Psalm 68

Let God, the God of Battaile, rise;
And scatter his proud Enemies.
O let them flee before his face,
Like smoke, which driving tempests chace.
As Wax dissolves with scorching Fire;
So perish in his burning Ire.
But let the Just with joy abound:
In joyfull Songs his Praise resound:
Who riding on the rowling Spheares,
The Name of great Jehovah beares.
Before his Face your joyes expresse:
A Father to the fatherlesse.
He wipes the teares from Widowes eyes;
The single plants in Families;
Inlarging those who late were bound:
While Rebels starve on thirsty Ground.
When he our numerous Army led,
And march't through Deserts, full of dread;
Heaven melted, and Earths Centre shooke,
With his majesticke Presence strooke.
When Israels God in Clouds came downe,
High Sinai bow'd his trembling Crowne.
He in th'approach of meager Dearth,
With showres refresht the fainting Earth:
Where his owne Flocke in safety fed;
The Needy unto plenty led.
By Him we conquer: Virgins sing
Our Victories, and Timbrels ring.
He Kings with their vast Armies foiles;
While women share their wealthy spoiles.
You who among the Pots have laine
In Soot and Smoke, shall shine againe;
Bright, as the silver-feather'd Dove,
Whose wings with golden Splendor move.
When he the Kings had overthrowne,
Our Land like snowy Salmon shone.
Gods Mountaine Bashans Mount transcends;
Though he his many Heads extends.
Why boast you so, ye meaner Hils?
God with his Glory Sion fils:
This his beloved Residence;
Nor ever will depart from hence.
His Chariots twenty thousand were,
Which Myriads of Angels beare;
He in the midst, as when he crown'd
High Sinai's sanctified ground.
Lord, Thou thy Selfe hast rais'd on high;
Thou captivat'st Captivitie.
Deckt with the trophees of his Foes,
The gifts receiv'd on his bestowes:
Reducing those who did rebell;
That both might in his Sion dwell.
O praised be the God of gods,
Who his with daily blessings loads:
The God of our Salvation,
On whom our hopes depend alone.
The Controverse of Life and Death
Is arbitrated by his Breath.
He on their heads his Foes shall wound;
Their hairy scalps, whose sins abound,
And in their trespasses proceed.
Thus spake Jehovah; Jacobs Seed
I will from Bashan bring againe,
And through the bottome of the Maine:
That Dogs may lap their enemies bloud;
And they wade through a crimson Floud.
We in thy Sanctuary late,
My God, my King, beheld thy State.
The sacred Singers marcht before;
Who instruments of Musicke bore,
In order followed: every Maid
Vpon her pleasant Timbrell plaid,
His Praise in your Assemblies sing,
You who from Israels Fountaine spring.
Nor little Benjamin alone,
But Judah from his Mountaine-throne;
The farre removed Zebulun;
And Naphtali which borders on
Old Jordan, where his streame dilates;
Joyn'd all their Powers and Potentates.
For us his winged Souldiers fought:
Lord strengthen, what thy hand hath wrought.
He that supports a Diadem,
To Thee, divine Jerusalem,
Shall in Devotion treasure bring,
To build the Temple of his King.
Break through their Pikes; the multitude
Of Buls, with savage strength indu'd;
Till they with gifts sweet Peace invite:
But scatter those, whom Wars delight.
Far off from Sun-burnt Meroë,
From falling Nilus; from the Sea
Which beats on the Aegyptian shore,
Shall Princes come, and here adore.
You Kingdomes, through the World renown'd,
Sing to the Lord; his praise resound:
He who Heavens upper Heaven bestrides,
And on her aged shoulders rides:
Whose voyce the Clouds asunder rends;
In Thunder terrible descends.
O praise his Strength; whose Majesty
In Israel shines, his Power on high.
He from his Sanctuary throwes
A trembling horror on his Foes:
While us his Power and Strength invest.
O Israel, praise the Ever-blest.