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Commentary on Psalms 65 verses 1–5
The psalmist here has no particular concern of his own at the throne of grace, but begins with an address to God, as the master of an assembly and the mouth of a congregation; and observe,
I. How he gives glory to God, Psa 65:1. 1. By humble thankfulness: Praise waiteth for thee, O God! in Zion, waits till it arrives, that it may be received with thankfulness at its first approach. When God is coming towards us with his favours we must go forth to meet him with our praises, and wait till the day dawn. "Praise waits, with an entire satisfaction in thy holy will and dependence on thy mercy." When we stand ready in every thing to give thanks, then praise waits for God. "Praise waits thy acceptance" the Levites by night stood in the house of the Lord, ready to sing their songs of praise at the hour appointed (Psa 134:1, Psa 134:2), and thus their praise waited for him. Praise is silent unto thee (so the word is), as wanting words to express the great goodness of God, and being struck with a silent admiration at it. As there are holy groanings which cannot be uttered, so there are holy adorings which cannot be uttered, and yet shall be accepted by him that searches the heart and knows what is the mind of the spirit. Our praise is silent, that the praises of the blessed angels, who excel in strength, may be heard. Let it not be told him that I speak, for if a man offer to speak forth all God's praise surely he shall be swallowed up, Job 37:20. Before thee praise is reputed as silence (so the Chaldee), so far exalted is God above all our blessing and praise. Praise is due to God from all the world, but it waits for him in Zion only, in his church, among his people. All his works praise him (they minister matter for praise), but only his saints bless him by actual adorations. The redeemed church sing their new song upon Mount Zion, Rev 14:1, Rev 14:3. In Zion was God's dwelling-place, Psa 76:2. Happy are those who dwell with him there, for they will be still praising him. 2. By sincere faithfulness: Unto thee shall the vow be performed, that is, the sacrifice shall be offered up which was vowed. We shall not be accepted in our thanksgivings to God for the mercies we have received unless we make conscience of paying the vows which we made when we were in pursuit of the mercy; for better it is not to vow than to vow and not to pay.
II. What he gives him glory for.
1.For hearing prayer (Psa 65:2): Praise waits for thee; and why is it so ready? (1.) "Because thou art ready to grant our petitions. O thou that hearest prayer! thou canst answer every prayer, for thou art able to do for us more than we are able to ask or think (Eph 3:20), and thou wilt answer every prayer of faith, either in kind or kindness." It is much for the glory of God's goodness, and the encouragement of ours, that he is a God hearing prayer, and has taken it among the titles of his honour to be so; and we are much wanting to ourselves if we do not take all occasions to give him his title. (2.) Because, for that reason, we are ready to run to him when we are in our straits. "Therefore, because thou art a God hearing prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come; justly does every man's praise wait for thee, because every man's prayer waits on thee when he is in want or distress, whatever he does at other times. Now only the seed of Israel come to thee, and the proselytes to their religion; but, when thy house shall be called a house of prayer to all people, then unto thee shall all flesh come, and be welcome," Rom 10:12, Rom 10:13. To him let us come, and come boldly, because he is a God that hears prayer.
2.For pardoning sin. In this who is a God like unto him? Mic 7:18. By this he proclaims his name (Exo 34:7), and therefore, upon this account, praise waits for him, Psa 65:3. "Our sins reach to the heavens, iniquities prevail against us, and appear so numerous, so heinous, that when they are set in order before us we are full of confusion and ready to fall into despair. They prevail so against us that we cannot pretend to balance them with any righteousness of our own, so that when we appear before God our own consciences accuse us and we have no reply to make; and yet, as for our transgressions, thou shalt, of thy own free mercy and for the sake of a righteousness of thy own providing, purge them away, so that we shall not come into condemnation for them." Note, The greater our danger is by reason of sin the more cause we have to admire the power and riches of God's pardoning mercy, which can invalidate the threatening force of our manifold transgressions and our mighty sins.
3.For the kind entertainment he gives to those that attend upon him and the comfort they have in communion with him. Iniquity must first be purged away (Psa 65:3) and then we are welcome to compass God's altars, Psa 65:4. Those that come into communion with God shall certainly find true happiness and full satisfaction in that communion.
