Psalms 66:6

6 Which turned the sea into dry land; in the flood they shall pass [through] with foot, there we shall be glad in him. (Who turned the sea into dry land; yea, they passed through the river on foot, and there we rejoiced in him.)

Psalms 66:6 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 66:6

He turned the sea into dry [land]
The Red sea, or sea of Zuph, as the Targum; by causing a strong east wind to blow, which made it dry, so that the children of Israel passed through it on dry ground, ( Exodus 14:21 Exodus 14:22 ) . Or, "he turneth" F25; for though the allusion is to the making the Red sea dry land, when the Israelites passed through it; yet it refers to something to be done in the times of Christ and the Gospel dispensation. So Christ might be said to do this literally, when he walked upon the sea of Galilee as on dry land, and enabled Peter to do so likewise, ( Matthew 14:25 Matthew 14:29 ) ; and figuratively, when he makes his people walk through the sea of this world, and the waters of afflictions in it, without overflowing them. He with them, bears them up, and upholds them with his right hand; so that they pass on, as on dry land, till they come safe to the shores of bliss and happiness;

they went through the flood on foot;
or "river" F26; the river Jordan, as the Targum: for this alludes not to the passage of the Israelites through the sea, but through Jordan, when they entered into the land, of Canaan, ( Joshua 3:17 ) . The words may be rendered, according to Kimchi,

``they shall pass through the river on foot;''

the Targum adds,

``the children of Israel;''

so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions. Such things are said in prophecy concerning the people of God in future times; see ( Isaiah 11:15 Isaiah 11:16 ) ( Isaiah 51:10 Isaiah 51:11 ) . So the river Euphrates shall be dried up, to make way for the kings of the east, ( Revelation 16:12 ) ;

there did we rejoice in him;
still alluding to the above cases, when Israel passed through the Red sea, and sung praise to God; and went through Jordan, and set up stones of memorial, ( Exodus 15:1 ) ( Joshua 4:6 Joshua 4:7 ) . Or "there shall we rejoice in him": so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, Syriac, and Arabic versions; only the latter reads in the singular, "he shall rejoice." The Targum is,

``I will lead them to the mountain of his holiness, there shall we rejoice in his word:''

in the essential Word, the Messiah, as the saints do rejoice in him in his house, under his word and ordinances; when they see the salvation wrought out by him, and their interest in it; the righteousness he has brought in, and themselves clothed with it; pardon procured by him, and that applied to them; and when they are favoured with a sight of him, and communion with him; so will they rejoice in him when the marriage of the Lamb is come, and the bride is ready; when antichrist shall be destroyed, and they shall have got the victory over him; then they shall stand on the sea of glass, and there shall they sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, ( Revelation 19:7 Revelation 19:8 ) ( 18:20 ) ( Revelation 15:2 Revelation 15:3 ) ; and when they shall have come through all their difficulties safely to heaven; there shall they rejoice in Christ, and with him to all eternity.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 (Kph) "convertit", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus
F26 (rhnb) "per fluvium", Gejerus.

Psalms 66:6 In-Context

4 God, all the earth worship thee, and sing to thee; say it psalm to thy name. (God, let all the earth worship thee, and sing to thee; yea, sing they a song to thy name.)
5 Come ye and see ye the works of God; fearedful in counsels on the sons of men (fearful, or awesome, in his counsels toward the sons and daughters of men).
6 Which turned the sea into dry land; in the flood they shall pass [through] with foot, there we shall be glad in him. (Who turned the sea into dry land; yea, they passed through the river on foot, and there we rejoiced in him.)
7 The which is Lord in his virtue [into] without end, his eyes behold on folks; they that make sharp be not enhanced in themselves. (Who is the ruler by his might, or his power, forever, and his eyes look on the nations; let not they who rebel against him exalt themselves.)
8 Ye heathen men, bless our God; and make ye heard the voice of his praising. (All ye heathen, bless our God; and make ye the sound of your praises heard.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.