Psalm 65
Psalm 65
At the Temple, In the Earth
Scripture Text
Psalm 65:1, “Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.”
Psalm 65:2, “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.”
Psalm 65:3, “Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.”
Psalm 65:4, “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.”
Psalm 65:5, “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:”
Psalm 65:6, “Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains, being girded with power:”
Psalm 65:7, “Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.”
Psalm 65:8, “They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.”
Psalm 65:9, “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.”
Psalm 65:10, “Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof, thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.”
Psalm 65:11, “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness.”
Psalm 65:12, “They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.”
Psalm 65:13, “The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered over with corn, they shout for joy, they also sing.”
Introduction
Psalm 65 is titled, “To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David.” The pairing of “Psalm” and “Song” shows that this composition was intended both for meditation and worship. It is a lyrical expression of praise that moves from God’s house to God’s world, from atonement to harvest, from prayer heard in Zion to creation rejoicing across the earth.
The exact occasion of the psalm is not stated. Because the psalm speaks of grain, flocks, valleys, rain, abundance, and the year being crowned with God’s goodness, many have connected it with a harvest setting, perhaps around the Feast of Tabernacles. Whether or not that exact feast is the historical setting, the theme is clear. David is praising God as the One who hears prayer, forgives sin, draws men near, rules creation, calms the seas, restrains the nations, waters the earth, and fills the land with abundance.
Psalm 65 is built on a movement from redemption to providence. David begins in Zion with praise, vows, prayer, sin, atonement, election, approach, and satisfaction in God’s house. He then lifts his eyes to the ends of the earth and the farthest seas, declaring that the God of Israel is not a local tribal deity, but the confidence of all the earth. Finally, he looks across creation and sees the earth watered, enriched, softened, blessed, crowned, clothed, and singing.
This psalm is deeply theological. It teaches that worship begins with God’s initiative. God hears prayer. God purges transgression. God chooses and causes men to approach Him. God satisfies His people with the goodness of His house. It also teaches that creation is dependent upon God. The farmer may plow and sow, but God must water, soften, bless, and bring forth the increase. The earth is not self sustaining in an ultimate sense. It is upheld, governed, and enriched by the Lord.
Psalm 65 therefore calls the believer to praise God for both spiritual and physical mercy. The forgiveness of sin is the greater blessing, but daily provision is also from the hand of God. The God who purges transgression also waters the furrows. The God who receives worship in Zion also makes the hills rejoice and the valleys sing.
Psalm 65:1
“Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.”
David begins with the statement, “Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion.” Zion refers to Jerusalem, the place associated with the presence, worship, and covenant rule of God among His people. David pictures praise as waiting for God there. The idea is rich. God’s people are ready to receive Him with worship. Praise is prepared, gathered, and held in reverent expectation.
The phrase “praise waiteth” may also carry the idea of silent praise. There are times when the soul is so filled with awe before God that words seem inadequate. Silence before God can itself be an act of worship when it comes from reverence, submission, and adoring wonder. This is not the silence of indifference, but the silence of holy awe.
Habakkuk 2:20, “But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”
Zechariah 2:13, “Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.”
This kind of worship recognizes that God is worthy before man speaks. Praise is not created by human emotion alone. Praise is due to God because of who He is. The people of God gather to give Him what already belongs to Him.
David then says, “and unto thee shall the vow be performed.” A vow was a solemn promise made before God, often in connection with prayer, thanksgiving, dedication, or deliverance. David teaches that vows made to God must be fulfilled. Worship is not merely words sung in public. It includes faithfulness to what has been promised before the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 5:4, “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.”
Ecclesiastes 5:5, “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.”
Believers should take seriously every commitment made before God. Baptism is a public identification with the Lord. Church membership is not a light matter. Service, giving, marriage vows, ministry commitments, and promises made in prayer should not be treated casually. A vow before God is not a religious formality. It is a matter of conscience before the Lord.
Ultimately, the greatest fulfillment of covenant obedience is seen in Christ. The Son of David came to do the will of God perfectly and to offer Himself as the final atoning sacrifice.
Psalm 40:6, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.”
Psalm 40:7, “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,”
Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
Christ fulfilled what no fallen man could fulfill. He perfectly obeyed the Father and gave Himself for sinners.
Psalm 65:2
“O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.”
David addresses God as the One who hears prayer. This is one of the most comforting truths in Scripture. God is not deaf to the cries of His people. He is not distant, indifferent, or detached. He hears prayer because He is living, personal, merciful, and sovereign.
Prayer is meaningful because God hears. If God did not hear, prayer would be empty ritual. If God were not sovereign, prayer would have no power. If God were not merciful, sinners would have no confidence to approach Him. But David knows God as the One who hears prayer.
Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”
Psalm 50:15, “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
David then says, “unto thee shall all flesh come.” This lifts the psalm beyond Israel alone. God had a special covenant relationship with Israel, but He is not merely Israel’s God in a local or tribal sense. He is the Creator and Lord of all flesh. The nations may not yet know Him rightly, but they are accountable to Him, dependent upon Him, and ultimately drawn under His rule.
This anticipates the wider biblical truth that the nations will come to the Lord. The worship of God will not remain confined to one people in isolation. God’s saving purpose reaches to the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
Psalm 22:27, “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.”
Revelation 15:4, “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy, for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest.”
The God who hears prayer in Zion is the God to whom all flesh must come. This gives prayer a missionary horizon. The God we seek is not a private religious possession. He is the rightful Lord of every nation, tribe, people, and tongue.
Psalm 65:3
“Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.”
David now turns from praise and prayer to sin and atonement. “Iniquities prevail against me.” This is a humble confession. David does not pretend that sin is light. He does not claim that his own strength is sufficient. He admits that iniquities can prevail against him. Sin is powerful, deceptive, and oppressive.
The phrase shows personal struggle. David says “against me,” but then he broadens the confession, “as for our transgressions.” He understands both personal guilt and corporate guilt. He is a sinner among sinners, and the people need divine mercy.
This is one of the marks of genuine worship. True praise does not ignore sin. A man cannot rightly worship God while pretending he has no need of cleansing. David’s vision of God’s house includes atonement. The closer one draws to God’s holiness, the more clearly one recognizes the need for mercy.
Psalm 130:3, “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?”
Psalm 130:4, “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”
Isaiah 6:5, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
David then says, “thou shalt purge them away.” The answer to transgression is not self improvement alone, denial, excuse making, or religious performance. God must purge sin away. The word points to atonement, cleansing, and the removal of guilt through sacrifice.
Under the Law of Moses, animal sacrifices pointed to the seriousness of sin and the necessity of blood atonement. Yet those sacrifices were never the final answer in themselves. They pointed forward to the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
Hebrews 10:10, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
David’s confidence is not in his own moral strength. His confidence is in the God who provides atonement. This is the heart of biblical religion. God Himself provides the cleansing sinners need.
Psalm 65:4
“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.”
David declares, “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee.” The blessing of approaching God begins with God’s initiative. Man does not force his way into God’s presence. God chooses, God calls, God draws, and God causes the man to approach.
This does not erase human responsibility. Men are commanded to seek the Lord, repent, believe, pray, and worship. But David rightly recognizes that the saving connection between God and man begins with God’s grace. If God did not choose and cause men to approach, sinners would remain far off.
John 6:44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
David says the chosen man is caused to approach “that he may dwell in thy courts.” The courts were the place where the people could come near in worship. David is not merely speaking of a brief visit, but of dwelling near God. The highest blessing is not merely receiving something from God, but being brought near to God.
“We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” The result of nearness to God is satisfaction. God’s house is a place of goodness because God Himself is there. His people are fed, protected, received, forgiven, instructed, and satisfied in His presence.
This image presents God as a gracious host. Those He brings near are not left empty. They are satisfied with the goodness of His house. The world offers many substitutes for satisfaction, but only God can satisfy the soul.
Psalm 36:8, “They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.”
Psalm 84:10, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand, I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
This verse also points to Christ as the final way of approach. No man comes to the Father except through Him. He is the chosen and precious One, the true High Priest, and the One through whom sinners are brought near.
John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Hebrews 10:19, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,”
Hebrews 10:20, “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,”
Hebrews 10:21, “And having an high priest over the house of God,”
Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
The blessed man is the man God brings near, and the satisfied man is the man who dwells in the goodness of God’s presence.
Psalm 65:5
“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:”
David now speaks of God’s answers. “By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us.” The word “terrible” here means awe inspiring, fearful, mighty, and astonishing. God answers His people with deeds that reveal His righteous power. His answers are not weak, random, or morally confused. They are righteous and awesome.
David calls Him “O God of our salvation.” God is the source, author, and defender of salvation. David has already spoken of atonement and approach. Now he speaks of God as the One who saves. Salvation is not merely deliverance from earthly trouble, but ultimately deliverance from sin, guilt, judgment, and separation from God.
David then says God is “the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea.” The vision widens again. God is not only the confidence of Israel. He is the confidence of all the ends of the earth. Even those far off upon the sea, those distant, remote, and beyond the familiar land, are under His rule and dependent upon Him.
This is a strong testimony to the universal reign of God. The God who hears prayer in Zion also governs the far off seas. No place is outside His authority. No people are beyond His reach. No nation is outside His claim.
Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 67:2, “That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.”
Psalm 67:3, “Let the people praise thee, O God, let all the people praise thee.”
