Psalms
Chapter 66
1
1 For the leader. A song; a psalm.
2
Shout joyfully to God, all you on 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 on earth fall in worship before you; they sing of you, sing of your name!" Selah
5
2 Come and see the works of God, awesome in the deeds done for us.
6
He changed the sea to dry land; through the river they passed on foot. Therefore let us rejoice in him,
7
who rules by might forever, Whose 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
3 You let captors set foot on our neck; we went through fire and water; then you led us out to freedom.
13
4 I will bring holocausts to your house; to you I will fulfill my vows,
14
The vows my lips pronounced and my mouth spoke in distress.
15
Holocausts of fatlings I will offer you and burnt offerings 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 the Lord 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 refuse me the kindness I sought in prayer.
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Footnotes

1 [Psalm 66] In the first part (Psalm 66:1-12), the community praises God for powerful acts for Israel, both in the past (the exodus from Egypt and the entry into the land [Psalm 66:6]) and in the present (deliverance from a recent but unspecified calamity [Psalm 8-12]). In the second part (Psalm 66:13-20), 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 (Psalm 66:16-20).

2 [5-6] Cf the events described in Exodus 14:1-15, 21; Joshua 3:11-4:24 and Psalm 114.

3 [12] You let captors set foot on our neck: literally, "you let men mount our head." Conquerors placed their feet on the neck of their enemies as a sign of complete defeat. Cf Joshua 10:24. A ceremonial footstool of the Egyptian king Tutankhamen portrays bound and prostrate bodies of enemies ready for the king's feet on their heads, and one of Tutankhamen's ceremonial chariots depicts the king as a sphinx standing with paw atop the neck of an enemy.

4 [13] Holocausts: wholly burnt offerings. Cf Lev 1:3-13; 6:1-4; 22:17-20.


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