Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on Psalms 65

PSALM 65

Psa 65:1-13. This is a song of praise for God's spiritual blessings to His people and His kind providence over all the earth.

1. Praise waiteth for thee--literally, "To Thee silence praise," or (compare Psa 62:1), To Thee silence is praise--that is, Praise is waiting as a servant; it is due to Thee. So the last clause expresses the duty of paying vows. These two parts of acceptable worship, mentioned in Psa 50:14, are rendered in Zion, where God chiefly displays His mercy and receives homage.

2. All are encouraged to pray by God's readiness to hear.

3. God's mercy alone delivers us from the burden of iniquities, by purging or expiating by an atonement the transgressions with which we are charged, and which are denoted by--

Iniquities--or, literally, "Words of iniquities."

4. dwell in thy courts; ... [and] satisfied with the goodness ... temple--denote communion with God (Psa 15:1; 23:6; compare Psa 5:7). This is a blessing for all God's people, as denoted by the change of number.

5. terrible things--that is, by the manifestation of justice and wrath to enemies, accompanying that of mercy to His people (Psa 63:9-11; 64:7-9).

the confidence--object of it.

of all ... earth--the whole world; that is, deservedly such, whether men think so or not.

6-13. God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Psa 26:7; 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.