Bible Teachers:What does Psalm chapter 65 mean?
Chapter Context
Psalms 65—68 express praise to the Lord using frequent references to nature and harvest. Only this and psalm 68 are explicitly credited to David. This song also thanks God for His kindness to His people; it encourages worshipers to offer thanksgiving. The song might have been meant to celebrate an especially abundant harvest.
What does Psalm chapter 65 mean?
The early words of this psalm suggest calm, inspired trust that God will forgive sins—and so praise for the Lord is soon to come. The Hebrew phrasing is obscure, but various translations share core ideas such as worship, stillness, and obedience. This faith is described both in personal and group terms. David also celebrates the benefits of living closely and obediently to the Lord (Psalm 64:1–4).
Some of God's communication with mankind comes in the form of miracles, such as those seen by Israel during the Exodus. More frequently, the Lord makes Himself known through nature (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:18–20). This psalm makes it clear that the Lord's strength is obvious to the entire world, not merely to the people of Israel. His strength is greater than that of established mountains and stormy seas. This terminology echoes other passages (Isaiah 17:12–13) which compare the chaos of ungodly nations to volatile oceans (Psalm 65:5–8).
The song closes with emphasis on the Lord's gracious provision for crops. While humanity may plant, it is God who brings rain and allows the plants to grow. It's possible this psalm was written to thank God for an especially good harvest year. Some commentators also see this passage as a faint foreshadowing of the eternal, spiritual blessings (John 4:36; James 3:18; Galatians 6:8) made available to those who accept the Lord's grace (Psalm 65:9–13).
