Psalms 65 · Verse 12

Psalms 65:12

They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.
Psalms 65:12, King James Version

Psalms 65:12 in other translations

BSBThe pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills are robed with joy.
WEBThe wilderness grasslands overflow. The hills are clothed with gladness.
ASVThey drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; And the hills are girded with joy.
YLTDrop do the pastures of a wilderness, And joy of the heights Thou girdest on.
DARBYThey drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the hills are girded with gladness.
BBEFalling on the grass of the waste land: and the little hills are glad on every side.
WebsterThey drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

What does Psalms 65:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 65:6-13

6-13. God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Psa 26:7; 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.

Read the full comment on Psalms 65:6-13 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 The pastures of the wilderness - Even the places which are not cultivated have their suffiency of moisture, so as to render them proper places of pasturage for cattle. The terms wilderness and desert, in the Sacred Writings, mean, in general, places not inhabited and uncultivated, though abounding with timber, bushes, and herbage. The little hills rejoice - Literally, The hills gird themselves with exultation. The metaphor appears to be taken from the frisking of lambs, bounding of kids, and dancing of shepherds and shepherdesses, in the joy-inspiring summer season.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 65:6-13

That Almighty strength which sets fast the mountains, upholds the believer. That word which stills the stormy ocean, and speaks it into a calm, can silence our enemies. How contrary soever light and darkness are to each other, it is hard to say which is most welcome. Does the watchman wait for the morning? so does the labourer earnestly desire the shades of evening. Some understand it of the morning and evening…

Read the full comment on Psalms 65:6-13 →

Psalms 65:12 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.

יִ֭רְעֲפוּYir.'a.futhey dripH7491
נְא֣וֹתne.'ot[the] pastures ofH4999
מִדְבָּ֑רmid.Bar[the] wildernessH4057
וְ֝גִ֗ילve.Giland rejoicingH1524
גְּבָע֥וֹתge.va.'ot[the] hillsH1389
תַּחְגֹּֽרְנָה\׃tach.Go.re.nahthey gird onH2296

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

Cross references for Psalms 65:12

  • Job 38:26-27

    To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

  • Psalms 104:10-13

    He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

  • Joel 2:22

    Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

  • Isaiah 61:10-11

    I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

  • Psalms 65:6

    Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:

  • Isaiah 55:9-13

    For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
drop.
104:10-13; Job 38:26,27
rejoice. Heb. are girded with joy.
6; Isa 55:9-13; 61:10,11

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

Context

  • Psalms 65:11

    Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.

  • Psalms 65:12

    They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

  • Psalms 65:13

    The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Read all of Psalms 65

Psalms 65:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Destilan sobre las estancias del desierto; y los collados se ciñen de alegría.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tu couronnes l’année de ta bonté, et tes sentiers distillent la graisse.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es triefen die Auen der Steppe, und mit Jubel umgürten sich die Hügel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		imposuisti homines super capita nostra. Transivimus per ignem et aquam, et eduxisti nos in refrigerium.