Skip to content
Bible Studies

PSALMS 65

Old Testament Studies
Table of Contents
Previous Section
Next Section

 

STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
God’s Abundant Favor to Earth and Man
MT
Intro
For the choir director. A Psalm of David. A Song		 Praise to God For His Salvation and Providence Thanksgiving For A Good Harvest Praise and Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Hymn
65:1-4 65:1-3 65:1-4 65:1-4 65:1-2a
        65:2b-3
  65:4     65:4
65:5-8 65:5-8 65:5-8 65:5-8 65:5
        65:6-7b
        65:7c-8
65:9-13 65:9-10 65:9-13 65:9-13 65:9a-d
        65:9e-13
  65:11-13      

READING CYCLE THREE (see
“Bible
Interpretation Seminar”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which
means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the
light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare
your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is
the key to following the original author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every
paragraph has one and only one subject.

  1. First paragraph
  2. Second paragraph
  3. Third paragraph, etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

  1. This Psalm has a universal thrust (cf. Ps. 65:2,5,8) because it deals with the God of creation.
  2. God’s purpose for this planet was abundance and health (cf. Genesis 1-2; Leviticus 26;
    Deuteronomy 28-30), but mankind rebelled (cf. Genesis 3) and continues to rebel (cf. Leviticus 26;
    Deuteronomy 27), which has consequences both spiritually and physically (cf. Rom. 8:18-25).

     

  3. This Psalm reminds us of the original purposes of abundance (cf. Ps. 65:9-13), which now is
    a hope for the new age of restoration (cf. Joel 4:18; Amos 9:13). This new age will bless
    the entire earth!

     

  4. Notice there are no IMPERATIVES (only one COHORTATIVE, Ps. 65:4).
    This Psalm is not a prayer request but an affirmation of God’s actions in grace and provision. He
    seeks worshipers from all the earth!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 65:1-4
 1There
will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, O God,
 And to You the vow will be
performed.
 2O
You who hear prayer,
 To
You all men come.
 3Iniquities
prevail against me;
 As for
our transgressions, You forgive them.
 4How
blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You
 To dwell in Your courts.
 We will be satisfied with the
goodness of Your house,
 Your
holy temple.

65:1 There is only one VERB (BDB 1022, KB 1532, Pual
IMPERFECT) in Ps. 65:1. It seems to link to several items.

  1. silence before You (cf. Ps. 62:1,5)
  2. praise in Zion
  3. vows performed (Thank Offering)

This is obviously a worship setting in the temple (cf. Ps. 65:4).

Note below #1 and #2 may be one item. If so, it is mankind’s responsibility to
praise God and fulfill his vows.

▣
NASB   ”silence before You”
NKJV   ”praise awaiting You”
NRSV   ”praise is due you”
NJB   ”praise is rightfully yours”
JPSOA   ”praise befits You”
REB   ”it is fitting to praise you”
LXX   ”to you a hymn is due”

The MT has “silence” (BDB 189, דמיה) but the
UBS Text Project gives the same consonants with different vowels (i.e., “befitting”)
a “B” rating (some doubt). Most English translations agree with this. This follows the
LXX, Peshitta, and Vulgate translations. However, “silence” can denote a sense of guilt
before God (cf. Ps. 39:2) and an expectant waiting before Him (cf. Ps. 62:1).

▣ “Zion” See notes at Ps. 2:6; 9:11; 20:2.

SPECIAL TOPIC: MORIAH, SALEM,
JEBUS, JERUSALEM, ZION

65:2 The God of creation is characterized as

  1. the One who hears ‒ BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE. The idols
    cannot see, hear, or act.
  2. the One to whom all flesh (BDB 142) come (BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERFECT). There
    is a tension/contrast between

     

    1. all flesh ‒ Ps. 65:2,5,8; 64:9; 66:1,4,8; 67:3-5; 86:9; 145:21; Isa. 66:23;
      Joel 2:28; Zech. 14:17
    2. the covenant people ‒ Ps. 65:3-4 (see
      SPECIAL
      TOPIC: YHWH’s ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN      ); the OT people of God have become all who
      believe (cf. Rom. 2:28-29; Eph. 2:11-3:13)

One wonders if the “all flesh come” refers to

  1. being included in the people of God (i.e., salvation by forgiveness)
  2. being addressed by the God of judgment and held accountable

65:3 The God of creation forgives (i.e., covers, BDB 497, KB 493, Piel IMPERFECT,
cf. Ps. 78:38; 79:9; AB sees this as an IMPERFECT used as an IMPERATIVE [p. 110]).

