Psalms 65

1 in finem canticum psalmi resurrectionis iubilate Deo omnis terra

2 psalmum dicite nomini eius date gloriam laudi eius

3 dicite Deo quam terribilia sunt opera tua Domine in multitudine virtutis tuae mentientur tibi inimici tui

4 omnis terra adorent te et psallant tibi psalmum dicant nomini tuo diapsalma

5 venite et videte opera Dei terribilis in consiliis super filios hominum

6 qui convertit mare in aridam in flumine pertransibunt pede ibi laetabimur in ipso

7 qui dominatur in virtute sua in aeternum oculi eius super gentes respiciunt qui exasperant non exaltentur in semet ipsis diapsalma

8 benedicite gentes Deum nostrum et auditam facite vocem laudis eius

9 qui posuit animam meam ad vitam et non dedit in commotionem pedes meos

10 quoniam probasti nos Deus igne nos examinasti sicut examinatur argentum

11 induxisti nos in laqueum posuisti tribulationes in dorso nostro

12 inposuisti homines super capita nostra transivimus per ignem et aquam et eduxisti nos in refrigerium

13 introibo in domum tuam in holocaustis reddam tibi vota mea

14 quae distinxerunt labia mea et locutum est os meum in tribulatione mea

15 holocausta medullata offeram tibi cum incensu arietum offeram tibi boves cum hircis diapsalma

16 venite audite et narrabo omnes qui timetis Deum quanta fecit animae meae

17 ad ipsum ore meo clamavi et exaltavi sub lingua mea

18 iniquitatem si aspexi in corde meo non exaudiat Dominus

19 propterea exaudivit Deus adtendit voci deprecationis meae

20 benedictus Deus qui non amovit orationem meam et misericordiam suam a me

Psalms 65 Commentary

Chapter 65

God is to be praised in the kingdom of grace. (1-5) In the kingdom of providence. (6-13)

Verses 1-5 All the praise the Lord receives from this earth is from Zion, being the fruit of the Spirit of Christ, and acceptable through him. Praise is silent unto thee, as wanting words to express the great goodness of God. He reveals himself upon a mercy-seat, ready to hear and answer the prayers of all who come unto him by faith in Jesus Christ. Our sins prevail against us; we cannot pretend to balance them with any righteousness of our own: yet, as for our transgressions, of thine own free mercy, and for the sake of a righteousness of thine own providing, we shall not come into condemnation for them. Observe what it is to come into communion with God in order to blessedness. It is to converse with him as one we love and value; it is to apply ourselves closely to religion as to the business of our dwelling-place. Observe how we come into communion with God; only by God's free choice. There is abundance of goodness in God's house, and what is satisfying to the soul; there is enough for all, enough for each: it is always ready; and all without money and without price. By faith and prayer we may keep up communion with God, and bring in comfort from him, wherever we are. But it is only through that blessed One, who approaches the Father as our Advocate and Surety, that sinners may expect or can find this happiness.

Verses 6-13 That Almighty strength which sets fast the mountains, upholds the believer. That word which stills the stormy ocean, and speaks it into a calm, can silence our enemies. How contrary soever light and darkness are to each other, it is hard to say which is most welcome. Does the watchman wait for the morning? so does the labourer earnestly desire the shades of evening. Some understand it of the morning and evening sacrifices. We are to look upon daily worship, both alone and with our families, to be the most needful of our daily occupations, the most delightful of our daily comforts. How much the fruitfulness of this lower part of the creation depends upon the influence of the upper, is easy to observe; every good and perfect gift is from above. He who enriches the earth, which is filled with man's sins, by his abundant and varied bounty, can neither want power nor will to feed the souls of his people. Temporal mercies to us unworthy creatures, shadow forth more important blessings. The rising of the Sun of righteousness, and the pouring forth of the influences of the Holy Spirit, that river of God, full of the waters of life and salvation, render the hard, barren, worthless hearts of sinners fruitful in every good work, and change the face of nations more than the sun and rain change the face of nature. Wherever the Lord passes, by his preached gospel, attended by his Holy Spirit, his paths drop fatness, and numbers are taught to rejoice in and praise him. They will descend upon the pastures of the wilderness, all the earth shall hear and embrace the gospel, and bring forth abundantly the fruits of righteousness which are, through Jesus Christ, to the glory of the Father. Manifold and marvellous, O Lord, are thy works, whether of nature or of grace; surely in loving-kindness hast thou made them all.

Chapter Summary

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.