Psalms 66
Psalm 66 is a song of praise that invites the whole earth to praise God, where personal confession and communal gratitude harmonize. The psalm is divided into four main parts: first, it urges the whole world to praise God (verses 1-4), followed by the historical events in which God delivered Israel, especially recalling the Exodus (verses 5-7). Verses 8-12 contain the confession of a community that experienced God’s trials and deliverance, and in the final section (verses 13-20) the psalmist describes offering thanksgiving sacrifices and prayers, which are made in response to promises he has made personally to God.
1verseFor the Chief Musician. A song. A Psalm. Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
2verseSing to the glory of his name! Offer glory and praise!
3verseTell God, “How awesome are your deeds! Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you.
4verseAll the earth will worship you, and will sing to you; they will sing to your name.” Selah.
5verseCome, and see God’s deeds— awesome work on behalf of the children of men.
6verseHe turned the sea into dry land. They went through the river on foot. There, we rejoiced in him.
7verseHe rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah.
8versePraise our God, you peoples! Make the sound of his praise heard,
9versewho preserves our life among the living, and doesn’t allow our feet to be moved.
10verseFor you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined.
11verseYou brought us into prison. You laid a burden on our backs.
12verseYou allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance.
13verseI will come into your temple with burnt offerings. I will pay my vows to you,
14versewhich my lips promised, and my mouth spoke, when I was in distress.
15verseI will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals, with the offering of rams, I will offer bulls with goats. Selah.
16verseCome and hear, all you who fear God. I will declare what he has done for my soul.
17verseI cried to him with my mouth. He was extolled with my tongue.
18verseIf I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened.
19verseBut most certainly, God has listened. He has heard the voice of my prayer.
20verseBlessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his loving kindness from me.
The Flow of the Text and Key Content
- Verses 1-4: The whole earth praises God with joyful sounds (an invitation to praise) and offers worship to the glory of God’s name.
- Verses 5-7: It calls attention to the great deliverance God once accomplished, especially mentioning the astonishing event in which the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea.
- Verses 8-12: The community went through trials, yet ultimately confesses that God rescued them. Here, the phrase “passed through fire and water” points to hardships and trials in life.
- Verses 13-20: The psalmist pledges to offer the sacrifice he vowed to God and gives thanks and praise to God, who listens to his prayers. It also mentions the hallmark of a true person of faith: not carrying the sins of the heart.
Points for Reflection
- Let’s look back on God’s hand at work toward the community to which I belong and toward our people/nation, and use it as an opportunity to restore a heart of gratitude and praise.
- Even if we pass through difficult times as if going through fire and water, let’s think about what commitments are needed as we live by trusting God’s promise to ultimately lead us to a wide place.
- Let’s check whether the motive of my prayers and the center of my heart are wholly directed toward God.
Apply It to Myself
- In everyday life, let’s remember God’s grace concretely and express gratitude not only through confessions of the mouth, but also through actions in our lives.
- When we experience hardship and trials, let’s make practical resolutions about what we can learn and how we can draw near to God.
