Psalm 65[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.

Praise awaits[b] you, our God, in Zion;(A)
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.(B)
You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.(C)
When we were overwhelmed by sins,(D)
    you forgave[c] our transgressions.(E)
Blessed are those you choose(F)
    and bring near(G) to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,(H)
    of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,(I)
    God our Savior,(J)
the hope of all the ends of the earth(K)
    and of the farthest seas,(L)
who formed the mountains(M) by your power,
    having armed yourself with strength,(N)
who stilled the roaring of the seas,(O)
    the roaring of their waves,
    and the turmoil of the nations.(P)
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
    where morning dawns, where evening fades,
    you call forth songs of joy.(Q)

You care for the land and water it;(R)
    you enrich it abundantly.(S)
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,(T)
    for so you have ordained it.[d]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers(U) and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,(V)
    and your carts overflow with abundance.(W)
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;(X)
    the hills are clothed with gladness.(Y)
13 The meadows are covered with flocks(Z)
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;(AA)
    they shout for joy and sing.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 65:1 In Hebrew texts 65:1-13 is numbered 65:2-14.
  2. Psalm 65:1 Or befits; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. Psalm 65:3 Or made atonement for
  4. Psalm 65:9 Or for that is how you prepare the land

65 Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.

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

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

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.

By 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:

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

Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

Thou 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.

10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

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

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

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

Rend Your Heart

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return(A) to me with all your heart,(B)
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart(C)
    and not your garments.(D)
Return(E) to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,(F)
slow to anger and abounding in love,(G)
    and he relents from sending calamity.(H)
14 Who knows? He may turn(I) and relent(J)
    and leave behind a blessing(K)
grain offerings and drink offerings(L)
    for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet(M) in Zion,(N)
    declare a holy fast,(O)
    call a sacred assembly.(P)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate(Q) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(R)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(S) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(T) before the Lord,
    weep(U) between the portico and the altar.(V)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(W)
    a byword(X) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?(Y)’”

The Lord’s Answer

18 Then the Lord was jealous(Z) for his land
    and took pity(AA) on his people.

19 The Lord replied[a] to them:

“I am sending you grain, new wine(AB) and olive oil,(AC)
    enough to satisfy you fully;(AD)
never again will I make you
    an object of scorn(AE) to the nations.

20 “I will drive the northern horde(AF) far from you,
    pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
    and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench(AG) will go up;
    its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!
21     Do not be afraid,(AH) land of Judah;
    be glad and rejoice.(AI)
Surely the Lord has done great things!(AJ)
22     Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
    for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.(AK)
The trees are bearing their fruit;
    the fig tree(AL) and the vine(AM) yield their riches.(AN)

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:19 Or Lord will be jealous … / and take pity … / 19 The Lord will reply

12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

19 Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.

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.

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Mary’s Song(A)

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord(B)
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(C)
48 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.(D)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(E)
49     for the Mighty One has done great things(F) for me—
    holy is his name.(G)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.(H)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(I)
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(J)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.(K)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(L)
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful(M)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(N) forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

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46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

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