Psalm 68 – Day 2
Show up! O God! Make an appearance and cause Your enemies to run. Make all those who hate You run from Your presence. Cause them to disappear like smoke in the wind, Let them melt away like wax in the presence of a flame. May all those who are hostile to You vanish from before You. But give the righteous plenty of reasons to rejoice in Your presence. Let them be glad that they can even come into Your presence. Let them sing, sing praises for Your great reputation, Praising your great reputation, the transcendent God, in Your very presence. You lovingly father the fatherless. righteously provide justice for widows, You rule and reign in holiness. You put those who are alone in families, You free those who are imprisoned, But You cast those who rebel against You into the wilderness. O God, You've always gone before Your people, Like the time You led them in their own wilderness wanderings. It was a time of earth-shaking and manna-making, Even Mount Sinai shook before Your presence, O God of Israel. You caused refreshing rain to fall in times of dryness, Confirming this land as the inheritance of Your people. And there they've lived, as You have shown Your goodness in the midst of their poverty. You spoke and there was a huge host to spread the word abroad. Kings and their armies ran away from You, leaving the spoil for our women to pick up. Even the poorest of the poor found treasures of silver and gold. You scattered the kings like snow before the wind on Mount Zalmon. Mount Sinai, where You dwell is as high as the Mountain of Bashan, Other mountains look with envy, because God has chosen to make His permanent dwelling in His holy hill. He has tens of thousands of chariots and just as many angels, All at His disposal on Mount Sinai. His holy place. He dwells at the pinnacle, where He has led His captives, Where men give Him gifts, even from the rebellious. You live among men in Your holy place. You deserve our praise because You carry our burdens each and every day, You are our salvation! You are our God, the God who saves, who even delivers from death. But You will destroy Your enemies, all those who stubbornly resist You. You will seek and destroy them all, wherever they may be. Like a victorious king, You will wade through their blood, and your dogs will consume their remains. They have all seen what You do, O God, what You do from Your holy sanctuary. They have seen the processions complete with singers, musicians and women with tamborines. They have witnesses the huge congregations of Your people worshiping You. From the little tribe of Benjamin, home of Your chosen ruler, To the princes of Judah, Zebulun and Napthtali. You are the God who has given them all their strength, Now we ask that You reveal Your power. Kings will bring tributes to You at Your temple in Jerusalem. Humble and humiliate these wild animals, these bulls with their calves, Let them bring their silver and gold as penalty for their love affair with war. Princes from as far away as Egypt and Ethiopia will bring their tributes to You. They will all end up singing Your praises. They will praise Him who rides on high, above the heavens, Where He thunders loudly and powerfully. Give God credit for His power, His sovereignty over Israel, Even the power He displays in the skies. You are an awesome God, who displays Your strength and power to Your people, Which is why we praise and bless You.