DAWN

     Explanation: In Psalm 65 the Psalmist thanks God for his goodness and mercy, describing it in detail in its spiritual and its physical dimensions. The painting above incorporates themes of sea, harvest, and domestic tranquility which are also found in today's Psalm.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: COMMUNAL PSALMS OF THANKSGIVING: Psalm 65. Psalm 66. Psalm 67. Psalm 75. Psalm 107. Psalm 118. Psalm 124. Psalm 129. Psalm 136. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Psalm 65 - #1. Psalm 65 - #2. Psalm 65 - #3. ]

     David praises God in Zion, the seat of government and worship in Jerusalem; and he promises to fulfill his vows. He states that all men will come to worship God. He expresses his confidence that God will purge away his iniquities and the iniquities of the congregation. He takes note of the blessedness of the one whom God chooses to dwell in his courts. Such people will be satisfied with the goodness of God's house -- the Temple (1-4). God will answer their prayer by fearsome things in his righteousness; he is the confidence of those in the furthermost ends of the earth and upon the sea. He, by his strength, has established the mountains; and he is girded with power. He stills the roaring of the sea and the tumult of the people (5-7). Even those far away from Zion fear the display of his power. And, by contrast, he sends rejoicing in the morning and in the evening. He visits the earth and waters it, enriching it with the river of God. He gives grain. He waters the land with showers and causes growth upon it. At harvest time he crowns the year with goodness; and his paths drop fatness. Pastures and little hills rejoice. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys are covered with grain; and they shout for joy and sing (8-14).

Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion:
and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
² O thou that hearest prayer,
unto thee shall all flesh come.
³ Iniquities prevail against me:
as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
⁴ Blessed is the man whom thou choosest,
and causest to approach unto thee,
that he may dwell in thy courts:
we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house,
even of thy holy temple.
⁵ By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us,
O God of our salvation;
who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
and of them that are afar off upon the sea:
⁶ Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains;
being girded with power:
⁷ Which stilleth the noise of the seas,
the noise of their waves,
and the tumult of the people.

⁸ They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens:
thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.
⁹ Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it:
thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water:
thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.
¹⁰ Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly:
thou settlest the furrows thereof:
thou makest it soft with showers:
thou blessest the springing thereof.
¹¹ Thou crownest the year with thy goodness;
and thy paths drop fatness.
¹² They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness:
and the little hills rejoice on every side.
¹³ The pastures are clothed with flocks;
the valleys also are covered over with corn;
they shout for joy,
they also sing.

* NOTE: On Opening and Closing Comments in the Psalms.
[Some commentators take the Psalm in Habakkuk 3 to be a standard model for the Psalms.
Habakkuk's Psalm begins with the name of the composer (Habakkuk) and a musical notation ("upon Shigionoth").
It closes with a dedication or a "send to" notice ("To the chief singer on my stringed instruments").
I have arranged similar material, where it is found in the Psalter, in accord with the model in Habakkuk.]