Psalms 65 · Verse 3

Psalms 65:3

Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
Psalms 65:3, King James Version

Psalms 65:3 in other translations

BSBWhen iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.
WEBSins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.
ASVIniquities prevail against me: As for our transgressions, thou wilt forgive them.
YLTMatters of iniquities were mightier than I, Our transgressions--Thou dost cover them.
DARBYIniquities have prevailed against me: our transgressions, thou wilt forgive them.
BBEEvils have overcome us: but as for our sins, you will take them away.
WebsterIniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

What does Psalms 65:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. God's mercy alone delivers us from the burden of iniquities, by purging or expiating by an atonement the transgressions with which we are charged, and which are denoted by-- Iniquities--or, literally, "Words of iniquities."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Iniquities prevail against me - This is no just rendering of the original, דברי עונת גברו מני dibrey avonoth gaberu menni; "iniguitous words have prevailed against me," or, "The words of iniquity are strong against me." All kinds of calumnies, lies, and slanders have been propagated, to shake my confidence, and ruin my credit. Our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away - Whatsoever offenses we have committed against thee, thou wilt pardon; תכפרם tecapperem, thou wilt make atonement for them, when with hearty repentance and true faith we turn unto thee. This verse has been abused to favor Antinomian licentiousness. The true and correct translation of the former clause will prevent this. The old Scottish Version of this verse, in their singing Psalms, is most execrable: - "Iniquities, I must confess, Prevail against me do: And as for our trans-gres-sions Them purge away wilt thou." O David, if thou art capable of hearing such abominable doggerel substituted for the nervous words thou didst compose by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, what must thou feel, if chagrin can affect the inhabitants of heaven!

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…

Read the full comment on Psalms 65:1-5 →

Psalms 65:3 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.

דִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.Reithings ofH1697
עֲ֭וֹנֹת'A.vo.notiniquitiesH5771
גָּ֣בְרוּGa.ve.ruthey are [too] strongH1396
מֶ֑נִּיMe.nifor meH4480
פְּ֝שָׁעֵ֗ינוּpe.sha.'Ei.nutransgressions ourH6588
אַתָּ֥ה'a.TahyouH859
תְכַפְּרֵֽם\׃te.kha.pe.Remyou atone for themH3722

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

Cross references for Psalms 65:3

  • Psalms 38:4

    For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

  • Isaiah 6:7

    And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

  • Psalms 79:9

    Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.

  • 1 John 1:7-9

    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

  • Hebrews 9:14

    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

  • Galatians 5:17

    For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

  • Zechariah 13:1

    In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

  • Revelation 1:5

    And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

  • Psalms 40:12

    For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

  • John 1:29

    The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

  • Psalms 51:2-3

    Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

  • Micah 7:8-9

    Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Iniquities. Heb. Words, or Matters, of Iniquities. prevail.
38:4; 40:12; 2Sa 12:7-13; Mic 7:8,9; Ro 7:23-25; Ga 5:17
transgressions.
51:2,3,7; 79:9; Isa 1:18,19; 6:7; Zec 13:1; Joh 1:29; Heb 9:14
1Jo 1:7-9; Re 1:5

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

Context

  • Psalms 65:2

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

  • Psalms 65:3

    Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

  • Psalms 65:4

    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.

Read all of Psalms 65

Psalms 65:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Palabras de iniquidades me sobrepujaron: mas nuestras rebeliones tú las perdonarás.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ô toi qui écoutes la prière! toute chair viendra à toi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Ungerechtigkeiten haben mich überwältigt; unsere Übertretungen, du wirst sie vergeben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dicite Deo: Quam terribilia sunt opera tua, Domine! in multitudine virtutis tuæ mentientur tibi inimici tui.