Psalm 65

This article is about Psalm 65 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 65 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 66.

Psalm 65
"Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion"
Psalm 65 in Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 101v - Psalm LXIV (Vulgate) the Musée Condé, Chantilly.
Other name	Psalm 64 "Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion"
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 65
← Psalm 64 Psalm 66 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

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".

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. It begins in the style of a prayer, transitions to a description of God, and concludes with praise to God.

The Jerusalem Bible suggests it is set "after a good year with plentiful rain".

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָוִ֥ד שִֽׁיר׃‎	For the Leader. A Psalm. A Song of David.
2	לְךָ֤ דֻֽמִיָּ֬ה תְהִלָּ֓ה אֱלֹ֘הִ֥ים בְּצִיּ֑וֹן וּ֝לְךָ֗ יְשֻׁלַּם־נֶֽדֶר׃‎	Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Zion; and unto Thee the vow is performed.
3	שֹׁמֵ֥עַ תְּפִלָּ֑ה עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֥ר יָבֹֽאוּ׃‎	O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee doth all flesh come.
4	דִּבְרֵ֣י עֲ֭וֺנֹת גָּ֣בְרוּ מֶ֑נִּי פְּ֝שָׁעֵ֗ינוּ אַתָּ֥ה תְכַפְּרֵֽם׃‎	The tale of iniquities is too heavy for me; as for our transgressions, Thou wilt pardon them.
5	אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ תִּ֥בְחַ֣ר וּתְקָרֵב֮ יִשְׁכֹּ֢ן חֲצֵ֫רֶ֥יךָ נִ֭שְׂבְּעָה בְּט֣וּב בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ הֵיכָלֶֽךָ׃‎	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!
6	נ֤וֹרָא֨וֹת ׀ בְּצֶ֣דֶק תַּ֭עֲנֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׁעֵ֑נוּ מִבְטָ֥ח כׇּל־קַצְוֵי־אֶ֝֗רֶץ וְיָ֣ם רְחֹקִֽים׃‎	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;
7	מֵכִ֣ין הָרִ֣ים בְּכֹח֑וֹ נֶ֝אְזָ֗ר בִּגְבוּרָֽה׃‎	Who by Thy strength settest fast the mountains, who art girded about with might;
8	מַשְׁבִּ֤יחַ ׀ שְׁא֣וֹן יַ֭מִּים שְׁא֥וֹן גַּלֵּיהֶ֗ם וַהֲמ֥וֹן לְאֻמִּֽים׃‎	Who stillest the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples;
9	וַיִּ֤ירְא֨וּ ׀ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י קְ֭צָוֺת מֵאוֹתֹתֶ֑יךָ מ֤וֹצָֽאֵי בֹ֖קֶר וָעֶ֣רֶב תַּרְנִֽין׃‎	So that they that dwell in the uttermost parts stand in awe of Thy signs; Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.
10	פָּ֤קַֽדְתָּ הָאָ֨רֶץ וַתְּשֹׁ֪קְקֶ֡הָ רַבַּ֬ת תַּעְשְׁרֶ֗נָּה פֶּ֣לֶג אֱ֭לֹהִים מָ֣לֵא מָ֑יִם תָּכִ֥ין דְּ֝גָנָ֗ם כִּי־כֵ֥ן תְּכִינֶֽהָ׃‎	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.
11	תְּלָמֶ֣יהָ רַ֭וֵּה נַחֵ֣ת גְּדוּדֶ֑הָ בִּרְבִיבִ֥ים תְּ֝מֹגְגֶ֗נָּה צִמְחָ֥הּ תְּבָרֵֽךְ׃‎	Watering her ridges abundantly, settling down the furrows thereof, Thou makest her soft with showers; Thou blessest the growth thereof.
12	עִ֭טַּרְתָּ שְׁנַ֣ת טוֹבָתֶ֑ךָ וּ֝מַעְגָּלֶ֗יךָ יִרְעֲפ֥וּן דָּֽשֶׁן׃‎	Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness.
13	יִ֭רְעֲפוּ נְא֣וֹת מִדְבָּ֑ר וְ֝גִ֗יל גְּבָע֥וֹת תַּחְגֹּֽרְנָה׃‎	The pastures of the wilderness do drop; and the hills are girded with joy.
14	לָבְשׁ֬וּ כָרִ֨ים ׀ הַצֹּ֗אן וַעֲמָקִ֥ים יַֽעַטְפוּ־בָ֑ר יִ֝תְרוֹעֲע֗וּ אַף־יָשִֽׁירוּ׃‎	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)

1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
2. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
3. Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
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.
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:
6. Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
7. Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
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.
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.
10. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
11. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.
12. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.
13. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Verse 1

Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;

And to You the vow shall be performed.

Some versions make reference to silence in this verse, for example the New American Standard Bible:

There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, God,

And the vow will be fulfilled for You.

Uses

Judaism

• This psalm is recited on Yom Kippur, and at Shmini Atzeret in some traditions.
• Verse 5 is recited by those present at a brit milah.

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the 12th day of the month.

Music

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.

References

Works cited

• 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. ISBN 978-0-8006-6061-1.
• 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. ISBN 978-1-84127-087-6.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 65: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 65: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Psalm 65 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
• Text of Psalm 65 according to the 1928 Psalter
• For the leader. A psalm of David. A song. To you we owe our hymn of praise, O God on Zion text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 65 – At the Temple, In the Earth text and detailed commentary, enduringword.com
• Psalm 65:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 65 / Refrain: Be joyful in God, all the earth. Church of England
• Psalm 65 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 65 hymnary.org