Make a Joyful Shout to God
Psalm 66 summary: what it means
Psalm 66 widens and then narrows. It begins by calling all the earth to shout to God and sing to his name, because his deeds are awesome. Verse 6 recalls the sea turned into dry land and a river crossed on foot. Then the call goes to the peoples: God has kept us alive, but he has also tested us, refining us like silver through prison, burdens, fire and water, before bringing us to a place of abundance.
At verse 13 the voice becomes a single I. The speaker comes to the temple to pay vows made in distress, then invites everyone who fears God to hear what he has done for my soul. Verse 18 adds a condition: if I had cherished sin, the Lord would not have listened. But he did listen, and the psalm ends blessing him for it.
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Psalm 66: Make a Joyful Shout to God
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-66
Psalm 66 commentary: explained verse by verse
Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
The psalm opens with the widest possible audience. All the earth is called to shout joyfully to God.
Also read Isaiah 24:16, Psalm 95:1-2, 1 Chronicles 16:23-24, 1 Chronicles 15:28
Sing to the glory of his name!Offer glory and praise!
Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
The call to praise continues: sing to the glory of his name, offer glory and praise. Praise is something given as well as sung.
Also read Psalm 79:9, Psalm 47:6-7, Psalm 72:18, 1 Chronicles 29:10-13
Tell God, “How awesome are your deeds!Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you.
Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
The psalm supplies the words to use: tell God how awesome his deeds are. His enemies submit because of the greatness of his power.
Also read Judges 5:2-4, Exodus 15:21, Psalm 76:12, Psalm 78:35-36
All the earth will worship you,and will sing to you;they will sing to your name.” Selah.
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
The words given to the reader continue. All the earth will worship and sing to God's name. The verse ends with Selah, the first of several in the psalm.
Also read Psalm 65:5, Isaiah 11:9, Psalm 67:2-3, Isaiah 42:10-12
Come, and see God’s deeds—awesome work on behalf of the children of men.
Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
The reader is invited to come and see God's deeds, awesome work done on behalf of people. The next verse gives an example.
Also read Psalm 126:1-3, Psalm 46:8, Ezekiel 1:18, Psalm 106:22
He turned the sea into dry land.They went through the river on foot.There, we rejoiced in him.
He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
The example is a crossing: the sea turned into dry land and people went through the river on foot. The psalm says we rejoiced there, joining the present singers to the people who crossed.
Also read Exodus 14:21-22, Psalm 136:13-14, Joshua 3:14, Psalm 106:8-12
He rules by his might forever.His eyes watch the nations.Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah.
He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
Also read Daniel 5:20-28, Isaiah 10:7-16, Psalm 75:4-5, Matthew 6:13
Praise our God, you peoples!Make the sound of his praise heard,
O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
The call to praise goes out again, this time to the peoples, and the praise is meant to be heard out loud. Verse 9 gives the reason: God keeps our life among the living and does not let our feet slip. The KJV reads O bless our God, ye people.
Also read Deuteronomy 32:43, Romans 15:10-11, Psalm 98:4, Psalm 66:2
who preserves our life among the living,and doesn’t allow our feet to be moved.
Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
Also read Psalm 125:3, Colossians 3:3-4, Psalm 22:29, 1 Samuel 25:29
For you, God, have tested us.You have refined us, as silver is refined.
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
The psalm names hardship as God's testing. You have refined us, as silver is refined, describes trouble as a process that purifies rather than destroys. The KJV reads: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Also read Job 23:10, Proverbs 17:3, Deuteronomy 13:3, Zechariah 13:9
You brought us into prison.You laid a burden on our backs.
Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
Also read Lamentations 3:2-66, Matthew 6:13, Job 19:6, Lamentations 1:13
You allowed men to ride over our heads.We went through fire and through water,but you brought us to the place of abundance.
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
The list of hardships ends with men riding over our heads and a passage through fire and water. The verse closes with the outcome: you brought us to the place of abundance.
Also read 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4, Job 36:16, Luke 16:25, Acts 14:22
I will come into your temple with burnt offerings.I will pay my vows to you,
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
Also read Deuteronomy 12:11-12, Psalm 100:4, Nahum 1:15, Psalm 22:25
which my lips promised,and my mouth spoke, when I was in distress.
Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
Also read 1 Samuel 1:11, Numbers 30:12, 2 Samuel 22:7, Judges 11:35-36
I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals,with the offering of rams,I will offer bulls with goats. Selah.
I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
Also read 2 Samuel 6:17-19, Numbers 6:14, Jeremiah 41:5, Psalm 51:19
Come and hear, all you who fear God.I will declare what he has done for my soul.
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
The speaker now talks alone. Everyone who fears God is invited to come and hear what God has done for my soul, a personal account after the national story.
Also read Psalm 34:2, Psalm 32:5-6, Psalm 22:23-24, Malachi 3:16
I cried to him with my mouth.He was extolled with my tongue.
I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
The speaker begins his own story here. The same mouth that cried to God for help also praised him, and the verse sets the two side by side. What he cried about is not named, but verses 19 and 20 report that God listened.
