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# Psalm 65
## Thanksgiving for God’s Blessings
1 For the leader. A psalm of David. A song. ^psalm-65-1
### I
2 To you we owe our hymn of praise, ^psalm-65-2
O God on Zion;
To you our vows must be fulfilled,
3 you who hear our prayers. ^psalm-65-3
To you all flesh must come
4 with its burden of wicked deeds. ^psalm-65-4
We are overcome by our sins;
only you can pardon them.
5 Blessed the one whom you will choose and bring ^psalm-65-5
to dwell in your courts.
May we be filled with the good things of your house,
your holy temple!
### II
6 You answer us with awesome deeds of justice, ^psalm-65-6
O God our savior,
The hope of all the ends of the earth
and of those far off across the sea.
7 You are robed in power, ^psalm-65-7
you set up the mountains by your might.
8 You still the roaring of the seas, ^psalm-65-8
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples.
9 Distant peoples stand in awe of your marvels; ^psalm-65-9
the places of morning and evening you make resound with joy.
10 You visit the earth and water it, ^psalm-65-10
make it abundantly fertile.
God’s stream is filled with water;
you supply their grain.
Thus do you prepare it:
11 you drench its plowed furrows, ^psalm-65-11
and level its ridges.
With showers you keep it soft,
blessing its young sprouts.
12 You adorn the year with your bounty; ^psalm-65-12
your paths drip with fruitful rain.
13 The meadows of the wilderness also drip; ^psalm-65-13
the hills are robed with joy.
14 The pastures are clothed with flocks, ^psalm-65-14
the valleys blanketed with grain;
they cheer and sing for joy.
\* (Psalm 65) The community, aware of its unworthiness ([Ps 65:3] – [4]), gives thanks for divine bounty ([Ps 65:5]), a bounty resulting from God’s creation victory ([Ps 65:6] – [9]). At God’s touch the earth comes alive with vegetation and flocks ([Ps 65:10] – [13]).
\* (65:2) Vows: the Israelites were accustomed to promising sacrifices in the Temple if their prayers were heard.
\* (65:3) To you all flesh must come: all must have recourse to God’s mercy.
\* (65:6) Awesome deeds: the acts of creating—installing mountains, taming seas, restraining nations ([Ps 65:7] – [8])—that are visible worldwide ([Ps 65:6], [9]).
\* (65:10] – [14) Apparently a description of the agricultural year, beginning with the first fall rains that soften the hard sun-baked soil ([Ps 65:9] – [10]).
\* (65:10) God’s stream: the fertile waters of the earth derive from God’s fertile waters in the heavenly world.
\* (65:12) Paths: probably the tracks of God’s storm chariot dropping rain upon earth.
a. (65:3) [Is 66:23].
b. (65:4) [Ps 32:1] – [2]; [78:38]; [Is 1:18].
c. (65:6) [Is 66:19].
d. (65:8) [Ps 89:10]; [107:29]; [Jb 38:11]; ([[matthew-08|Mt 8]]:26].
e. (65:8) [[isaiah-17|Is 17]]:12.
f. (65:10) [Lv 26:4]; [Is 30:23], [25]; [Jl 2:22] – [23].
g. (65:14) [Is 44:23].
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_New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C.
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