TRV
Translation
King James Version
He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
Complete Jewish Bible
He turned the sea into dry land. They passed through the river on foot; there we rejoiced in him.
Berean Standard Bible
He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.
American Standard Version
He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot: There did we rejoice in him.
World English Bible Messianic
He turned the sea into dry land. They went through the river on foot. There, we rejoiced in him.
Geneva Bible (1599)
He hath turned the Sea into drie land: they passe through the riuer on foote: there did we reioyce in him.
Young's Literal Translation
He hath turned a sea to dry land, Through a river they pass over on foot, There do we rejoice in Him.
In the KJVVerse 14,880 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 66 verses 1–7
1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
7 He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
I. In these verses the psalmist calls upon all people to praise God, all lands, all the earth, all the inhabitants of the world that are capable of praising God, Psa 66:1. 1. This speaks the glory of God, that he is worthy to be praised by all, for he is good to all and furnishes every nation with matter for praise. 2. The duty of man, that all are obliged to praise God; it is part of the law of creation, and therefore is required of every creature. 3. A prediction of the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ; the time should come when all lands should praise God, and this incense should in every place be offered to him. 4. A hearty good-will which the psalmist had to this good work of praising God. He will abound in it himself, and wishes that God might have his tribute paid him by all the nations of the earth and not by the land of Israel only. He excites all lands, (1.) To make a joyful noise to God. Holy joy is that devout affection which should animate all our praises; and, though it is not making a noise in religion that God will accept of (hypocrites are said to cause their voice to be heard on high, Isa 58:4), yet, in praising God, [1.] We must be hearty and zealous, and must do what we do with all our might, with all that is within us. [2.] We must be open and public, as those that are not ashamed of our Master. And both these are implied in making a noise, a joyful noise. (2.) To sing with pleasure, and to sing forth, for the edification of others, the honour of his name, that is, of all that whereby he has made himself known, Psa 66:2. That which is the honour of God's name ought to be the matter of our praise. (3.) To make his praise glorious as far as we can. In praising God we must do it so as to glorify him, and that must be the scope and drift of all our praises. Reckon it your greatest glory to praise God, so some. It is the highest honour the creature is capable of to be to the Creator for a name and a praise.
II. He had called upon all lands to praise God (Psa 66:1), and he foretels (Psa 66:4) that they shall do so: All the earth shall worship thee; some in all parts of the earth, even the remotest regions, for the everlasting gospel shall be preached to every nation and kindred; and this is the purport of it, Worship him that made heaven and earth, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. Being thus sent forth, it shall not return void, but shall bring all the earth, more or less, to worship God, and sing unto him. In gospel times God shall be worshipped by the singing of Psalms. They shall sing to God, that is, sing to his name, for it is only to his declarative glory, that by which he has made himself known, not to his essential glory, that we can contribute any thing by our praises.
III. That we may be furnished with matter for praise, we are here called upon to come and see the works of God; for his own works praise him, whether we do or no; and the reason why we do not praise him more and better is because we do not duly and attentively observe them. Let us therefore see God's works and observe the instances of his wisdom, power, and faithfulness in them (Psa 66:5), and then speak of them, and speak of them to him (Psa 66:3): Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works, terrible in thy doings! 1. God's works are wonderful in themselves, and such as, when duly considered, may justly fill us with amazement. God is terrible (that is, admirable) in his works, through the greatness of his power, which is such, and shines so brightly, so strongly, in all he does, that it may be truly said there are not any works like unto his works. Hence he is said to be fearful in praises, Exo 15:11. In all his doings towards the children of men he is terrible, and to be eyed with a holy awe. Much of religion lies in a reverence for the divine Providence. 2. They are formidable to his enemies, and have many a time forced and frightened them into a feigned submission (Psa 66:3): Through the greatness of thy power, before which none can stand, shall thy enemies submit themselves unto thee; they shall lie unto thee (so the word is), that is, they shall be compelled, sorely against their wills, to make their peace with thee upon any terms. Subjection extorted by fear is seldom sincere, and therefore force is no proper means of propagating religion, nor can there be much joy of such proselytes to the church as will in the end be found liars unto it, Deu 33:29. 