(1.)They are blessed. Not only blessed is the nation (Psa 33:12), but blessed is the man, the particular person, how mean soever, whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts; he is a happy man, for he has the surest token of the divine favour and the surest pledge and earnest of everlasting bliss. Observe here, [1.] What it is to come into communion with God, in order to this blessedness. First, It is to approach to him by laying hold on his covenant, setting our best affections upon him, and letting out our desires towards him; it is to converse with him as one we love and value. Secondly, It is to dwell in his courts, as the priests and Levites did, that were at home in God's house; it is to be constant in the exercises of religion, and apply ourselves closely to them as we do to that which is the business of our dwelling-place. [2.] How we come into communion with God, not recommended by any merit of our own, nor brought in by any management of our own, but by God's free choice: "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and so distinguishest from others who are left to themselves;" and it is by his effectual special grace pursuant to that choice; whom he chooses he causes to approach, not only invites them, but inclines and enables them, to draw nigh to him. He draws them, Joh 6:44.
(2.)They shall be satisfied. Here the psalmist changes the person, not, He shall be satisfied (the man whom thou choosest), but, We shall, which teaches us to apply the promises to ourselves and by an active faith to put our own names into them: We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Note, [1.] God's holy temple is his house; there he dwells, where his ordinances are administered. [2.] God keeps a good house. There is abundance of goodness in his house, righteousness, grace, and all the comforts of the everlasting covenant; there is enough for all, enough for each; it is ready, always ready; and all on free cost, without money and without price. [3.] In those things there is that which is satisfying to a soul, and with which all gracious souls will be satisfied. Let them have the pleasure of communion with God, and that suffices them; they have enough, they desire no more.
4.For the glorious operations of his power on their behalf (Psa 65:5): By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation! This may be understood of the rebukes which God in his providence sometimes gives to his own people; he often answers them by terrible things, for the awakening and quickening of them, but always in righteousness; he neither does them any wrong nor means them any hurt, for even then he is the God of their salvation. See Isa 45:15. But it is rather to be understood of his judgments upon their enemies; God answers his people's prayers by the destructions made, for their sakes, among the heathen, and the recompence he renders to their proud oppressors, as a righteous God, the God to whom vengeance belongs, and as the God that protects and saves his people. By wonderful things (so some read it), things which are very surprising, and which we looked not for, Isa 64:3. Or, "By things which strike an awe upon us thou wilt answer us." The holy freedom that we are admitted to in God's courts, and the nearness of our approach to him, must not at all abate our reverence and godly fear of him; for he is terrible in his holy places.
5.For the care he takes of all his people, however distressed, and whithersoever dispersed. He is the confidence of all the ends of the earth that is, of all the saints all the world over and not theirs only that were of the seed of Israel; for he is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews, the confidence of those that are afar off from his holy temple and its courts, that dwell in the islands of the Gentiles, or that are in distress upon the sea. They trust in thee, and cry to thee, when they are at their wits' end, Psa 107:27, Psa 107:28. By faith and prayer we may keep up our communion with God, and fetch in comfort from him, wherever we are, not only in the solemn assemblies of his people, but also afar off upon the sea.
"Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour" [Psalm 65:5]. He has disclosed now Whom he names as God. The "Saviour" specially is the Lord Jesus Christ. It has appeared now more openly of Whom he had said, "Unto You every flesh shall come." That One Man that is taken unto Him into the Temple of God, is both many and is One. In the person of One he has said, "Hearken, O God, i.e., to my hunger:" and because the same One of many is composed, now he says, "Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour." Hear Him now more openly preached: "Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour, the Hope of all the ends of the earth and in the sea afar." Behold wherefore has been said "Unto You every flesh shall come." From every quarter they come. "Hope of all the ends of the earth," not hope of one corner, not hope of Judæa alone, not hope of Africa alone, not hope of Pannonia, not hope of East or of West: but "Hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar:" of the very ends of the earth. "And in the sea afar:" and because in the sea, therefore afar. For the sea by a figure is spoken of this world, with saltness bitter, with storms troubled; where men of perverse and depraved appetites have become like fishes devouring one another. Observe the evil sea, bitter sea, with waves violent, observe with what sort of men it is filled. Who desires an inheritance except through the death of another? Who desires gain except by the loss of another? By the fall of others how many men wish to be exalted? How many, in order that they may buy, desire for other men to sell their goods? How they mutually oppress, and how they that are able do devour! And when one fish has devoured, the greater the less, itself also is devoured by some greater....Because evil fishes that were taken within the nets they said they would not endure; they themselves have become more evil than they whom they said they could not endure. For those nets did take fishes both good and evil. The Lord says, "The kingdom of Heaven is like to a sein cast into the sea, which gathers of every kind, which, when it had been filled, drawing out, and sitting on the shore, they gathered the good into vessels, but the evil they cast out: so it shall be," He says, "in the consummation of the world." [Matthew 13:47-49] He shows what is the shore, He shows what is the end of the sea. "The angels shall go forth, and shall sever the evil from the midst of the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Ha! You citizens of Jerusalem that are within the nets, and are good fishes; endure the evil, the nets break ye not: together with them you are in a sea, not together with them will you be in the vessels. For "Hope" He is "of the ends of the earth," Himself is Hope "also in the sea afar." Afar, because also in the sea.