Psalm 66

[the Psalm from mass this weekend]

1 For the leader. A song; a psalm.

I

2 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;

sing of his glorious name;

give him glorious praise.

3 Say to God: “How awesome your deeds!

Before your great strength your enemies cringe.

4 All the earth falls in worship before you;

they sing of you, sing of your name!”

Selah

II

5 Come and see the works of God,

awesome in deeds before the children of Adam.

6 He changed the sea to dry land;

through the river they passed on foot.

There we rejoiced in him,

7 who rules by his might forever,

His eyes are fixed upon the nations.

Let no rebel rise to challenge!

Selah

8 Bless our God, you peoples;

loudly sound his praise,

9 Who has kept us alive

and not allowed our feet to slip.

10 You tested us, O God,

tried us as silver tried by fire.

11 You led us into a snare;

you bound us at the waist as captives.

12 You let captors set foot on our neck;

we went through fire and water;

then you led us out to freedom.

 

III

13 I will bring burnt offerings to your house;

to you I will fulfill my vows,

14 Which my lips pronounced

and my mouth spoke in my distress.

15 Burnt offerings of fatlings I will offer you

and sacrificial smoke of rams;

I will sacrifice oxen and goats.

Selah

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,

while I recount what has been done for me.

17 I called to him with my mouth;

praise was upon my tongue.

18 Had I cherished evil in my heart,

the Lord would not have heard.

19 But God did hear

and listened to my voice in prayer.

20 Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer

and refuse his mercy.

 

In the first part (v 1-12), the community praises God for powerful acts for Israel, both in the past (the exodus from Egypt and the entry into the land (v 6) and in the present (deliverance from a recent but unspecified calamity (v 8-12). In the second part (v 12-20), an individual from the rescued community fulfills a vow to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. As often in thanksgivings, the rescued person steps forward to teach the community what God has done (v 16-20).