Also read Psalm 116:12, Psalm 34:3-4, Psalm 116:1-2, Psalm 30:8
If I cherished sin in my heart,the Lord wouldn’t have listened.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
This verse sets a condition. If the speaker had cherished sin in their heart, the Lord would not have listened. The KJV reads: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
Also read Isaiah 1:15, Proverbs 21:13, Proverbs 15:29, Proverbs 28:9
But most certainly, God has listened.He has heard the voice of my prayer.
But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
The condition of verse 18 is answered at once. God has most certainly listened and heard the voice of the prayer.
Also read Hebrews 5:7, Psalm 6:9, Lamentations 3:55-56, Psalm 116:1-2
Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer,nor his loving kindness from me.
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
The psalm ends in blessing. The speaker blesses God for two things he did not do: turn away the prayer, or take away his loving kindness.
Also read 2 Samuel 7:14-15, Psalm 51:11, Psalm 86:12-13, Psalm 68:35
A prayer from Psalm 66
God, all the earth is called to shout for joy to you, and I add my voice. Your deeds are awesome. You keep our life among the living and do not let our feet slip. You have tested us and refined us like silver. We went through fire and through water, and you brought us to a place of abundance. What I promised you in distress, I will keep. I cried to you with my mouth, and you listened. Blessed are you, for you have not turned away my prayer or your loving kindness from me. Amen.
Psalm 66 Bible study questions
- In verse 6, what past event does the psalm recall, and who is described as rejoicing?
- In verses 10 to 12, what pictures does the psalm use for the hard times God's people went through?
- Verse 12 moves from fire and water to a place of abundance; how do you read the link between the hardship and the ending?
- In verse 16 the speaker says Come and hear; what might be gained by telling others what God has done for you?
- Psalm 116:14 also speaks of paying vows in front of others; how does it compare with the vows in Psalm 66:13?
Questions about Psalm 66
What does Psalm 66 mean?
It is a thanksgiving psalm that calls the whole earth to praise God for his deeds, describes a people tested and refined through hardship, and ends with one person thanking God for hearing their prayer.
Who wrote Psalm 66?
The psalm does not name its author. The heading only calls it a song and a psalm for the Chief Musician.
What does Psalm 66:10 mean?
It describes hardship as God testing and refining his people, the way silver is refined. The trouble is presented as purifying rather than destroying.
What does Psalm 66:12 mean?
It sums up the hardships, men riding over their heads and a passage through fire and water, and says God brought them out to a place of abundance. The KJV has "thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place".
What does Psalm 66:18 say in the KJV?
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." The WEB reads "If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn't have listened."
What does Psalm 66:16 mean?
The speaker invites everyone who fears God to listen while they tell what God has done for them personally.
Psalm 66 KJV: the King James Version
Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:1
Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.2
Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.3
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.4
Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.5
He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.6
He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.7
O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:8
Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.9
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.10
Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.11
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.12
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,13
Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.14
I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.15
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.16
I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.17
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:18
But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.19
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.20
Psalm 66 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ שִׁ֣יר מִזְמ֑וֹר הָרִ֥יעוּ לֵ֝אלֹהִים כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
2 זַמְּר֥וּ כְבֽוֹד־שְׁמ֑וֹ שִׂ֥ימוּ כָ֝ב֗וֹד תְּהִלָּתֽוֹ׃
3 אִמְר֣וּ לֵ֭אלֹהִים מַה־נּוֹרָ֣א מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ בְּרֹ֥ב עֻ֝זְּךָ֗ יְֽכַחֲשׁ֖וּ לְךָ֣ אֹיְבֶֽיךָ׃
4 כָּל־הָאָ֤רֶץ ׀ יִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לְ֭ךָ וִֽיזַמְּרוּ־לָ֑ךְ יְזַמְּר֖וּ שִׁמְךָ֣ סֶֽלָה׃
5 לְכ֣וּ וּ֭רְאוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת אֱלֹהִ֑ים נוֹרָ֥א עֲ֝לִילָ֗ה עַל־בְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃
6 הָ֤פַךְ יָ֨ם ׀ לְֽיַבָּשָׁ֗ה בַּ֭נָּהָר יַֽעַבְר֣וּ בְרָ֑גֶל שָׁ֝֗ם נִשְׂמְחָה־בּֽוֹ׃
7 מֹ֘שֵׁ֤ל בִּגְבוּרָת֨וֹ ׀ עוֹלָ֗ם עֵ֭ינָיו בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם תִּצְפֶּ֑ינָה הַסּוֹרְרִ֓ים ׀ אַל־ירימו לָ֣מוֹ סֶֽלָה׃
