1.
Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
Title. Song. Hebrew. shir . See App-65 .
Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. See App-65 .
ye lands = the earth; earth being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for its inhabitants.
2.
Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
Make His praise glorious. Aram, and Syriac read "Celebrate the glory of His praise".
3.
Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
4.
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
the earth. See note on "ye lands", Psalms 66:1 .
sing = sing psalms.
Selah. Marking the Structure by showing that (verses: Psalms 66:5-7 ) corresponds with (Psalms 66:16 ); and connecting the exhortation of verses: Psalms 66:1-4 with the reason for it in Psalms 66:5 . See App-66 .
5.
Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
Come and see. Note the correspondence of Psalms 66:16 , "Come and hear".
children = sons.
men. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
6.
He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
the sea: i.e. the Red Sea.
the flood: i.e. the river Jordan.
7.
He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
Selah. Repeating the exhortation to praise, and connecting the two halves of the Psalm. ( App-66 .)
8.
O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
our God. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Aramaean, and Syriac, omit "our".
people = peoples.
9.
Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
our soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 . Some codices, with seven early printed editions, read plural
feet. So some codices, with three early printed editions; others read "foot".
10.
For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
11.
Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
affliction = a heavy burden: i.e. in Egypt. Hebrew. mu'akah. Occurs only here.
12.
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
hast caused = didst cause.
men. Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 .
our heads = us. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part).
heads. So some codices, with three early printed editions, Septuagint, and Vulgate; other codices read "head".
wealthy place. Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulg, read "freedom". Compare Psalms 18:19 .
13.
I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
14.
Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
Which. Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ) = "which [vows]".
uttered = opened. Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ) = "opened [and vowed]".
15.
I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
offer = prepare. Hebrew. 'asah. App-43 .
Selah. Connecting verses: Psalms 66:5-7 and Psalms 66:16 . See note on Psalms 66:4 , and App-66 .
16.
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
my soul = me (emph.) Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
17.
I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
iniquity. Hebrew. 'aven. App-44 .
The LORD*. One of the 134 places where the Sopherim say they altered Jehovah to Adonai. App-32 .
hear = answer.
19.
But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20.
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
turned away = turned away [from Himself]. Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6 .
mercy = lovingkindness, or grace.
To the chief Musician. See App-64 .
on = relating to.
Neginoth = smitings: i.e. the smitings of Israel's enemies by God. See App-65 .