gray,(GJ)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power(GK) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.(GL)

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,(GM)
    you who have done great things.(GN)
    Who is like you, God?(GO)
20 Though you have made me see troubles,(GP)
    many and bitter,
    you will restore(GQ) my life again;
from the depths of the earth(GR)
    you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor(GS)
    and comfort(GT) me once more.

22 I will praise you with the harp(GU)
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,(GV)
    Holy One of Israel.(GW)
23 My lips will shout for joy(GX)
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.(GY)
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,(GZ)
for those who wanted to harm me(HA)
    have been put to shame and confusion.(HB)

Psalm 72

Of Solomon.

Endow the king with your justice,(HC) O God,
    the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,(HD)
    your afflicted ones with justice.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
    the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted(HE) among the people
    and save the children of the needy;(HF)
    may he crush the oppressor.(HG)
May he endure[o](HH) as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon, through all generations.(HI)
May he be like rain(HJ) falling on a mown field,
    like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish(HK)
    and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

May he rule from sea to sea
    and from the River[p](HL) to the ends of the earth.(HM)
May the desert tribes bow before him
    and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish(HN) and of distant shores(HO)
    bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba(HP) and Seba
    present him gifts.(HQ)
11 May all kings bow down(HR) to him
    and all nations serve(HS) him.

12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity(HT) on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue(HU) them from oppression and violence,
    for precious(HV) is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba(HW) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.(HX)
16 May grain(HY) abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops(HZ) flourish like Lebanon(IA)
    and thrive[q] like the grass of the field.(IB)
17 May his name endure forever;(IC)
    may it continue as long as the sun.(ID)

Then all nations will be blessed through him,[r]
    and they will call him blessed.(IE)

18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,(IF)
    who alone does marvelous deeds.(IG)
19 Praise be to his glorious name(IH) forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory.(II)
Amen and Amen.(IJ)

20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.(IK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:1 In Hebrew texts 68:1-35 is numbered 68:2-36.
  2. Psalm 68:4 Or name, / prepare the way for him who rides through the deserts
  3. Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland
  4. Psalm 68:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 19 and 32.
  5. Psalm 68:13 Or the campfires; or the saddlebags
  6. Psalm 68:14 Hebrew Shaddai
  7. Psalm 68:17 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness
  8. Psalm 68:18 Or gifts for people, / even
  9. Psalm 68:18 Or they
  10. Psalm 68:28 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Your God has summoned power for you
  11. Psalm 68:31 That is, the upper Nile region
  12. Psalm 69:1 In Hebrew texts 69:1-36 is numbered 69:2-37.
  13. Psalm 69:22 Or snare / and their fellowship become
  14. Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.
  15. Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
  16. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
  17. Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
  18. Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)