This verse should strengthen faith in missions, prayer, and providence. The hardest places, the farthest peoples, and the most distant nations are not too far for God. He is the confidence of the ends of the earth.
Psalm 65:6
“Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains, being girded with power:”
David turns to creation. God “setteth fast the mountains” by His strength. Mountains appear immovable to man. They are massive, ancient, and firm. Yet David sees beyond the mountains to the God who established them. The mountain is not ultimate. The Maker of the mountain is ultimate.
God is “girded with power.” This presents the Lord as clothed with strength, ready and able to act. Creation itself displays His might. The stability of the mountains is not independent. It rests upon God’s power.
Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
Job 38:4, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”
Job 38:5, “Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?”
The believer should not look at creation as though it exists apart from God. Scripture does not view the natural world as self created or self sustaining. The mountains stand because God established them. Creation is a theater of divine glory.
Modern man often studies processes while ignoring the One who governs them. David does not make that mistake. He sees the mountains and worships the God whose strength set them fast. Natural processes are not replacements for God. They are instruments under His sovereign rule.
Psalm 65:7
“Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.”
God not only establishes mountains, He also stills seas. “Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves.” The sea represents immense power, movement, danger, and chaos. Stormy waters can terrify even strong men. Yet God quiets them. The waves obey Him.
This truth is displayed in the ministry of Christ, when He rebuked the wind and the sea. The disciples understood that only God has such authority.
Mark 4:39, “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still, and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
Mark 4:40, “And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”
Mark 4:41, “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
David also says God stills “the tumult of the people.” The same God who calms oceans can quiet nations. The raging of peoples, political unrest, rebellion, war, and cultural chaos are not beyond His authority. Human society can become as loud and violent as the sea, but God remains sovereign.
Psalm 46:6, “The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.”
Psalm 46:7, “The LORD of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”
Isaiah 17:12, “Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas, and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!”
Isaiah 17:13, “The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters, but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.”
This verse should steady the believer. The same Lord who governs creation governs history. The waves may roar and the nations may rage, but God can still both.
Psalm 65:8
“They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.”
David again widens the scope to the ends of the earth. “They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens.” God’s signs, works, and displays of power produce awe even among those far away. The Lord’s authority is not limited to the land of Israel. His tokens are seen in creation, providence, judgment, and blessing.
The fear mentioned here is reverent awe. God’s works are not small. They summon men to recognize His greatness. The farthest inhabitants of the earth are still within reach of His signs.
“Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.” This may refer to the east and west, the places of sunrise and sunset, or to the daily rhythm of morning and evening. Either way, David sees the whole span of the day and the whole spread of the earth rejoicing under God’s rule.
Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
Psalm 19:2, “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.”
Psalm 113:3, “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.”
God’s rule does not make creation miserable. His authority brings rejoicing. Morning and evening testify to His faithfulness. Each sunrise and sunset is a reminder that the world belongs to God and is sustained by His goodness.
Psalm 65:9
“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.”
David now turns to God’s care for the earth. “Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it.” God is pictured as personally attending to His creation. He visits the earth not as an absentee owner, but as the faithful Lord who provides what the earth needs.
Rain was a matter of life and death in the ancient world. Without water, there would be no harvest. Without harvest, there would be famine. David understands rain not merely as weather, but as mercy. God waters the earth.
“Thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water.” God’s provision is abundant. The river of God is not dry, weak, or insufficient. It is full. David sees the supply of water as coming from God’s own abundance. The earth is enriched because God gives.
“Thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.” Corn here refers to grain. David recognizes that God prepares food through His providential ordering of the world. Man may plow, sow, and harvest, but God provides the conditions that make grain possible.
Deuteronomy 11:13, “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,”
Deuteronomy 11:14, “That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.”
Acts 14:17, “Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
This verse teaches providence. The farmer works, but God gives increase. Human labor matters, but it is never independent. Every harvest is a testimony to God’s sustaining hand.
There is also a spiritual analogy. As the earth is barren unless God waters it, so the soul, the church, and the nations are barren unless God acts by His Word and Spirit.
Isaiah 55:10, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:”
Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
God’s Word is as effective in accomplishing His spiritual purposes as rain is in watering the earth. What God sends forth will accomplish His will.
Psalm 65:10
“Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof, thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.”
David continues the agricultural picture with careful detail. “Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly.” God does not merely give a token sprinkling. He waters abundantly. The ridges of the field receive what they need.
“Thou settlest the furrows thereof.” The furrows are the lines made by plowing. Rain settles the soil, preparing it to receive and nourish the seed. David sees God’s hand in the ordinary details of cultivation. The farmer plows the furrows, but God settles them.
“Thou makest it soft with showers.” Hard ground must be softened. Rain breaks the crust of the earth and prepares it for growth. This is both physical and spiritually instructive. Just as hardened soil needs the softening rain of God, hardened hearts need the gracious work of God.
