Psalm 65:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;

NIV: who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength,

NASB: Who establishes the mountains by His strength, Who is encircled with might;

CSB: You establish the mountains by your power; you are robed with strength.

NLT: You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength.

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

NKJV: Who established the mountains by His strength, Being clothed with power;

"Special revelation," such as inspired Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) or miracles (Psalm 65:5) are means the Lord uses to teach mankind about His character. "Natural revelation," or "general revelation," is the way in which God demonstrates His existence to all people (Romans 1:18–20; Psalm 19:1), on a wide scale. Here, David points to some of the Lord's incredible creations in nature as evidence of His power. Mountains are a common symbol of strength, stability, permanence, and power. To be "girded" in something is to be dressed in it, or to equip it.

Psalm 148 calls upon all creation to praise the Lord. Included in this crescendo of praise are mountains and all the hills (Psalm 148:9). As people gaze on the mountains, they are rightly impressed with their firmness and towering strength. Yet mankind ought to look beyond the mountains to the God who created them. The writer of Psalm 121 looks towards mountains—a place where one might build a fortress or stage reinforcements in battle—but doesn't stop there when looking for his ultimate help (Psalm 121:1). Rather, he trusts in the One powerful enough to make those very mountains (Psalm 121:2). Believers ought to be inspired by knowing that strong mountains were formed by an even stronger Creator. He is powerful enough to lift a believer's burdens, enable us to perform His will, and escort us safely to heaven (Psalm 18:32; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 13:20–21).

David begins by anticipating praise to the Lord, expecting that He will bring atonement, fellowship, and blessing. The psalm mentions God's miraculous examples before referring to various natural examples of His provision. These benefits are both visible and available to all people of the world.

Psalms 65—68 express praise to the Lord using frequent references to nature and harvest. Only this and psalm 68 are explicitly credited to David. This song also thanks God for His kindness to His people; it encourages worshipers to offer thanksgiving. The song might have been meant to celebrate an especially abundant harvest.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.