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 65:5 is a profound declaration of God's awe-inspiring power, unwavering righteousness, and universal accessibility as the ultimate source of salvation. It proclaims that the Lord responds to humanity's needs and prayers through mighty, fear-inducing acts that are always perfectly just. This verse establishes God as the steadfast hope and secure trust for all people, extending His sovereign care and redemptive power to the farthest reaches of the earth and the most remote corners of the sea, underscoring His boundless dominion and unwavering faithfulness to all creation.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 65 is a psalm of thanksgiving, likely composed by King David, expressing profound gratitude for God's abundant provision and His steadfast faithfulness to His covenant people. The psalm opens with praise for God's attentiveness to prayer and His forgiveness of sins, highlighting the blessedness of those whom He chooses to draw near to Himself in His temple, where they are "satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple" (Psalm 65:1-4). Verse 5 marks a significant transition from the specific blessings experienced by Israel within the sanctuary to a broader, universal declaration of God's global sovereignty and His mighty acts. It moves from the intimate experience of God's presence to His overwhelming power displayed across creation and among all nations, setting the stage for the subsequent verses that celebrate His control over nature and His provision for the land, such as how He "stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people" (Psalm 65:6-13).
Historical & Cultural Context: Composed in ancient Israel, likely during a period of national prosperity or after a significant deliverance (perhaps from drought or military threat), this psalm reflects the common Israelite understanding of Yahweh as both their covenant God and the sovereign Lord of all creation. The reference to "terrible things" (Psalm 65:5) would resonate with Israel's historical memory of God's powerful interventions, such as the Exodus from Egypt, where God "didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters" (Exodus 15:10), or victories over enemies, which demonstrated His might and justice. The mention of "all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea" (Psalm 65:5) highlights a nascent awareness, even in the Old Testament, of God's universal reach and His ultimate claim over all humanity, transcending the boundaries of Israel. This perspective, while often overshadowed by Israel's unique covenant relationship, surfaces in passages that emphasize God's role as Creator and Ruler of all nations, as seen in the broader prophetic vision of God's reign over all peoples (Isaiah 49:6).
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Psalm 65 and the broader Psalter. Firstly, it underscores Divine Power and Righteousness, emphasizing that God's interventions are not merely powerful but perfectly just and consistent with His holy character. These "terrible things" are awe-inspiring acts of deliverance or judgment, demonstrating His overwhelming might and moral rectitude, for "the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works" (Psalm 145:17). Secondly, the theme of God as the Source of Salvation is central, identifying Him as the ultimate deliverer, rescuer, and source of well-being for His people. He is the one who brings deliverance from danger, sin, and distress, providing comprehensive safety and flourishing, as declared elsewhere: "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid" (Isaiah 12:2). Finally, the verse introduces the profound theme of Universal Confidence and Hope, proclaiming God as the steadfast trust for all humanity, regardless of their geographical location or cultural background. This extends God's sovereignty and the hope He offers beyond Israel to the entire world, echoing the omnipresence and universal care of God found in other psalms, where it is affirmed that "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139:7-10).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 65:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with profound impact. Hyperbole is evident in the sweeping phrase "all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea," which serves to emphasize the truly universal scope of God's dominion and the boundless reach of His salvific power, extending beyond any conceivable human boundary or geographical limit. The phrase "terrible things" functions as a form of litotes or euphemism, as the Hebrew nora'ot (derived from H3372) implies not just "terrible" in a negative sense, but "awe-inspiring," "fearfully majestic," or "dreadfully powerful," highlighting the overwhelming nature of God's power in a way that evokes reverence and wonder rather than simple dread. The direct address, "O God of our salvation," is an example of apostrophe, directly speaking to God, which intensifies the personal and worshipful tone of the psalm, inviting the reader into an intimate relationship with the divine. Finally, the entire verse is rich in theological metaphor, portraying God as the "confidence" or "security" for all, likening Him to a firm foundation, an unshakeable rock, or a safe harbor in whom all can find refuge, stability, and unwavering trust.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 65:5 profoundly connects to the biblical narrative of God's universal sovereignty and His redemptive plan for all humanity. It foreshadows the New Testament revelation of God's desire for all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, as "God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4). The "terrible things in righteousness" through which God answers are not merely acts of judgment but often powerful demonstrations of His justice that pave the way for salvation, echoing the mighty acts of deliverance in Israel's history that revealed His character and power. This verse posits God as the ultimate source of hope and security for every individual, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries, laying a theological groundwork for the global mission of the church. It reminds us that even when God's ways seem overwhelming or beyond our comprehension, they are always rooted in His perfect righteousness and aimed at His ultimate good, inviting us to "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:22).