  1. iniquities (BDB 730)
  2. transgressions (BDB 833)

The PREPOSITION “our” in the NASB implies Israel (cf. Ps. 65:4).
Notice how forgiveness is related to the fulfillment of covenant promises. Obedience is crucial
(cf. Leviticus 26; Deut. 11:13-17; chapters 28-30). When obedience fails, the only hope is the mercy of God!

SPECIAL TOPIC: WORDS FOR
FORGIVENESS

65:4 “How blessed” See note at Psalm 1:1.

SPECIAL TOPIC: BLESSING (OT)

▣ “the one whom You choose” This refers to the call of God to the Patriarchs
and their descendants (i.e., Israel, cf. Deut. 4:37; Ps. 33:12). The amazing thing is that apparently
the election moves from Israel alone to all humans (cf. Ps. 65:2,5,8). This reflects Gen. 3:15, which
is a divine promise of victory for all humans who believe and receive,

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH’S ETERNAL
REDEMPTIVE PLAN

▣ “We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house” The VERB
(BDB 959, KB 1302, Qal COHORTATIVE) denotes one who is completely with filled
goodness (BDB 375). This verse refers not just to physical abundance (cf. Ps. 65:9-13) but to intimacy
with God! He fills us with Himself!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 65:5-8
 5By
awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our
salvation,
 You who are the
trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea;
 6Who establishes the
mountains by His strength,
 Being
girded with might;
 7Who
stills the roaring of the seas,
 The
roaring of their waves,
 And
the tumult of the peoples.
 8They
who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;
 You make the dawn and the sunset
shout for joy.

65:5-8 This strophe describes two different
situations.

  1. creation, Ps. 65:6,7,8b
  2. salvation, Ps. 65:5,7c, 8a

The purpose of creation was a place for mankind made in God’s image (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) to
fellowship with God (cf. Gen. 3:8). After Genesis 3, this intent became God’s goal of salvation and
restoration for all the children of Adam and Eve (cf. Gen. 3:15).

Both “mountain” in Ps. 65:6 and “tumult” in 65:7 may refer to people,
not creation (cf. Jer. 51:25). If so, this would parallel Deut. 32:8.

Notice Ps. 65:5 mentions that God answers but no prayer is specifically mentioned. Obviously
it was a prayer of deliverance from

  1. personal and national sin
  2. national enemies (i.e., Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, cf. Ps. 2:1-3)
  3. possibly the chaos of creation itself (Ps. 65:7)
65:5
NASB, NKJV, NRSV   ”awesome deeds“
TEV   ”wonderful things”
NJB   ”marvels”

This term (BDB 431 in the Niphal) is used of God’s acts.

  1. acts of delivering the Israelites from Egypt ‒ Exod. 34:10; Deut. 10:21; Ps. 66:3,5; 106:22
  2. YHWH Himself ‒ Ps. 47:2; 68:35; 76:7; 145:4-7
  3. YHWH’s name ‒ Deut. 28:58; Ps. 99:3; 111:9; Mal. 1:14
  4. more general (i.e., adverbial) ‒ Ps. 66:5; 139:14

▣ “You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea” What
a powerful, inclusive statement. It is the logical extension of “monotheism”.

SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM)

▣
NASB, TEV, JPSOA   ”trust”
NKJV   ”confidence”
NRSV, NJB   ”hope”

This NOUN (BDB 105) is defined by BDB as “the object of
confidence” (cf. Job 8:14; Ps. 40:4; 71:5), which in this verse, is YHWH, not the false gods
of the nations (cf. “the tumult of the peoples,” Ps. 65:7c, cf. Psalm 2).

▣ “the ends of the earth” What a wonderful recurrent phrase, especially in Psalms
and Isaiah. This phrase can be documented by two PREPOSITIONS,
“to”. . .”from.”

  1. “to” ‒ YHWH’s person and activities
    1. bring back ‒ Deut. 30:4
    2. judge ‒ 1 Sam. 2:10 (cf. Ps. 82:8; 96:13; 98:9)
    3. name and praise ‒ Ps. 48:10 (cf. Isa. 42:10; Mal. 1:11)
    4. rules ‒ Ps. 59:13
    5. hope ‒ Ps. 65:5
    6. fear/awe ‒ Ps. 67:7 (cf. Ps. 33:8)
    7. Most High ‒ Ps. 83:18; 97:9
    8. salvation ‒ Ps. 98:3 (turn to the Lord, cf. Ps. 22:27);
      Isa. 49:6; 52:10; 62:11
    9. Creator ‒ Isa. 40:28
    10. redeemer ‒ Isa. 48:20
    11. Messiah’s reign ‒ Ps. 2:6-9; Micah 5:4
  2. “from” ‒ the world coming to Him
    1. the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord ‒
      Ps. 22:27
    2. the ends of the earth we hear songs, “Glory to the righteous One” ‒
      Isa. 24:16
    3. be saved, all the ends of the earth ‒ Isa. 45:22-23
    4. all the earth comes to Him at Zion ‒ Isa. 2:2-5; 60:3; 66:18,23; Jer. 16:19

