Psalms 46 & 68
By Jonathan Mitchell
Translated from the Septuagint (LXX)
Psalm 46 (45, LXX)
Unto the Goal (or: Completion; the Finished Product);
Over (About) the Sons of Kore; Over (About) Hidden Things: a Psalm
1. Our God [is] a (or: God [is] our) Sphere for fleeing (fully patterned refuge; fit and corresponding recourse) and power (or: ability); [He is] exceedingly (or: very much [is]) a Helper in the midst of pressures (centered in distressing afflictions; in union with ordeals) - those at some point finding (discovering; befalling) us.
2. Because of this, we will not continue being made to fear (or: we will not keep on being made afraid) within the [situation for] the earth to be caused to quake or be inwardly moved (or: the Land to be troubled or stirred) and mountains to be progressively transferred (shifted; transposed; caused to change places) in the hearts of seas.
3. Their waters roared and were troubled (stirred up); the mountains were troubled (caused to quake; stirred and inwardly moved; convulsed) in correspondence to His forceful strength. Pause and think about this (or interlude on strings)
4. The effects of the rushing currents of the River constantly gives a good attitude and a healthy frame of mind to the City of God; the Most High sets apart and makes holy (sacred) His tent (the tabernacle which pertains to Him; the result of His temporary dwelling place).
5. God [is] within the midst of it (or: her [i.e., the city]); it will not continue (or: proceed) being caused to rock, tremble or shudder; God will continue helping it, facing morning by morning [other MSS: God, with {His} Face and by {His} presence will constantly support it].
6. Ethnic multitudes (or: Nations) were troubled (stirred and inwardly moved; convulsed); kingdoms tilted and tottered. He gave forth His Voice: the earth (or: Land) was caused to rock, tremble and shudder.
7. [The] LORD (= Yahweh) of the powerful and able ones [is] with us; the God of Jacob [is] our Supporter (Assistant; Aid; the One who takes hold on the opposite side, to help). Pause and think about this (or interlude on strings)
8. Come and see the works from (deeds of) [the] LORD (= Yahweh) - the wonders He put (miracles He set) upon the earth (or: this Land),9. Progressively cancelling and removing (lifting up, in the place of) wars, as far as the ends of the earth (or: this Land); He will progressively shatter and crush together [the] bow and will progressively break the armor, then He will progressively burn down shields, in a Fire.
10, At once relax and cease acting (do nothing), and then suddenly come to know, by intimate experience and with insight, that I AM this God (or: because I, Myself, continuously exist being God)! I will be progressively exalted (lifted up high), centered in, and among, the ethnic multitudes (or: within the nations); I will be progressively (or: continuously) exalted within the midst of, and in union with, the earth (or: centered in this Land).
11. [The] LORD (= Yahweh) of the powerful and able ones [is] with us; the God of Jacob [is] our Supporter (Assistant; Aid; the One who takes hold on the opposite side, to help).
PSALM 68 (LXX, 67)
Unto the Goal (or: Completion; the Finished Product); A Psalm by David; as an Ode
1. Stand up, again, O God (or: O God, at once arise), and then let the people hostile with regard to You (Your enemies) at once be scattered throughout the midst (or: be fully dispersed, to and fro)! And thus, let the folks regarding Him with ill-will (or: hating Him; having less preference for Him) at once flee (take flight) from His Face (or: from before Him; away from His presence).
3. And so, let the rightwised folks (the people who are just and are turned in the right direction; the fair and equitable folks; those in the Way pointed out) be given a good frame of mind and be caused to have a healthy attitude: let them continuously rejoice exceedingly within the sight and presence of (or: centered before; in front of) God. Let them be caused to delight and be made happy, in union with a good frame of mind (centered in a healthy attitude).
4, You folks at once sing a song to and for (or: chant in) God; at once make music (or: strum) with stringed instruments to (or: for; with; by; in) His Name! You people at once make a way (or: create a path; construct a road) for the One having walked upon, and continuing treading upon (or: having mounted and still riding), the sinking (or: the setting; the sunset; the west) - the LORD (= Yahweh) [is] a Name for Him (with Him). You folks keep on rejoicing exceedingly within the sight and presence of (or: centered before; in front of) Him. They will continue being stirred and troubled, from His Face and presence (or: from before Him),
5. [i.e.,] from [the] Father of the orphans and from [the] Judge of the widows (the Evaluator, Decider or Vindicator of the widows). God [is] centered in (or: in union with; within the midst of) His set-apart place (or: holy position).
