Psalms 65
What Happens in This Chapter
This is a song of praise to God in Jerusalem, where the temple stood. It begins with prayer and forgiveness, then remembers how God made the mountains and calms the seas. Most of the song thanks God for rain and a full harvest, with the fields and hills pictured as singing for joy.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
1God, praise is waiting for you in Sion, your city. We will do what we promised you.
Sion is another spelling of Zion. It is the hill in Jerusalem where the temple stood.
2O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
2You are the God who listens to prayer. So people everywhere will come to you.
3Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
3Our sins are too strong for us. But you take our wrongs away.
4Blessed 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.
4Happy is the person you choose and bring close to you. That person gets to stay in the open yards around your house. We will be filled with good things from your house, your holy temple.
5By 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:
5You answer us with great and awesome deeds that are right and fair. God, you are the one who saves us. People all over the earth trust you, even far away across the sea.
6Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:
6You set the mountains firmly in place by your strength. You are wrapped in power like a belt.
7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
7You quiet the roaring of the seas. You quiet their crashing waves. You quiet angry crowds of people too.
8They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.
8People who live in far-off lands are filled with awe at your signs. You make the morning and the evening shout for joy.
9Thou 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.
9You come to the earth and give it water. You make it rich with plenty. God's streams are full of water. You get the ground ready and grow grain for people to eat.
In 1611 English, "corn" meant grain of any kind, like wheat or barley. It did not mean corn on the cob.
10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
10You soak the plowed rows with rain. You smooth out the ridges of dirt. You make the ground soft with showers. You bless the little plants coming up.
11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.
11You crown the year with good gifts. Everywhere you go, rich food spills over.
"Fatness" was an old word for richness. It meant plenty of good food from a big harvest.
12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.
12It drips onto the open grasslands. The little hills are glad all around.
13The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.
13The fields are covered with sheep. The valleys are thick with grain. They shout for joy. They sing.
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