“Thou blessest the springing thereof.” Growth itself is blessing. Seed may be planted, but life comes from God. The farmer cannot command life into the seed. He can work faithfully, but God must bless the springing.
1 Corinthians 3:6, “I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”
1 Corinthians 3:7, “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.”
This verse gives a proper view of labor and dependence. Man works, but God blesses. Man prepares, but God gives life. Man plants, but God brings growth. This applies to farming, ministry, family, business, discipleship, and every honest labor under God.
Psalm 65:11
“Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness.”
David now summarizes the year as crowned by God’s goodness. “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness.” A fruitful year is not merely the result of favorable conditions. It is crowned by God. The harvest is a crown placed upon the year by divine goodness.
This teaches gratitude. It is easy for man to receive a year of provision and attribute it only to skill, planning, weather patterns, economics, or luck. David looks higher. The year wears a crown, and that crown is the goodness of God.
“Thy paths drop fatness.” Wherever God passes, abundance follows. Fatness here represents richness, fullness, and blessing. God’s providential paths leave provision behind them.
Psalm 145:15, “The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season.”
Psalm 145:16, “Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.”
James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
The believer should learn to see the year through the lens of God’s goodness. Even in hard years, there are mercies. In fruitful years, there should be deep gratitude. The crown belongs to God, not man.
Psalm 65:12
“They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.”
The abundance of God reaches even “the pastures of the wilderness.” The wilderness is normally dry, barren, and uncultivated, yet even there God’s provision drops. His goodness is not restricted to carefully managed fields. He can make even the wilderness receive blessing.
This is a powerful picture of divine mercy. God can bring life where man sees only barrenness. He can refresh dry places. He can make neglected ground fruitful. He can send blessing where no man expected abundance.
“The little hills rejoice on every side.” David personifies creation. The hills are pictured as rejoicing because God’s goodness has touched them. Creation responds to its Maker. This is poetic language, but it expresses theological truth. The earth belongs to God, depends upon God, and displays God’s glory.
Isaiah 35:1, “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”
Isaiah 55:12, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace, the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
This verse also encourages the believer spiritually. A wilderness season is not beyond God’s reach. The same God who waters the fields can drop blessing on the wilderness. The dry place is not too dry for Him.
Psalm 65:13
“The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered over with corn, they shout for joy, they also sing.”
The psalm ends with creation clothed, covered, shouting, and singing. “The pastures are clothed with flocks.” David sees flocks spread across the land like garments upon the pastures. God’s provision is visible. The land appears dressed in abundance.
“The valleys also are covered over with corn.” The valleys are full of grain. The earth has received water, the furrows have been settled, the springing has been blessed, and now the harvest covers the land. God’s providence has reached its visible result.
“They shout for joy, they also sing.” Creation is pictured as worshiping. The hills rejoice, the pastures are clothed, the valleys are covered, and together they shout and sing. The voice of nature is not meaningless to God. Creation declares His glory and responds to His goodness.
Psalm 96:11, “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.”
Psalm 96:12, “Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice”
Psalm 96:13, “Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth, he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.”
David’s final picture is one of abundance and worship. The same God who purges transgressions also fills valleys with grain. The same God who hears prayer also clothes pastures with flocks. The same God who brings men near to His courts also causes creation to sing.
Doctrinal Summary
Psalm 65 teaches that God is worthy of praise in Zion because He hears prayer, receives vows, forgives sin, and brings His people near. Worship begins with God’s grace. Man does not approach God by his own merit. God chooses, causes to approach, purges transgressions, and satisfies His people with the goodness of His house.
The psalm gives a clear doctrine of atonement. David confesses that iniquities prevail against him and that transgressions must be purged away by God. This points beyond the animal sacrifices of the old covenant to the final and perfect sacrifice of Christ. God Himself provides the atonement sinners need.
Psalm 65 also teaches that the God of Israel is the God of all the earth. He is the confidence of the ends of the earth and of those far off upon the sea. His authority reaches beyond Zion to the mountains, seas, nations, mornings, evenings, fields, wilderness, hills, pastures, and valleys. No part of creation is outside His rule.
The psalm teaches providence with great beauty. God waters the earth, enriches it, prepares grain, settles furrows, softens the ground with showers, blesses growth, crowns the year with goodness, and fills the land with abundance. Human labor is assumed, but divine blessing is essential. Man may plow and sow, but God gives the increase.
Psalm 65 finally teaches that creation itself testifies to God’s goodness. The hills rejoice, the pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys are covered with grain, and creation shouts and sings. The believer has even greater reason to praise because he not only receives daily provision, he receives atonement, access, satisfaction, and salvation in the Lord.