3. They are comfortable and beneficial to his people, Psa 66:6. When Israel came out of Egypt, he turned the sea into dry land before them, which encouraged them to follow God's guidance through the wilderness; and, when they were to enter Canaan, for their encouragement in their wars Jordan was divided before them, and they went through that flood on foot; and such foot, so signally owned by heaven, might well pass for cavalry, rather than infantry, in the wars of the Lord. There did the enemies tremble before them (Exo 15:14, Exo 15:15; Jos 5:1), but there did we rejoice in him, both trust his power (for relying on God is often expressed by rejoicing in him) and sing his praise, Psa 106:12. There did we rejoice; that is, our ancestors did, and we in their loins. The joys of our fathers were our joys, and we ought to look upon ourselves as sharers in them. 4. They are commanding to all. God by his works keeps up his dominion in the world (Psa 66:7): He rules by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations. (1.) God has a commanding eye; from the height of heaven his eye commands all the inhabitants of the world, and he has a clear and full view of them all. His eyes run to and fro through the earth; the most remote and obscure nations are under his inspection. (2.) He has a commanding arm; his power rules, rules for ever, and is never weakened, never obstructed. Strong is his hand, and high is his right hand. Hence he infers, Let not the rebellious exalt themselves; let not those that have revolting and rebellious hearts dare to rise up in any overt acts of rebellion against God, as Adonijah exalted himself, saying, I will be king. Let not those that are in rebellion against God exalt themselves as if there were any probability that they should gain their point. No; let them be still, for God hath said, I will be exalted, and man cannot gainsay it.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 66
Wherefore what has He done by the terror of His counsel? He has turned the sea into dry land. For this follows, "That has turned the sea into dry land" [Psalm 66:6]. A sea was the world, bitter with saltness, troubled with tempest, raging with waves of persecutions, sea it was: truly into dry land the sea has been turned, now there thirsts for sweet water the world that with salt water was filled. Who has done this? He "that has turned the sea into dry land." Now the soul of all the Gentiles says what? "My soul is as it were land without water to You." "That has turned the sea into dry land. In the river they shall pass over on foot." Those same persons that have been turned into dry land, though they were before sea, "in the river on foot shall pass over." What is the river? The river is all the mortality of the world. Observe a river: some things come and pass by, other things that are to pass by do succeed. Is it not thus with the water of a river, that from earth springs and flows? Every one that is born must needs give place to one going to be born: and all this order of things rolling along is a kind of river. Into this river let not the soul greedily throw herself, let her not throw herself, but let her stand still. And how shall she pass over the pleasures of things doomed to perish? Let her believe in Christ, and she will pass over on foot: she passes over with Him for Leader, on foot she passes over.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 66:4
Then [Symmachus] outlines what was done of old. “He turns the sea into dry land; they will cross the river on foot.” The tense has been changed here: he spoke of the past as future, whereas the others retained the tense, Symmachus saying, “He turned the sea into dry land, they crossed the river on foot.” This is the God, he is saying, who will grant us salvation as well, who of old divided sea and river, and bade our forebears cross without risk and accords the nations the crossing that they make when through the washing of regeneration they are reformed. In other words, just as at that time through the hand of the mighty Moses he divided the Red Sea at this point, … so now as well through the hand of the priests he renews the people who believe in Christ, while submerging in figure Pharaoh with his chariots—that is, the devil with his desires (the initiated know what I mean).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalm 66:6 stands as a powerful testament to God's awe-inspiring power and His unwavering faithfulness in Israel's foundational history. It vividly recounts the divine act of transforming impassable waters into dry ground, enabling His chosen people to traverse seemingly insurmountable barriers. This verse serves as a profound declaration of God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His steadfast commitment to deliver His people, eliciting a communal response of profound joy, worship, and grateful remembrance of His mighty deeds.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 66 is a magnificent psalm of universal praise and thanksgiving, commencing with an invitation for "all the earth" (Psalm 66:1) to worship God for His "awesome deeds" (Psalm 66:3). The psalm skillfully transitions from this broad, general call to praise (verses 1-4) to a detailed recounting of God's specific, historical acts of deliverance in Israel's national story (verses 5-12), before culminating in the psalmist's personal testimony and thanksgiving (verses 13-20). Verse 6 serves as a pivotal point within this historical section, specifically recalling the most iconic moments of Israel's liberation from Egypt and their entry into the Promised Land. It grounds the universal imperative to worship in the concrete, redemptive history of God's covenant relationship with His chosen people, providing irrefutable evidence of His power and faithfulness.
