Psalms 65:1-11

1 (64-1) <To the end, a psalm of David. The canticle of Jeremias and Ezechiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go out.> (64-2) A hymn, O God, becometh thee in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem.

2 (64-3) O hear my prayer: all flesh shall come to thee.

3 (64-4) The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and thou wilt pardon our transgressions.

4 (64-5) Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and taken to thee: he shall dwell in thy courts. We shall be filled with the good things of thy house; holy is thy temple,

5 (64-6) Wonderful in justice. Hear us, O God our saviour, who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar off.

6 (64-7) Thou who preparest the mountains by thy strength, being girded with power:

7 (64-8) Who troublest the depth of the sea, the noise of its waves. The Gentiles shall be troubled,

8 (64-9) And they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at thy signs: thou shalt make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.

9 (64-10) Thou hast visited the earth, and hast plentifully watered it; thou hast many ways enriched it. The river of God is filled with water, thou hast prepared their food: for so is its preparation.

10 (64-11) Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers.

11 (64-12) Thou shalt bless the crown of the year of thy goodness: and thy fields shall be filled with plenty.

Psalms 65:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm [and] Song of David. Some copies of the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions read "a song of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, "sung" by the people of the captivity, when they were about to come out;" and some copies have "Haggai": but though it is possible it might be sung upon that occasion, it is certain it was not then composed, but was written by David, as the genuine title shows: as for Jeremiah; he was not carried captive to Babylon, and Ezekiel died before the return of the people from it; nor is there anything in the psalm relating to that captivity. The title of it, indeed, in the Arabic version, is concerning the captivity of the people; which it seems to have taken from some Greek copy; and Kimchi and Arama interpret it of the captivity of the people of the Jews; but then they mean their present captivity, and their deliverance from it. According to the title of it in the Syriac version, the occasion of it was the bringing up of the ark of God to Sion; and Aben Ezra is of opinion that David composed the psalm at that time; or that one of the singers composed it at the building of the temple, and which he thinks is right, and perhaps is concluded from Psalm 65:1; and who also says it was composed in a year of drought; but it rather seems to have been written in a year of great plenty, as the latter part of it shows; and the whole seems to respect the fruitful, flourishing, and happy state of the church in Gospel times, for which it is a song of praise.