Psalm 66
Thank you, God, for what you did for me
Sing for joy to God
Note to the music leader: This is a song, and a psalm.[1]
1World, wake up and shout for joy,Sing your song to God.
2Praise him for who he is.
And say it with a song.
3Say to God, “You are amazing.
What wonderful things you’ve done.
With power like this, you can be sure
Your enemies will fail and fall.
4This big wide world will worship you
And sing you songs of praise
They’ll thank you for who you are,
For being as good as your good name.”
Instruments[2]
Remember God’s miracles
5Look and see God’s miracles.Humans, stand in awe.
6God turned the seabed dry,
Letting people walk across.[3]
Put that in your party hat
And celebrate him now.
7He’s got the power and he’ll rule forever.
He’s got eyes on the world, too.
So, rebels shouldn’t push him,
And try to put themselves in charge.
Instruments
8Everyone, praise our God.Tell people everywhere.
9He’s the one who gives us life.
And keeps us steady as she goes.
We’ve walked through fire
10You’ve tested our mettle, God,And refined us, much like silver.
11You caught us in a net,
Then loaded burdens on our backs.
12You let people run us over.
We walked through fire and sea.
Yet you got us here, safe and sound,
In a land of many good things.
Sacred barbecue for God
13So I come to your house with gifts,A burnt offering sacrifice.
I promised what I’d give you,
Now I give you what I promised.
14Those were words I spoke
When I was in big trouble.
15So I’m bringing you a barbecue
Of animals fattened for slaughter.
Sheep and bulls and goats,
Laid upon your altar.
Instruments
God didn’t stop loving me
16Everyone gather around,If you respect our God.
Let me tell all of you,
What he has done for me.
17I cried to him for help.
And I thanked him for who he is.
18If I had given any sin
A hideout in my heart,
The Lord would not have answered.
19But God did hear.
And he gave me his attention.
20I thank God and praise him.
He didn’t brush off my prayer.
And he didn’t stop loving me.
Notes
The subtitle wasn’t part of the original psalm.
The word in the original language of Hebrew is selah. Bible scholars haven’t figured out what it means yet, so all we can do is guess. It could mean “pause for effect,” “instrumental interlude,” or “choir singing ‘Amen.’” We’re offering a guess instead of selah. Though selah might be the better way to go because it’s always correct, it’s also always incomprehensible. “Instruments” has a good chance of being wrong, but at least we convey the idea that the Hebrew word behind it probably has something to do with enhancing the song.
Probably a reference to Moses leading the Hebrew ancestors of the Jews out of Egyptian slavery through parted waters of the sea (Exodus 14).
Discussion Questions
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