‏ Psalms 65

Summary for Ps 65:1-13: Ps 65  ^a This psalm recounts the reasons why all people should praise and revere God for his almighty power and merciful care for his universe.
Summary for Ps 65:1-3: 65:1-3  ^b Praise is the appropriate response to God’s majestic deeds in redemption (65:3-5  ^c) and in nature (65:5-13  ^d). 65:1  ^e God alone deserves praise and is worthy to have vows made to him.
65:2  ^f All of us means all humans.
65:3  ^g you forgive: God graciously removes the guilt of sin (see 32:5  ^h).
65:4  ⁱ those you choose to bring near: This includes people from Israel and from other nations.

• Only those whom God sees as blameless live in his holy courts (Pss 15  ^j and 24  ^k).

• At the Temple, God’s earthly palace, all nations can gather to experience God’s holy presence. No structure can separate humans from God (see Rev 21:22  ^l).
Summary for Ps 65:6-7: 65:6-7  ^m God brought order to the mountains, the raging oceans, and the pounding waves (see Pss 95:4-5  ⁿ; 104:6-9  ^o).

• The psalmist compares the chaotic forces of nature with the rebellion of the nations (see 2:1-12  ^p; 33:6-11  ^q; 46:6  ^r).
65:8  ^s All over the world (Job 38:13  ^t; see Ps 50:1-3  ^u), people should stand in awe of the Lord.
Summary for Ps 65:9-13: 65:9-13  ^v The created order provides clear evidence of God’s power (65:6-8  ^w). He shows his love by maintaining nature. Everything praises the Lord as all the parts fit together harmoniously. 65:9  ^x The river of God and all rivers demonstrate God’s victorious power and goodness through the order in nature and the regularity of the harvests (see 1:3  ^y; 36:8  ^z; 46:4  ^aa; Ezek 47:6-12  ^ab; Zech 14:8  ^ac; Rev 22:1  ^ad).
65:13  ^ae Nature bursts out in praise of the Creator (see 79:13  ^af; 96:11-13  ^ag; 148:3-5  ^ah, 7-12  ^ai; Isa 55:12-13  ^aj).

‏ Psalms 66

Summary for Ps 66:1-20: Ps 66  ^ak This anonymous psalm includes two hymns (66:1-12  ^al, 13-20  ^am) that praise God for his redemption.
Summary for Ps 66:1-4: 66:1-4  ^an The psalmist exhorts nature to join in a mighty chorus to praise God’s glory, name, and power.
66:2  ^ao The glory of his name represents the perfection of God’s character.
66:3  ^ap God conquers his enemies (see 18:44  ^aq; 59:11  ^ar; 81:15  ^as).
Summary for Ps 66:5-7: 66:5-7  ^at The story of the Exodus and God’s victory over the sea evokes responses of astonishment (66:5  ^au) and worship (66:6  ^av). God works miracles ... for people in order to redeem them for himself.
66:7  ^aw God’s power brings redemption. The same word occurs in 65:6  ^ax for God’s power in creation (see also 80:2  ^ay).
Summary for Ps 66:8-10: 66:8-10  ^az The orderly lives of the redeemed reflect the order of God’s world. The Lord protects them from evil and purifies them.
66:9  ^ba God guides his people into wisdom and away from folly (17:5  ^bb; 37:31  ^bc; 121:3  ^bd).
66:10  ^be You have tested us, O God: As the silversmith heats silver to remove the dross, God’s discipline removes sin from his people (see 12:6  ^bf).
66:11  ^bg God decrees and permits the many trying circumstances his people experience.
66:12  ^bh Then you put a leader over us: Or You made people ride over our heads. This expression possibly refers to a foreign ruler who kept the Israelites in submission.
66:15  ^bi Vows often included sacrifices of thanksgiving, including burnt offerings (see 20:3  ^bj; 40:6  ^bk; 50:8  ^bl; 51:19  ^bm).
Summary for Ps 66:16-20: 66:16-20  ^bn The private testimony in the conclusion of the psalm parallels the public praise of its opening (66:1-4  ^bo).
66:18  ^bp Confession leads to restoration (see 32:5  ^bq).

‏ Psalms 67

Summary for Ps 67:1-7: Ps 67  ^br In this anonymous prayer for God’s blessing, the psalmist addresses the knowledge and worship of God among the nations (cp. 64:9  ^bs; 65:8  ^bt). The prayer requests that God’s name be kept holy and that his kingdom come (cp. Matt 6:9-13  ^bu).
Summary for Ps 67:1-2: 67:1-2  ^bv This prayer is based on the priestly blessing found in Num 6:24-26  ^bw. God’s goodness to Israel affects his reputation among the nations (see Ps 96:1-3  ^bx).
67:3  ^by God’s international reputation leads to his praise among the nations (see 138:4  ^bz), whose turmoil and rebelliousness will cease when they join Israel in praise of God.

• One God rules over all, and the nations will give thanks for God’s just rule (see 67:4  ^ca).
67:4  ^cb God brings the ultimate justice that human beings desire (96:10  ^cc; 98:9  ^cd).
Summary for Ps 67:6-7: 67:6-7  ^ce Bountiful harvests are evidence of God’s blessing (Gen 26:12  ^cf; Isa 30:23  ^cg).

