Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary < PSALM 65
Ps 65:1-13. This is a song of praise for God's spiritual blessings to His people and His kind providence over all the earth. 1. Praise waiteth for thee—literally, "To Thee silence praise," or (compare Ps 62:1), To Thee silence is praise—that is, Praise is waiting as a servant; it is due to Thee. So the last clause expresses the duty of paying vows. These two parts of acceptable worship, mentioned in Ps 50:14, are rendered in Zion, where God chiefly displays His mercy and receives homage. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. 2. All are encouraged to pray by God's readiness to hear.
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. 3. God's mercy alone delivers us from the burden of iniquities, by purging or expiating by an atonement the transgressions with which we are charged, and which are denoted by—
Iniquities—or, literally, "Words of iniquities." 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. 4. dwell in thy courts; … [and] satisfied with the goodness … temple—denote communion with God (Ps 15:1; 23:6; compare Ps 5:7). This is a blessing for all God's people, as denoted by the change of number.
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: 5. terrible things—that is, by the manifestation of justice and wrath to enemies, accompanying that of mercy to His people (Ps 63:9-11; 64:7-9).
the confidence—object of it. of all … earth—the whole world; that is, deservedly such, whether men think so or not. Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: 6-13. God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Ps 26:7; 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.
Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. 8. outgoings of … rejoice—all people from east to west.
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. 9. visitest—in mercy (compare Ps 8:4).
river of God—His exhaustless resources. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. 11. thy paths—ways of providence (Ps 25:4, 10).
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. 12. wilderness—places, though not inhabited by men, fit for pasture (Le 16:21, 22; Job 24:5).
pastures—is literally, "folds," or "enclosures for flocks"; and in Ps 65:13 it may be "lambs," the same word used and so translated in Ps 37:20; so that "the flocks are clothed with lambs" (a figure for abundant increase) would be the form of expression. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. |