6. God habitually settles (repeatedly causes to dwell) solitary folks (those living alone) in a house. [He] is repeatedly leading out prisoners (folks having been shackled or bound in fetters), centered in Manliness (in union with masculine courage and diligent vigor), [and] in like manner, the folks constantly embittering or repeatedly provoking the people normally dwelling among tombs (or: continuously living, or housed, in graves).
7. O God, within the midst of the [situation; circumstance] for You, Yourself, to progressively journey forth (or: to continue traveling out) within the sight and presence of (or: centered before; in front of) Your People, centered in (or: within the midst of; in union with) the [situation; circumstance] for You, Yourself, to progressively walk through the midst of the wilderness - pause and think of this! (or: Interlude on strings):
8. [the] earth was made to quake (or: a land was shaken and agitated). You see, even the atmospheres (skies; heavens) dropped (or: poured and streamed down; shed drops) from [the] Face (or: presence) of the God of (or: from) Sinai - from [the] Face (or: presence) of the God of Israel.
9. O God, You will continue dividing off and marking boundaries of a voluntary rain for the enjoyment of Your allotted inheritance. Even though it grew weak and feeble (or: languished and failed; declined), yet You, Yourself, refresh, restore, thoroughly adjust, and correspondingly prepare it (or: knit it together while following the pattern; fit it to a commensurate sphere).
10. Your living creatures (or: animals) continue settled in homes within the midst of it; You, in union with (centered in) Your useful kindness, prepare and make ready for the needy and destitute person.
11. The L0RD (= Yahweh) God will continuously give an effect of the Flow (or: a spoken declaration), in and with much power (or: by great ability), to (for; in; by) the folks habitually bringing and announcing the Message of goodness, ease and well-being.
12. The King, of these powerful ones (or: of the able ones) from the Beloved One (or: of the One who unconditionally accepts and drives toward union), which is the Beloved One (or: with regard to the person who accepts and drives toward union with unqualified acceptance; or: belonging to the Beloved One), [will] also [proceed], for Himself, to divide, set apart and then dispense [the] spoils for (to; by; in) the beautiful ripeness (timely seasonableness; prime of life) of the House.
13. Though you folks may have been caused to lie down (go to bed and fall asleep, spending the night) back in the midst of (or: again among) the allotments (or: plots of land assigned by lot or the casting of a die), [you will have or be given] a dove's wing having been overlaid with silver, and with the back feathers with greenness (or: pale yellowness) of gold.
14. Within the midst of the [situation or circumstance for] the Imposed Heavenly One (or: the One Upon the atmospheres) to progressively fully-disperse (separate throughout; determine and appoint through the midst) kings upon it, they will be progressively snow-covered, within Selmon.
15. O Mountain of God (God's mountain), fat and fertile mountain; O curdled, having been made cheese, mountain, fat and fertile mountain.(or: [The] mountain of God [is] a fertile mountain! [Is] a curdled, cheese mountain, a rich and fertile mountain?)
16, Why (To what end) do you folks continue supposing or repeatedly take up this notion, O curdled mountains that have made cheese? [Is this] the mountain which God thinks good (is pleased; experienced pleasure; approved) to continuously settle down on and dwell in it? For it follows that even the LORD (= Yahweh) will continuously stake down a tent and encamp (set up quarters as an abode), on unto the goal (into the midst of the Finished Work).
17. The chariot of (or: from) God [is] ten thousand-fold: thousands of thriving, prospering and flourishing folks. [The] LORD (= Yahweh) [is; was] within, in union with, and among them - [as] in Sinai, within the set-apart (holy) place.
18. In (or: Upon; When) ascending into a high place (or: realm), You captured and then lead captive a body of captives (a band of prisoners). You take in hand and receive gifts (results of giving) within the midst of humanity (centered in union with people; or: in a Person), for even folks continuing unconvinced and unpersuaded (or: You see, although people continuing disobedient from a lack of belief, being incredulous) with regard to the [situation for them, or God] to at some point stake down a tent and encamp (set up quarters as an abode).