8 בָּרְכ֖וּ עַמִּ֥ים ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְ֝הַשְׁמִ֗יעוּ ק֣וֹל תְּהִלָּתֽוֹ׃
9 הַשָּׂ֣ם נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ בַּֽחַיִּ֑ים וְלֹֽא־נָתַ֖ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֵֽנוּ׃
10 כִּֽי־בְחַנְתָּ֥נוּ אֱלֹהִ֑ים צְ֝רַפְתָּ֗נוּ כִּצְרָף־כָּֽסֶף׃
11 הֲבֵאתָ֥נוּ בַמְּצוּדָ֑ה שַׂ֖מְתָּ מוּעָקָ֣ה בְמָתְנֵֽינוּ׃
12 הִרְכַּ֥בְתָּ אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְרֹ֫אשֵׁ֥נוּ בָּֽאנוּ־בָאֵ֥שׁ וּבַמַּ֑יִם וַ֝תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נוּ לָֽרְוָיָֽה׃
13 אָב֣וֹא בֵיתְךָ֣ בְעוֹל֑וֹת אֲשַׁלֵּ֖ם לְךָ֣ נְדָרָֽי׃
14 אֲשֶׁר־פָּצ֥וּ שְׂפָתָ֑י וְדִבֶּר־פִּ֝֗י בַּצַּר־לִֽי׃
15 עֹ֘ל֤וֹת מֵחִ֣ים אַעֲלֶה־לָּ֭ךְ עִם־קְטֹ֣רֶת אֵילִ֑ים אֶ֥עֱשֶֽׂה בָקָ֖ר עִם־עַתּוּדִ֣ים סֶֽלָה׃
16 לְכֽוּ־שִׁמְע֣וּ וַ֭אֲסַפְּרָה כָּל־יִרְאֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשָׂ֣ה לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
17 אֵלָ֥יו פִּֽי־קָרָ֑אתִי וְ֝רוֹמַ֗ם תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנִֽי׃
18 אָ֭וֶן אִם־רָאִ֣יתִי בְלִבִּ֑י לֹ֖א יִשְׁמַ֣ע ׀ אֲדֹנָֽי׃
19 אָ֭כֵן שָׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִ֝קְשִׁ֗יב בְּק֣וֹל תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃
20 בָּר֥וּךְ אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־הֵסִ֘יר תְּפִלָּתִ֥י וְ֝חַסְדּ֗וֹ מֵאִתִּֽי׃
Psalm 66 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 65 there.
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1 Unto the end, a canticle of a psalm of the resurrection. Shout with joy to God, all the earth,
2 Sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise.
3 Say unto God, How terrible are thy works, O Lord! in the multitude of thy strength thy enemies shall lie to thee.
4 Let all the earth adore thee, and sing to thee: let it sing a psalm to thy name.
5 Come and see the works of God; who is terrible in his counsels over the sons of men.
6 Who turneth the sea into dry land, in the river they shall pass on foot: there shall we rejoice in him.
7 Who by his power ruleth for ever: his eyes behold the nations; let not them that provoke him he exalted in themselves.
8 O bless our God, ye Gentiles: and make the voice of his praise to be heard.
9 Who hath set my soul to live: and hath not suffered my feet to be moved:
10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us by fire, as silver is tried.
11 Thou hast brought us into a net, thou hast laid afflictions on our back:
12 Thou hast set men over our heads. We have passed through tire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a refreshment.
13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
14 Which my lips have uttered, And my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer up to thee holocausts full of marrow, with burnt offerings of rams: I will offer to thee bullocks with goats.
16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he hath done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth: and I extolled him with my tongue.
18 If I have looked at iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
19 Therefore hath God heard me, and hath attended to the voice of my supplication.
20 Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Psalm 66 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 65.
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1 In finem. Canticum psalmi resurrectionis. Jubilate Deo, omnis terra;
2 psalmum dicite nomini ejus; date gloriam laudi ejus.
3 Dicite Deo: Quam terribilia sunt opera tua, Domine ! in multitudine virtutis tuæ mentientur tibi inimici tui.
4 Omnis terra adoret te, et psallat tibi; psalmum dicat nomini tuo.
5 Venite, et videte opera Dei: terribilis in consiliis super filios hominum.
6 Qui convertit mare in aridam; in flumine pertransibunt pede: ibi lætabimur in ipso.
7 Qui dominatur in virtute sua in æternum; oculi ejus super gentes respiciunt: qui exasperant non exaltentur in semetipsis.
8 Benedicite, gentes, Deum nostrum, et auditam facite vocem laudis ejus:
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 imposuisti 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 quæ distinxerunt labia mea: et locutum est os meum in tribulatione mea.
15 Holocausta medullata offeram tibi, cum incenso arietum; offeram tibi boves cum hircis.
16 Venite, audite, et narrabo, omnes qui timetis Deum, quanta fecit animæ meæ.
17 Ad ipsum ore meo clamavi, et exaltavi sub lingua mea.
18 Iniquitatem si aspexi in corde meo, non exaudiet Dominus.
19 Propterea exaudivit Deus, et attendit voci deprecationis meæ.
20 Benedictus Deus, qui non amovit orationem meam, et misericordiam suam a me.
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Psalm 66 at a glance
| Verses | 20 |
| Heading in the text | For the Chief Musician. A song. A Psalm. |
| Attributed to | Not named in the text. The heading calls it a song and a psalm for the Chief Musician. |
| Type | Praise and Thanksgiving |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 65 |
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Psalm 66 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 66 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 66 belongs
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source