Read Psalm 68:1-10 and 32-35

Read Psalm 68:1-10 and 32-35

God rises up and scatters his enemies.

Those who hate him run away in defeat.

²     As smoke is blown away, so he drives them off;

as wax melts in front of the fire,

so do the wicked perish in God’s presence.

³     But the righteous are glad and rejoice in his presence;

they are happy and shout for joy.

⁴     Sing to God, sing praises to his name;

prepare a way for him who rides on the clouds.^o

His name is the Lord—be glad in his presence!

⁵     God, who lives in his sacred Temple,

cares for orphans and protects widows.

⁶     He gives the lonely a home to live in

and leads prisoners out into happy freedom,

but rebels will have to live in a desolate land.

⁷     O God, when you led your people,

when you marched across the desert,

⁸     the earth shook, and the sky poured down rain,

because of the coming of the God of Sinai,^p

the coming of the God of Israel.

⁹     You caused abundant rain to fall

and restored your worn-out land;

¹⁰   your people made their home there;

in your goodness you provided for the poor.

³²   Sing to God, kingdoms of the world,

sing praise to the Lord,

³³         to him who rides in the sky,

the ancient sky.

Listen to him shout with a mighty roar.

³⁴   Proclaim God’s power;

his majesty is over Israel,

his might is in the skies.

³⁵   How awesome is God as he comes from his sanctuary—

the God of Israel!

He gives strength and power to his people.

Praise God!

Think

This Psalm speaks of the awesome power of God; combined with his compassionate care for 'orphans, widows and the lonely.'

Pray

Lord help me to remember how great and powerful you are.

Help me to remember how much you care for me.

Help me to remember how much you care for others too.

---

^o on the clouds; or across the desert.

⁸ 68.8: Ex 19:18

^p god of sinai: As the people of Israel went from Egypt to Canaan, God revealed himself to them at Mount Sinai (see Ex 19:16–25).