65:7 This verse could refer to

  1. creation (i.e., defeat of chaos)
  2. conflict with idolatry (cf. Psalm 2; Isa. 17:12)

65:8 “stand in awe” Same root as Ps. 65:5, “awesome deeds.”

▣ “Your signs” This refers to God’s acts of redemption for His people (i.e., call
and protection of the Patriarchs, the exodus and wilderness wanderings, the conquest, etc.).

▣ The last line of Ps. 65:8 could refer to

  1. creation (i.e., evening and morning)
  2. stars twinkling (AB)
  3. east and west as an inclusive geographical figure of speech (NET Bible)
  4. the glory of day and night (Tyndale Commentaries)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 65:9-13
 9You
visit the earth and cause it to overflow;
 You greatly enrich it;
 The stream of God is full of water;
 You prepare their grain, for thus
You prepare the earth.
 10You
water its furrows abundantly,
 You
settle its ridges,
 You
soften it with showers,
 You
bless its growth.
 11You
have crowned the year with Your bounty,
 And
Your paths drip with fatness.
 12The
pastures of the wilderness drip,
 And
the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.
 13The meadows are clothed
with flocks
 And the
valleys are covered with grain;
 They
shout for joy, yes, they sing.

65:9-13 This is the physical abundance that covenant obedience would bring (cf. Leviticus 26;
Deut. 11:13-17; chapter 28). Abundance was YHWH’s way to cause the world to come to Him because of His

  1. love
  2. care
  3. provision

for Israel. He chose Israel to choose all! But Israel was not obedient (cf. Ezek. 36:22-23).

Notice the number of “You’s” in the English versions of Ps. 65:9-11 (i.e., nine).
Creation responds to its Creator with bounty!

65:9 “You visit the earth” This is an idiom of YHWH’s personal presence. In a sense, He
is always in the world. But this imagery speaks of a special coming either for judgment or blessing. Here
it is abundant agricultural blessing made possible by abundant water.

▣ “overflow” This VERB (BDB 1003, KB 1448, Polel
IMPERFECT) occurs three times, here, where it is often translated “be abundant,”
and Joel 2:24; 3:13, where it is translated “overflow.”

▣ “The stream of God” This phrase could mean

  1. imagery of a full channel of water
  2. rain from heaven (cf. Ps. 78:23; Mal. 3:10)
  3. an eschatological allusion to the river that flows from the throne of God (cf. Ps. 46:4;
    Ezek. 47:1; Rev. 22:1)
65:11
NASB, NKJV   ”Your paths drip with fatness”
NRSV   ”Your wagon tracks overflow with riches”
TEV   ”Wherever you go there is plenty”
NJB   ”richness seeps from your tracks”
JPSOA   ”fatness is distilled in Your path”

The MT has “and the tracks of Your chariot drip fatness.” This is imagery of
YHWH riding on the thunder clouds bringing rain (cf. Ps. 18:7-15). This is ANE, or especially Canaanite,
imagery of Ba’al, the storm god (i.e., fertility).

65:12-13 The blessed physical locations (i.e., pastures, hills, meadows, valleys) are personified
and shout for joy (BDB 929, KB 1206, Hithpoel IMPERFECT) and sing (BDB 1010,
KB 1479, Qal IMPERFECT). This praise of inanimate things reminds me of Jesus’ words
about the stones in Luke 19:40. One day all creation (animate and inanimate) will cry out in joy to its
Creator (cf. Ps. 103:20-22; 145:10; Rom. 8:18-25)!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are
responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You,
the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this
section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

  1. What is the best guess about the object of the psalmist’s vow in Ps. 65:1?
  2. How are creation and “the ends of the earth” linked?
  3. Explain the theological significance of Ps. 64:3.
  4. How do “the mountains” and “the tumult of the peoples” parallel?
  5. Does Ps. 65:9-13 describe a yearly event or an eschatological event?
  6. How does one balance Ps. 65:2, 5, and 8 with verse Ps. 65:4?

 

Copyright © 2014 Bible
Lessons International

 

Old Testament Studies
Table of Contents
Previous Section
Next Section