Split the Ears with Sound- Shout for Joy! Reflections on Psalm 66

I love the tradition of reading the "Psalms of the day." It's a system that enables one to read through the whole book of Psalms in a one-month period. I don't always do such a good job of reading all my Psalms for the day; sometimes I read only several, only one, or none at all. 

The Psalms for today were 6, 36, 66, 96 and 126 (see a pattern there?). I only got in 6, 26 and 66 this morning; 66 was so good I thought I'd share some of it here, along with literal Hebrew translations for a few key words (anyone else love looking up key words in the original Hebrew and Greek?). :)

Psalm 66  

(omitting verses 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, & 17) 

 

1. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 
 Hebrew: To split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm or joy).  (Wow!!)

2. Sing forth the honor of His name: make His praise (Hebr."a hymn") glorious. 
 Hebrew: ...to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music.  (Woohoo! Love it!)

4. All the earth shall worship Thee, and shall sing unto Thee; they shall sing to Thy name. Selah.

5. Come and see the works of God: He is terrible in His doing toward the children of men.

6. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in Him.

7. He ruleth by His power forever; His eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
 Hebrew: A foreign nation...also (fig.) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts.

8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard:
 Hebrew: to kneel; ...to bless God (as an act of adoration)...
(Interesting note- the Hebrew word for "Bless" is "Barak.") :-o

9. Which holdeth (Hebr."to put") our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
 Hebrew: a breathing creature, i.e...vitality...
 Hebrew: alive...fresh (plant, water, year), strong;...
So basically, the Lord puts our breath, or our vitality, in strength and freshness. (?) Or keeps our vitality strong and alive.

12. ...we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy (Hebr. "moist") place.
 
16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul. 
 Hebrew: to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. to inscribe, and also to enumerate;...to recount, i.e. celebrate. 

18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
 Hebrew: to pant (hence to exert oneself, usually in vain; to come to naught); strictly nothingness; also trouble, vanity, wickedness; spec. an idol.

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.

 
Wow. There is sooo much there- I feel like I'm only scratching the surface. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgements, and His ways past finding out!" Rom. 11:33

The beginning and the end are my favorite places. Tell me what stood out to you the most. What inspired or blessed you? What especially intrigued you? Convicted you? "Wowed" you? Humbled you? Invigorated you? Made an impression?