Psalms · 35 verses
Psalms 68
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
The kings flee in haste, while the women waiting at home divide the plunder—a military triumph with the household accounts suddenly taking charge.
Smoke, song, and the God who goes beforevv. 1–6
God rises, and the enemies scatter like smoke while wax melts before fire. The righteous rejoice, and the singers are told to exalt the LORD who rides on the clouds. In His holy habitation, God is father to the fatherless, defender of widows, setter of the lonely in families, and leader of prisoners into prosperity; the rebellious, rather less comfortably, dwell in a sun-scorched land.
The march, the rain, and the ladies with the lootvv. 7–18
God goes before His people through the wasteland; the earth shakes, the heavens pour down rain, and the weary inheritance is refreshed. A great company of women proclaim the result: kings and armies flee, while she who waits at home divides the plunder. The mountains look on, Bashan boasts of its many peaks, and the chosen mountain remains the place of God's dwelling. Then come the chariots, the captives, and gifts received even from the rebellious, all in the direction of sanctuary and dwelling.
From the sanctuary to the nationsvv. 19–35
The song turns from procession to deliverance: God bears the burden, rescues from death, and promises to retrieve foes from Bashan and the depths of the sea. The procession enters the sanctuary with singers, musicians, maidens, and a company that includes Benjamin, Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali. Jerusalem brings royal gifts into view, Egypt sends envoys, Cush stretches out her hands, and even the beast in the reeds and the herd of bulls are summoned to submit and bring silver. The final summons is broad enough for kingdoms, highest heavens, Israel, and the people who receive strength and power from God.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
Ps 68:1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A song. God arises. His enemies are scattered, and those who hate Him flee His presence.
Ps 68:2As smoke is blown away, You will drive them out; as wax melts before the fire, the wicked will perish in the presence of God.
Ps 68:3But the righteous will be glad and rejoice before God; they will celebrate with joy.
Ps 68:4Sing to God! Sing praises to His name. Exalt Him who rides on the clouds—His name is the LORD—and rejoice before Him.
Ps 68:5A father of the fatherless and a defender of widows is God in His holy habitation.
Ps 68:6God settles the lonely in families; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
Ps 68:7O God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wasteland, Selah
Ps 68:8the earth shook and the heavens poured down rain before God, the One on Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
Ps 68:9You sent abundant rain, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance.
Ps 68:10Your flock settled therein; O God, from Your bounty You provided for the poor.
Ps 68:11The Lord gives the command; a great company of women proclaim it:
Ps 68:12“Kings and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder.
Ps 68:13Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold.”
Ps 68:14When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like the snow falling on Zalmon.
Ps 68:15A mountain of God is Mount Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is Mount Bashan.
Ps 68:16Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God chose for His dwelling, where the LORD will surely dwell forever.
Ps 68:17The chariots of God are tens of thousands—thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.
Ps 68:18You have ascended on high; You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.
Ps 68:19Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God of our salvation. Selah
Ps 68:20Our God is a God of deliverance; the Lord GOD is our rescuer from death.
Ps 68:21Surely God will crush the heads of His enemies, the hairy crowns of those who persist in guilty ways.
Ps 68:22The Lord said, “I will retrieve them from Bashan, I will bring them up from the depths of the sea,
Ps 68:23that your foot may be dipped in the blood of your foes—the tongues of your dogs in the same.”
Ps 68:24They have seen Your procession, O God—the march of my God and King into the sanctuary.
Ps 68:25The singers lead the way, the musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines.
Ps 68:26Bless God in the great congregation; bless the LORD from the fountain of Israel.
Ps 68:27There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
Ps 68:28Summon Your power, O God; show Your strength, O God, which You have exerted on our behalf.
Ps 68:29Because of Your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring You gifts.
Ps 68:30Rebuke the beast in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Ps 68:31Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.
Ps 68:32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord—Selah
Ps 68:33to Him who rides upon the highest heavens of old; behold, His mighty voice resounds.
Ps 68:34Ascribe the power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose strength is in the skies.
Ps 68:35O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 457 passages were voted onto 35 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 19Isaiah 46:4Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
- 19Lamentations 3:23They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!
- 19Ephesians 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
- 19Psalms 55:22Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
- 19Psalms 103:1–22Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.
- 18Ephesians 4:8–10This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”
- 1Numbers 10:35Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, “Rise up, O LORD! May Your enemies be scattered; may those who hate You flee before You.”
- 6Psalms 113:9He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!
- 6Psalms 69:33For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.
- 5Jeremiah 49:11Abandon your orphans; I will preserve their lives. Let your widows trust in Me.”
- 5Psalms 10:14But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
- 6Psalms 107:10Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,
- 19Psalms 32:7You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
- 6Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
- 6Psalms 107:14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke away their chains.
- 19Psalms 65:5With awesome deeds of righteousness You answer us, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
Onward