Psalms 65 · Verse 1

Psalms 65:1

To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
Psalms 65:1, King James Version

Psalms 65:1 in other translations

BSBFor the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A song. Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion; to You our vows will be fulfilled.
WEBFor the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. Praise waits for you, God, in Zion. Vows shall be performed to you.
ASVFor the Chief Musician. A Psalm. A Song of David. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion; And unto thee shall the vow be performed.
YLTTo the Overseer. --A Psalm of David. A Song. To Thee, silence--praise, O God, is in Zion, And to Thee is a vow completed.
DARBYTo the chief Musician. A Psalm of David: a Song. Praise waiteth for thee in silence, OGod, in Zion; and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
BBEIt is right for you, O God, to have praise in Zion: to you let the offering be made.
WebsterTo the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion: and to thee shall the vow be performed.

What does Psalms 65:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Psa 65:1-13. This is a song of praise for God's spiritual blessings to His people and His kind providence over all the earth.

1. Praise waiteth for thee--literally, "To Thee silence praise," or (compare Psa 62:1), To Thee silence is praise--that is, Praise is waiting as a servant; it is due to Thee. So the last clause expresses the duty of paying vows. These two parts of acceptable worship, mentioned in Psa 50:14, are rendered in Zion, where God chiefly displays His mercy and receives homage.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

God is praised for the fullilment of his promises, and for his mercy in forgiving sins, Psa 65:1-3. He is praised for the wonders that he works in nature, which all mankind must acknowledge, Psa 65:4-8; for the fertilizing showers which he sends upon the earth, and the abundance thereby produced both for men and cattle, Psa 65:9-13. The title, "To the chief Musician or conqueror, a Psalm and Song of David." So the Hebrew; and, in effect, the Chaldee, Ethiopic, and best copies of the Septuagint. The Arabic has, "A Psalm of David concerning the transmigration of the people." The Vulgate is singular: "A Psalm of David. A hymn of Jeremiah and Ezekiel for the people of the transmigration, when they began to go out," from Babylon, understood. This title is of no authority; it neither accords with the subject of the Psalm, nor with the truth of history. Calmet has very properly remarked that Jeremiah and Ezekiel were never found together, to compose this Psalm, neither before at, nor after the captivity. It should therefore be utterly rejected. In the Complutensian edition Haggai is added to Jeremiah and Ezekiel, all with equal propriety. It is supposed to have been written after a great drought, when God had sent a plentiful rain on the land. I rather think that there was no direct drought or rain in the prophet's view, but a celebration of the praises of God for his giving rain and fruitful seasons, and filling men's mouths with food, and their hearts with gladness. There is a particular providence manifested in the quantity of rain that falls upon the earth, which can neither be too much admired nor praised. Verse 1 Praise waiteth for thee - Praise is silent or dumb for thee. Thou alone art worthy of praise; all other perfections are lost in thine; and he who considers thee aright can have no other subject of adoration. Unto thee shall the vow be performed - All offerings and sacrifices should be made to thee. All human spirits are under obligation to live to and serve thee. All Jews and Christians, by circumcision and baptism, belong to thee; and they are all bound to pay the vow of their respective covenants to thee alone; and the spirit of this vow is, to love thee with all their powers and to serve thee with a perfect heart and willing mind, all the days of their life.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 65:1-5
All the praise the Lord receives from this earth is from Zion, being the fruit of the Spirit of Christ, and acceptable through him. Praise is silent unto thee, as wanting words to express the great goodness of God. He reveals himself upon a mercy-seat, ready to hear and answer the prayers of all who come unto him by faith in Jesus Christ. Our sins prevail against us; we cannot pretend to balance them with any righteousness of our own: yet, as for our transgressions, of thine own free mercy, and for the sake of a righteousness of thine own providing, we shall not come into condemnation for them. Observe what it is to come into communion with God in order to blessedness. It is to converse with him as one we love and value; it is to apply ourselves closely to religion as to the business of our dwelling-place. Observe how we come into communion with God; only by God's free choice. There is abundance of goodness in God's house, and what is satisfying to the soul; there is enough for all, enough for each: it is always ready; and all without money and without price. By faith and prayer we may keep up communion with God, and bring in comfort from him, wherever we are. But it is only through that blessed One, who approaches the Father as our Advocate and Surety, that sinners may expect or can find this happiness.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 65:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לְךָ֤le.Khato <the> you
דֻֽמִיָּ֬הdu.mi.YahsilenceH1747
תְהִלָּ֓הte.hi.Lah[is] praiseH8416
אֱלֹ֘הִ֥ים'E.lo.HimO GodH430
בְּצִיּ֑וֹןbe.tzi.Yonin ZionH6726
וּ֝לְךָ֗u.le.khaand to <the> you
יְשֻׁלַּם\־ye.shu.lam-it will be paidH7999
נֶֽדֶר\׃Ne.dera vowH5088

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 65:1

  • Psalms 62:1

    To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

  • Psalms 76:11

    Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

  • Psalms 116:17-18

    I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people,

  • Psalms 21:13

    Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

  • 1 Chronicles 25:1-31

    Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was: Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king. Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord. Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti–ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth: …

  • Psalms 56:12

    Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

  • 1 Chronicles 16:41-42

    And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever; And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.

  • Psalms 76:2

    In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:7

    And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David.

  • Psalms 78:68-69

    But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

  • 1 Chronicles 15:29

    And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

  • Psalms 115:1-2

    Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David praises God for his grace.
4 The blessedness of God's chosen by reason of benefits.

Praise.
21:13; 115:1,2
waiteth. Heb. is silent.
62:1
in Sion.
76:2; 78:68,69; 1Ch 11:7; 15:29; 16:41,42; 25:1-31; Re 14:1-3
unto.
56:12; 76:11; 116:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 65:1

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.

  • Psalms 65:2

    O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Read all of Psalms 65

Psalms 65:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Al Músico principal: Salmo: Cántico de David. A TI es plácida la alabanza en Sión, oh Dios: y á ti se pagarán los votos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Au chef de musique. Psaume de David. Cantique.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Deiner harrt schweigend der Lobgesang, o Gott, in Zion, und dir wird bezahlt werden das Gelübde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In finem. Canticum psalmi resurrectionis. Jubilate Deo, omnis terra;