1 <To the chief music-maker. A Song. A Psalm.> Send up a glad cry to God, all the earth:
2 Make a song in honour of his name: give praise and glory to him.
3 Say to God, How greatly to be feared are your works! because of your great power your haters are forced to put themselves under your feet.
4 Let all the earth give you worship, and make songs to you; let them make songs to your name. (Selah.)
5 Come and see the works of God: he is to be feared in all he does to the children of men.
6 The sea was turned into dry land: they went through the river on foot: there did we have joy in him.
7 He is ruling in power for ever; his eyes are watching the nations: may his haters have no strength against him. (Selah.)
8 Give blessings to our God, O you peoples, let the voice of his praise be loud;
9 Because he gives us life, and has not let our feet be moved.
10 For you, O God, have put us to the test: testing us by fire like silver.
11 You let us be put in prison; chains were put on our legs.
12 You let men go driving over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but you took us out into a wide place.
13 I will come into your house with burned offerings, I will make payment of my debt to you,
14 Keeping the word which came from my lips, and which my mouth said, when I was in trouble.
15 I will give you burned offerings of fat beasts, and the smoke of sheep; I will make offerings of oxen and goats. (Selah.)
16 Come, give ear to me, all you God-fearing men, so that I may make clear to you what he has done for my soul.
17 My voice went up to him, and I was lifted up from the underworld.
18 I said in my heart, The Lord will not give ear to me:
19 But truly God's ear has been open; he has give attention to the voice of my prayer.
20 Praise be to God who has not taken away his good faith and his mercy from me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 66
Commentary on Psalms 66 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 66
Ps 66:1-20. The writer invites all men to unite in praise, cites some striking occasions for it, promises special acts of thanksgiving, and celebrates God's great mercy.
1. Make … noise—or, "Shout."
2. his name—as in Ps 29:2.
make his praise glorious—literally, "place honor, His praise," or, "as to His praise"; that is, let His praise be such as will glorify Him, or, be honorable to Him.
3, 4. A specimen of the praise.
How terrible—(Compare Ps 65:8).
submit—(Compare Margin), show a forced subjection (Ps 18:44), produced by terror.
5, 6. The terrible works illustrated in Israel's history (Ex 14:21). By this example let rebels be admonished.
7. behold the nations—watch their conduct.
8, 9. Here is, perhaps, cited a case of recent deliverance.
9. holdeth … in life—literally, "putteth our soul in life"; that is, out of danger (Ps 30:3; 49:15).
to be moved—(Compare Ps 10:6; 55:22).
10-12. Out of severe trials, God had brought them to safety (compare Isa 48:10; 1Pe 1:7).
11. affliction—literally, "pressure," or, as in Ps 55:3, "oppression," which, laid on the
loins—the seat of strength (De 33:11), enfeebles the frame.
12. men to ride over our heads—made us to pass.
through fire, &c.—figures describing prostration and critical dangers (compare Isa 43:2; Eze 36:12).
wealthy—literally, "overflowing," or, "irrigated," and hence fertile.
13-15. These full and varied offerings constitute the payment of vows (Le 22:18-23).
15. I will offer—literally, "make to ascend," alluding to the smoke of burnt offering, which explains the use of "incense."
incense—elsewhere always denoting the fumes of aromatics.
16-20. With these he unites his public thanks, inviting those who fear God (Ps 60:4; 61:5, His true worshippers) to hear. He vindicates his sincerity, inasmuch as God would not hear hypocrites, but had heard him.
17. he was extolled with my tongue—literally, "exaltation (was) under my tongue," as a place of deposit, whence it proceeded; that is, honoring God was habitual.
18. If I regard iniquity in my heart—literally, "see iniquity with pleasure."