19. [The] LORD (= Yahweh) God [is] blessed and worthy of a word of goodness. Blessed and worthy of a word of goodness [is] [the] LORD, day by day, and the God who is our Rescue and Deliverance (or: of our salvation and wholeness; pertaining to our safety) will continually give commensurate prosperity and accorded success to us, for us and in us (or: will progressively set us on a correspondingly good Path of ease and well-being). Pause and think of this! (or: Interlude on strings)
20. Our God [is] the God of Rescue and Deliverance (or: of the [situation] to repeatedly save and make whole), and belonging to the LORD (= Yahweh) [are] the issues from the Death (or: from the LORD [come] the goings out through the midst of this Death; pertaining to the LORD [are] the ways and paths out through, with regard to the Death; from the LORD [are] the complete departures of death).
21. No doubt, however, God will habitually crush together and shatter [the] heads of those who are hostile to Him (or: of His enemies). A hairy crown of the head of those habitually passing through from place to place (or: continually journeying through the midst) centered in their errors and mistakes.
22. [The] LORD (= Yahweh) says, "From out of the midst of Bashan (Heb.: the one in sleep or shame) I will proceed returning; I will progressively return in the midst of (or: in union with; centered in) depths of a (or: [the]) sea.
23. Thus, in this manner, your foot may be immersed in blood - [and] the tongue of your dogs - from out of folks hostile at His side (or: forth from the midst of His enemies).
24. O God, Your journeys (goings from place to place; courses) have been observed, gazed upon, considered and contemplated - the journeys (goings from place to place; courses) of my God, the King, in relation to the midst of (or: in regard to union and centering in) the set-apart One (or: the holy place).
25. Rulers (Chiefs; Princes; Originating folks) extend in front (or: outstrip; anticipate and act with foresight; get a head start) while continuing having near [the] folks constantly strumming (continuously playing stringed instruments), centered within the midst of young women constantly performing on tambourines (or: young female drummers):
26, Within called-out, covenant communities, you folks be repeatedly blessing the LORD [Yahweh] God (speaking words of goodness, ease and well-being to, or concerning, [Yahweh] God), forth from out of the fountains of Israel!
27. There, in that place, [is] Benjamin, the youngest, in ecstasy (within the midst of a trance); [the] chiefs and rulers of Judah, their leaders; chiefs and rulers of Zebulon; chiefs and rulers of Naphtali.
28. O God, at once implant a goal (impart the end in view; give an inner directive), to (in; for) Your one with power (or: the person with ability); At once, O God, empower and give ability to this which You have fully prepared, adjusted, fit to the Pattern, and thoroughly knit together, in union with us (or: centered within the midst of us; or: among us).
29. Resulting from Your inner temple sanctuary, situated upon (or: at) Jerusalem, kings (sovereigns) will proceed bringing gifts to, and for, You.
30. At once give a respectful admonition to, and a directive for, the little wild animals of (or: from; among) the reed; the gathering together of the bulls [is] among the heifers of the peoples, from the person not being made to shut away or exclude [other MSS: to shut in] the folks having been assayed, tested and proved by (or: as it is with) silver. At once scatter throughout [the] ethnic multitudes - those constantly wanting the wars (or: fully disperse nations - those repeatedly desiring or taking delight in the wars).
31. Ambassadors (Envoys) will proceed arriving from Egypt. Ethiopia will proceed approaching and extending its hand to God.
32. At once sing to and for (or: chant in and with) God, O kings and sovereigns of the earth (or: from the Land); strum and make music to, for, with and in the LORD (= Yahweh). Pause and think of this! (or: Interlude on strings)
34. At once give glory (repute; a manifestation calling forth praise) to and for God: His magnificence [is] upon Israel, and His power and ability [are] within (centered in; in union with) the clouds.
35. God is wonderful, admirable and awesome, centered in, among, and within the midst of, His saints (devoted and pious people; [other MSS: centered in His set-apart places; in union with His holy places). He, Himself, will continuously give power (and: ability) and strength to, in and for His people. Blessed [is] God (or: God [is] a Word of goodness, ease and well-being).
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