Psalm 68 is a great processional hymn: “Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face.” It celebrates God the “father of orphans, and the judge of widows,” marching with his people from Sinai to his holy mountain, and ascending in triumph. In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 67. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 68 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end, a psalm of a canticle for David himself.
Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face.
As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
And let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness.
Sing ye to God, sing a psalm to his name, make a way for him who ascendeth upon the west: the Lord is his name. Rejoice ye before him: but the wicked shall be troubled at his presence,
Who is the father of orphans, and the judge of widows. God in his holy place:
God who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house: Who bringeth out them that were bound in strength; in like manner them that provoke, that dwell in sepulchres.
O God, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pass through the desert:
The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the presence of the God of Sina, at the presence of the God of Israel.
Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect.
In it shall thy animals dwell; in thy sweetness, O God, thou hast provided for the poor.
The Lord shall give the word to them that preach good tidings with great power.
The king of powers is of the beloved, of the beloved; and the beauty of the house shall divide spoils.
If you sleep among the midst of lots, you shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the hinder parts of her back with the paleness of gold.
When he that is in heaven appointeth kings over her, they shall be whited with snow in Selmon.
The mountain of God is a fat mountain. A curdled mountain, a fat mountain.
Why suspect, ye curdled mountains? A mountain in which God is well pleased to dwell: for there the Lord shall dwell unto the end.
The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sina, in the holy place.
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts in men. Yea for those also that do not believe, the dwelling of the Lord God.
Blessed be the Lord day by day: the God of our salvation will make our journey prosperous to us.
Our God is the God of salvation: and of the Lord, of the Lord are the issues from death.
But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins.
The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea:
That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies; the tongue of thy dogs be red with the same.
They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God: of my king who is in his sanctuary.
Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels playing on timbrels.
In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel.
There is Benjamin a youth, in ecstasy of mind. The princes of Juda are their leaders: the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.
Command thy strength, O God: confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us.
From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee.
Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, the congregation of bulls with the kine of the people; who seek to exclude them who are tried with silver. Scatter thou the nations that delight in wars:
Ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God.
Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God,
Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east. Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power:
Give ye glory to God for Israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds.
God is wonderful in his saints: the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength to his people. Blessed be God.
Psalm 68 or Psalm 67?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 67 is Psalm 68 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Exsurgat Deus, et dissipentur inimici eius. See how many psalms are there?
“Thou hast ascended on high”
St. Paul applies the psalm’s picture of God ascending his holy mountain to the Ascension of Christ:
Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.
The risen Christ ascends to the Father and pours out his gifts on the Church, above all the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. See the Ascension and Pentecost.
What the psalm means
- God arises: enemies scatter like smoke and melt like wax before fire.
- Father of orphans and judge of widows: “God in his holy place: God who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house.”
- From Sinai to Sion: God leads his people through the desert to his holy mountain.
- God ascends in triumph: “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive.”
- All kingdoms praise: “Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth.”
How the Church uses Psalm 68
- At Mass on the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C): “God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.”
- On Pentecost, in the traditional Missal, Exsurgat Deus was the verse of the entrance chant.
- In the Liturgy of the Hours.
A prayer with Psalm 68
Written for this page:
Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered.
You are the father of orphans and the defender of widows.
Lord Jesus, you ascended on high and poured out your gifts on us;
fill your Church with your Spirit and lead us home in triumph. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered”?
Psalm 68:2 (67:2 in the Douay-Rheims).
How does St. Paul use Psalm 68?
He applies “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive” to the Ascension of Christ (Ephesians 4:8).
More psalms and prayers
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 67 (68); Ephesians 4:8, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.