Historical & Cultural Context: The primary historical event referenced in Psalm 66:6 is undoubtedly the miraculous parting of the Red Sea during the Exodus, which was the foundational act of Israel's liberation from centuries of Egyptian slavery. This event was a monumental demonstration of Yahweh's unparalleled power over nature and His enemies, establishing His unique identity and initiating His covenant relationship with Israel. The subsequent phrase, "they went through the flood on foot," strongly alludes to the equally miraculous crossing of the Jordan River on dry ground as Israel entered the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership. Both events underscored God's unique and absolute control over water, a powerful and often chaotic element in the ancient Near Eastern worldview. These divine interventions signified God's unparalleled ability to make a way where there was none, thereby confirming His divine authority, His covenant faithfulness, and His commitment to His people's destiny.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully encapsulates several core themes prevalent not only in Psalm 66 but throughout the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights Divine Power and Sovereignty, showcasing God's absolute control over creation, capable of altering natural laws to achieve His redemptive purposes. He is not limited by physical barriers, demonstrating His omnipotence in a tangible and unforgettable way, as seen in the majestic account of creation in Genesis 1. Secondly, it emphasizes Miraculous Deliverance, illustrating God's unwavering commitment to rescuing His people from seemingly impossible dangers and His faithfulness as a redeemer. These acts of deliverance establish His unique identity among the nations, powerfully articulated in the Song of Moses following the Red Sea crossing. Finally, the concluding phrase, "there did we rejoice in him," underscores the profound theme of Remembrance and Rejoicing. It calls the community to recall God's past interventions as a perpetual source of present joy, future hope, and heartfelt worship, recognizing that God's historical acts of salvation demand a grateful and celebratory response from His people, echoing the call to remember God's works found in Psalm 77:11-12.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 66:6 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound theological message. Imagery is central, painting a vivid and unforgettable picture of the impossible made possible: a vast, chaotic sea miraculously transformed into firm, traversable dry ground. This stark visual contrast highlights the immense magnitude of God's power and His ability to reverse natural order. Symbolism is also deeply at play, with the "sea" often symbolizing chaos, death, or insurmountable obstacles, while the "dry land" represents divine order, salvation, and a clear path forward. The active verb "turned" implies Divine Action and omnipotence, emphasizing God's direct, purposeful, and transformative intervention in the natural world. The verse also contains an element of Synecdoche or Metonymy, where "sea" and "flood" represent specific, iconic historical events (the Red Sea crossing and possibly the Jordan River crossing), allowing the psalmist to evoke the entirety of God's redemptive history and His consistent faithfulness through these singular, powerful moments.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 66:6 stands as a monumental declaration of God's sovereign power and His active, redemptive involvement in the history of salvation. It underscores the profound theological truth that God is not a distant, detached deity, but one who intervenes decisively on behalf of His people, overcoming all natural and human obstacles to fulfill His purposes. This verse teaches that God's power is not merely abstract or theoretical but is demonstrated through concrete, historical acts of deliverance, which in turn demand a response of joyful worship, grateful remembrance, and unwavering trust from those who benefit from His grace. It serves as a perpetual reminder that the God who miraculously parted the sea and the river is the same God who remains faithful to His covenant promises, capable of making a way through any "sea" or "flood" of difficulty in the lives of His people, both individually and corporately.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 66:6 offers profound encouragement and a timeless call to worship for believers today. It powerfully reminds us that the God who miraculously transformed the sea into dry land for His people's passage is the same God who remains sovereign over all circumstances in our lives. When we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles—whether personal crises, societal challenges, spiritual battles, or periods of doubt—this verse calls us to recall God's demonstrated power, His historical faithfulness, and His unchanging character. Just as the Israelites were called to remember and rejoice in God's past interventions, we too are invited to cultivate a spirit of intentional remembrance, recounting His goodness and mighty acts in our own lives and in the broader history of redemption. This act of remembering God's past victories fuels our trust for present trials and inspires a joyful, worshipful response to His ongoing work of deliverance and provision. Our lives should be characterized by profound gratitude and celebratory praise for His saving grace, echoing the communal joy of those who witnessed His mighty acts.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "the flood" in this verse refer to the Red Sea or another event?
Answer: While the primary reference of "the sea" is almost certainly the Red Sea crossing during the Exodus, the term "flood" (Hebrew nâhâr, meaning "river" or "stream") could also poetically or broadly allude to the equally miraculous crossing of the Jordan River on dry ground as Israel entered Canaan. The psalmist may be employing a poetic parallelism, using both terms to describe the same event, or a broader reference to multiple instances where God miraculously controlled large bodies of water for His people's deliverance. Both events were pivotal in Israel's history, demonstrating God's consistent power over nature to fulfill His covenant promises and establish His people in the land.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 66:6, with its declaration of God's power to turn the sea into dry land and enable His people's passage, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Just as God made a way through the seemingly impassable waters of chaos for Israel's physical liberation, so Christ, the incarnate God, has made a way through the ultimate barriers of sin and death for humanity's spiritual salvation. His divine power over nature, demonstrated by His ability to calm the storm with a word and even walk on water, echoes the Psalmist's praise of divine sovereignty. More profoundly, Christ's death and resurrection represent the ultimate "turning of the sea into dry land"—He passed through the "flood" of death and the grave, emerging victorious, thereby creating a new and living path to eternal life for all who believe. Through His perfect sacrifice and triumphant resurrection, the seemingly impassable chasm of sin that separated humanity from God was bridged, allowing us to "pass through" from spiritual death to life, from condemnation to reconciliation. Our "rejoicing in him" now finds its deepest and most enduring meaning in the resurrected Christ, who has conquered the final enemy and opened the way to eternal fellowship with God, as promised in passages like John 14:6 and Hebrews 10:19-20.