• all over the world: See Pss 2:8  ^ch; 96:1-3  ^ci.

• All will fear him, joining with Israel to acknowledge the God of Israel.

‏ Psalms 68

Summary for Ps 68:1-35: Ps 68  ^cj This prayer for God’s victorious rule traces God’s march from Sinai to Zion (68:7  ^ck, 16-18  ^cl, 24  ^cm). He rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, guided it through the wilderness, brought it into the Promised Land, and established his kingdom. He is a caring and victorious God, whose nature is unchanging. Therefore, the godly hope and rejoice in the prospect of God’s universal dominion.
Summary for Ps 68:1-3: 68:1-3  ^cn These verses form a prayer for God to rise up and scatter his enemies, as he did when Israel entered the Promised Land (cp. Num 10:35-36  ^co; Josh 6–12  ^cp).
68:2  ^cq Both smoke and wax represent a transitory existence (22:12-18  ^cr; 37:20  ^cs; 102:3  ^ct).
68:3  ^cu The lot of the godly contrasts with that of the wicked (see 1:6  ^cv).
Summary for Ps 68:4-6: 68:4-6  ^cw The psalmist praises God’s powerful and compassionate reign. 68:4  ^cx him who rides the clouds: This is an ancient description of Baal, a Canaanite deity. The psalmist applies it to the Lord as the true “Rider of the Clouds” (see 68:33  ^cy; 104:3  ^cz). God wields power over the clouds and the rain.
68:5  ^da God, the Father of all marginalized and needy people, shows them compassion and protects their rights (see 10:14  ^db, 18  ^dc; 69:33  ^dd; 82:3  ^de).

• Like his dwelling, the Lord is holy. The supreme example of the holy God coming down to rescue humanity is Jesus Christ.
68:6  ^df God released Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exod 20:2  ^dg; see Ps 69:33  ^dh), and he still sets the prisoners free.

• The sun-scorched desert represents alienation from God and separation from blessing.
Summary for Ps 68:8-10: 68:8-10  ^di The earth trembled as in an earthquake (see Exod 19:18  ^dj).

• the heavens poured down rain: Wells in the desert and rain showers in Canaan supplied an abundance of water.
68:11  ^dk a great army (or a host of women) brings: The Hebrew suggests women singers caroling the good news of victory (see 68:25  ^dl; Exod 15:20  ^dm).
68:13  ^dn The seminomadic pastoral people who lived among the sheepfolds were surprised to receive silver and gold carvings from the battle.
68:14  ^do The Almighty (Hebrew Shaddai) is an ancient designation for God (see 91:1  ^dp; Gen 17:1  ^dq).

• The identification of Mount Zalmon is uncertain; it was possibly a mountain in Bashan (see Ps 68:15  ^dr).
68:15  ^ds Bashan is a plateau northeast of Jerusalem and east of the Sea of Galilee that was known for its woods and pastureland (see 22:12  ^dt; Isa 2:13  ^du). The mountains might have included Mount Hermon to the north of the plateau or Mount Zalmon, which might be Jebel ed-Druze on the east.
68:16  ^dv Why do you look with envy? Bashan is physically much more impressive than the mountains around Jerusalem, but it was not the home of the Lord. Only Mount Zion enjoyed the privilege of providing God’s dwelling place.
68:17  ^dw Chariots, the ultimate weapon of the armed forces in the psalmist’s day, are an image of the Lord’s power to grant victory (20:7  ^dx; 44:3  ^dy).
68:18  ^dz When you ascended to the heights: The Most High established his reign victoriously in Zion.

• a crowd of captives ... gifts: This is an image of a victorious ruler leading the victory march after battle. Paul applied this image to Jesus Christ (Eph 4:8-13  ^ea).
Summary for Ps 68:19-20: 68:19-20  ^eb The Divine Warrior cares for his people like a shepherd; the people praise him. 68:19  ^ec Like a caring father or a shepherd, God carries his people in his arms (see 55:22  ^ed; 68:5-6  ^ee).
68:21  ^ef God will smash the heads of his enemies: Cp. Gen 3:15  ^eg.
68:22  ^eh God will deal with all enemies, whether from high places (represented by Bashan) or low (the depths of the sea).
Summary for Ps 68:24-27: 68:24-27  ^ei A great company joins together in the pilgrimage to Zion.
Summary for Ps 68:28-31: 68:28-31  ^ej The people pray for God’s success and for victory over the enemy nations (68:1-3  ^ek).
68:29  ^el The conquered kings will bring gifts to the Lord.
68:30  ^em Hostile and rebellious people delight in warfare and insurrection (see 2:1-3  ^en).
Summary for Ps 68:32-35: 68:32-35  ^eo The psalmist calls for the people to praise God, who is victorious over his enemies. 68:32  ^ep The term kingdoms of the earth includes all nations and power structures.
68:34  ^eq When the Lord demonstrates his power, majesty, and strength against the nations, he strengthens his people (see 96:4-6  ^er).