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 65:5 invites us to cultivate a profound sense of awe and unwavering trust in God, recognizing that His power is not only boundless but also perfectly aligned with His righteousness. In a world often characterized by uncertainty, fear, and a desperate search for security, this verse directs our gaze to the only true source of confidence: the God of our salvation. It challenges us to expand our understanding of God's reach, acknowledging that His care extends far beyond our immediate circumstances or communities to encompass every person on earth. When we pray, we can be assured that God answers, and while His answers may come in ways that are "terrible" or awe-inspiring, they are always righteous and ultimately for our good and His glory. This should lead us to greater humility, deeper reliance on His sovereign plan, and a broader vision for God's work in the world, knowing that He is actively engaged in bringing salvation to all who look to Him, no matter how far removed they may feel. It calls us to live with a confident expectation of His righteous interventions, both in our personal lives and in the grand sweep of history.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "terrible things in righteousness" mean in this context?
Answer: The phrase "terrible things" (Hebrew: nora'ot, from H3372) does not imply evil or negative actions. Instead, it refers to God's awe-inspiring, majestic, and fear-inducing deeds. These are acts of immense power and wonder that evoke reverence and profound respect, often associated with His miraculous interventions, deliverances, or judgments. The addition "in righteousness" (H6664, tsedeq) is crucial; it means that all of God's powerful acts are perfectly just, morally upright, and consistent with His holy character. So, it signifies that God answers prayers and intervenes in the world through mighty, overwhelming, and righteous demonstrations of His power, which inspire awe and underscore His perfect justice. For instance, the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) was a "terrible thing" that demonstrated God's power and righteousness in delivering Israel and judging Pharaoh.
How can God be the "confidence of all the ends of the earth" if many do not know Him?
Answer: This declaration in Psalms 65:5 speaks to God's inherent nature and His objective reality, not necessarily the subjective experience or awareness of every individual. God is the ultimate source of security and hope (H4009, mibṭâch) for all humanity, whether they consciously acknowledge Him or not. His sovereignty extends over all creation, and His providential care sustains all life, as it is written, "For in him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). While many may not consciously place their trust in Him, He remains the steadfast foundation upon which all existence and true security rest. The psalmist's proclamation is a theological truth about God's universal dominion and His ultimate accessibility as the only reliable hope, inviting all to discover this truth and place their trust in Him. It also foreshadows the future global recognition of His Lordship, when "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth" (Philippians 2:10).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 65:5 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment of God's "terrible things in righteousness" and the universal "confidence." The most awe-inspiring and righteous act of God was not merely the parting of a sea or the defeat of an army, but the sending of His Son to die on the cross for the sins of humanity (Romans 5:8). This act, while appearing as weakness and foolishness to the world, was the most profound demonstration of God's power over sin and death, executed in perfect righteousness to satisfy divine justice and to "declare his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:25-26). Jesus, as the "God of our salvation," became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), offering salvation not just to Israel but to "all the ends of the earth." Through His resurrection, He conquered death, becoming the living hope and the secure "confidence" for everyone who believes, regardless of their location or background (1 Peter 1:3). The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is the direct outflow of this truth, sending believers to declare this universal confidence in Christ to the remotest parts of the earth, bridging the gap between those "afar off upon the sea" and the God who is their only true salvation and eternal hope.