Psalm 65 Explained

Psalm 65
Subtitle:"Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion"
Image Upright:1.2
Language:Hebrew (original)

Psalm 65 is the 65th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 64. In Latin, it is known as "Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion et tibi reddetur votum in Hierusalem".[1] [2]

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music.

Background

Psalm 65 begins a group of four psalms which are hymns of thanksgiving, in contrast to preceding psalms which are laments. It begins in the style of a prayer, transitions to a description of God, and concludes with praise to God.

The Jerusalem Bible suggests it is set "after a good year with plentiful rain".[3]

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text[4] [5] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

VerseHebrewEnglish translation (JPS 1917)
1For the Leader. A Psalm. A Song of David.
2Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion; and unto Thee the vow is performed.
3O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee doth all flesh come.
4The tale of iniquities is too heavy for me; as for our transgressions, Thou wilt pardon them.
5Happy is the man whom Thou choosest, and bringest near, that he may dwell in Thy courts; may we be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, the holy place of Thy temple!
6With wondrous works dost Thou answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation; Thou the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far distant seas;
7Who by Thy strength settest fast the mountains, who art girded about with might;
8Who stillest the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples;
9So that they that dwell in the uttermost parts stand in awe of Thy signs; Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.
10Thou hast remembered the earth, and watered her, greatly enriching her, with the river of God that is full of water; Thou preparest them corn, for so preparest Thou her.
11Watering her ridges abundantly, settling down the furrows thereof, Thou makest her soft with showers; Thou blessest the growth thereof.
12Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness.
13The pastures of the wilderness do drop; and the hills are girded with joy.
14The meadows are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, yea, they sing.

King James Version

  1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
  2. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
  3. Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
  4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
  5. By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:
  6. Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
  7. Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
  8. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.
  9. Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.
  10. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
  11. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.
  12. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.
  13. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Verse 1

Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;

And to You the vow shall be performed.[6] Some versions make reference to silence in this verse, for example the New American Standard Bible:

There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, God,

And the vow will be fulfilled for You.[7]

Uses

Judaism

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the 12th day of the month.[10]

Music

Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 65 in a metred version in German, "Gott, man lobt dich in der Still", SWV 162, as part of the Becker Psalter, first published in 1628.

References

Works cited

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://medievalist.net/psalmstxt/ps64.htm Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 64 (65)
  2. Web site: Comparison of Enumeration of the Psalms in the Book of Divine Worship and in the Vulgate . The Daily Office of the Catholic Church According to the Anglican Use . 7 November 2018.
  3. Jerusalem Bible (1966), Footnote a at Psalm 65
  4. Web site: Psalms – Chapter 65 . Mechon Mamre.
  5. Web site: Psalms 65 - JPS 1917 . Sefaria.org.
  6. Psalm 65:1

    New King James Version

  7. Psalm 65:1

    NASB

  8. .
  9. .
  10. Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 196ff

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