To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David.

65:1 Praise [this is an attitude of worship and flows out of a grateful heart] waiteth for thee [praise is rightfully God’s], O God, in Sion [Mt. Zion, the hill in Jerusalem where the temple stood and the place where the Israelite worshiper went to meet God]: and unto thee shall the vow [a promise of action in response to God’s deliverance; cf. Hannah’s vow in 1 Sam. 1:9-28] be performed [a fulfilled vow comes from a thankful heart; cf. Ecc. 5:4-5].

65:2 O thou that hearest prayer [cf. Ps. 5:1-3], unto thee shall all [Jew and Gentile alike] flesh [humanity] come [to go to anyone other than God would be a waste of time].

65:3 Iniquities [personal waywardness] prevail [overwhelm] against me [personal]: as for our [corporate; national] transgressions [rebellions], thou [only God can atone] shalt purge [atone; to cover over (as when, in the temple, lamb’s blood was sprinkled on the ark of the covenant to cover the sins of the people); this is God’s solution to our sin] them away.

65:4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest [cf. Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13], and causest to approach [a forgiven worshiper enjoys the benefit of God’s presence] unto thee, that he may dwell in thy [note three synonymous terms for the place where God was to be worshiped…] [1] courts: we shall be satisfied [feeding of inner, spiritual hunger] with the goodness of thy [2] house, even of thy [3] holy temple.

65:5 By terrible [awe-inspiring] things [works] in righteousness wilt thou answer [God’s answer is always right and best; the God who hears (65:2) is also the God who answers] us, O God of our salvation [deliverance; rescue from peril and difficulty]; who art the confidence [hope] of [note reference to land and nations unknown to David when he wrote this psalm…] all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

65:6 Which by his strength setteth fast [to establish or set in place] the mountains [visible displays of God’s creative power]; being girded [robbed (like a warrior)] with power [strength]:

65:7 Which [God not only created the seas but controls them as well…] stilleth the noise [roar, unrest, disruption] of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people [God is sovereign over the nations as well as the seas].

65:8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid [awed] at thy tokens [signs; the general revelation of creation]: thou makest the outgoings of the morning [the sunrise in the east] and evening [the sunset in the west] to rejoice.

65:9 Thou visitest [a picture of God moving in response to need] the earth, and waterest it [refers to rain]: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God [refers to any supply of water that contributes to the growth of crops], which is full of water [unlimited supply]: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

65:10 [God sends the rains that make it possible to plow and plant in once sun-hardened soil] Thou waterest the ridges [probably a reference to the clods of earth left from the plowing] thereof abundantly: thou settlest [to soak with rain] the furrows thereof: thou makest it [the earth] soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof [the rains result in the growth of the seed].

65:11 Thou crownest the year [a figure of speech describing that important time (late spring, early summer, early fall) when crops were harvested and gathered into the storehouses] with thy goodness [here refers to the agricultural and economic surplus of crops]; and thy paths drop [overflow with] fatness [plenty].

65:12 They drop upon [to overflow] the pastures of the wilderness [normally places of scarcity and dryness]: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

65:13 The pastures [places for grazing] are clothed [filled] with flocks [sheep and goats]; the valleys [good places to grow crops] also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.