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.[3] It begins in the style of a prayer, transitions to a description of God, and concludes with praise to God.[4][5]
The Jerusalem Bible suggests it is set "after a good year with plentiful rain".[6]
Text
Hebrew
The following table shows the Hebrew text[7][8] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
Happy 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!
With 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;
Thou 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.
The meadows are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, yea, they sing.
King James Version
Psalm 65, by Adrian Ludwig Richter (1803–1884). In: Für's Haus – "Sommer" (between 1858 and 1861)
Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
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.
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:
Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
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.
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.
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.
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.
The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.
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.
Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar (2005). "Psalm 65". In Baltzer, Klaus (ed.). Psalms 2: A Commentary on Psalms 51–100. Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible. Translated by Maloney, Linda M. Augsburg Fortress. pp. 137–142. ISBN978-0-8006-6061-1.
Wallace, Howard N. (2001). "Jubilate Deo omnis terra: God and Earth in Psalm 65". In Habel, Norman C. (ed.). The Earth Story in the Psalms and the Prophets. Bloomsbury. pp. 51–64. ISBN978-1-84127-087-6.
External links
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