Psalm 66, Shout with Joy!

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

The author of this song is not named.

Psalm 66: 1-2, Shout!

 Shout with joy to God, 

all the earth!

 Sing the glory of his name; 

make his praise glorious!

Verse 1 reappears in Psalm 100: 1 (with elohim (God) replaced by YHWH (LORD).)

The song begins with a vibrant, strong "Shout!" It is a thanksgiving song, similar in ways to the previous psalm.

Psalm 66: 3-4, The earth bows down

 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! 

So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.

 All the earth bows down to you; 

they sing praise to you, 

they sing praise to your name."

Selah.

 

Praise God, along with the rest of the earth, cries the psalmist. Our God is an awesome God! (See the song by that name, sung by Rich Mullins.)

Psalm 66: 5-7, Awesome works!

Come and see what God has done, 

how awesome his works in man's behalf!

 He turned the sea into dry land, 

they passed through the waters on foot--

come, let us rejoice in him.

 He rules forever by his power, 

his eyes watch the nations--

let not the rebellious rise up against him.

Selah.

In addition to an awesome universe (earth, sea, dry land), the psalmist claims that God acts on man's behalf. He remembers the parting of the waters during the exodus from Egypt and again when crossing the Jordan at Jericho.

Psalm 66: 8-9, Preserved and protected

 Praise our God, O peoples, 

let the sound of his praise be heard;

 he has preserved our lives 

and kept our feet from slipping.

 

God protects lives and keeps our paths secure.

Psalm 66: 10-12, Tested and refined

For you, O God, tested us; 

you refined us like silver.

 You brought us into prison 

and laid burdens on our backs.

You let men ride over our heads; 

we went through fire and water, 

but you brought us to a place of abundance.

 

Yet there are burdens and tests, tests that refine the people. Is the Babylonian captivity remembered here? Or some smaller time of oppression?

Psalm 66: 13-15, Sacrifices in the temple

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings 

and fulfill my vows to you--

 vows my lips promised 

and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.

 I will sacrifice fat animals to you 

and an offering of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.

Selah.

The praise is backed up by sacrifices and formal worship in the temple. If the temple is literal, not just the tabernacle, then this psalm dates from the time of Solomon or later. It is possible that this psalm dates from the second temple period, after the Israelites have returned from exile.

Psalm 66: 16-17, Come and listen!

 Come and listen, all you who fear God; 

let me tell you what he has done for me.

 I cried out to him with my mouth; 

his praise was on my tongue.

The psalmist will repeat his praises. Alter translates the last line as "exaltation under my tongue."

Psalm 66: 18-19, Surely listened

If I had cherished sin in my heart, 

the Lord would not have listened;

 but God has surely listened 

and heard my voice in prayer.

The psalm transitions from a call to all people to a personal (first person singular) statement about his relationship with God. The psalmist rejoices in his purity -- he is not secretly holding back some sinful desire -- and is thrilled to realize that God is listening and is answering his prayer.

Psalm 66: 20, Answered with love 

Praise be to God, 

who has not rejected my prayer 

or withheld his love from me

The song ends with an enthusiastic statement of righteousness and reception of love. There is none of the lament and pleading for help that we often see permeating the psalms of David.  This is a straightforward song of praise. It has more of the feeling of Ezra or Nehemiah, after returning from Babylon, than that of David fleeing Saul.