Psalm 65:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,

NIV: who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.

NASB: Who stills the roaring of the seas, The roaring of their waves, And the turmoil of the nations.

CSB: You silence the roar of the seas, the roar of their waves, and the tumult of the nations.

NLT: You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations.

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

NKJV: You who still the noise of the seas, The noise of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.

David continues to describe God's might using examples from the environment. Oceans and seas are among the earth's most obvious examples of the power of nature. Mountains are symbolic of power and stability, implying that the power of their Creator is even greater (Psalm 65:6). Massive bodies of water move and change beyond human control. God's ability to regulate the awesome power of the ocean implies His omnipotence. The raging of human nations, often against God or against His people, is sometimes compared to stormy seas and waves (Isaiah 17:12). Ultimately, these rebelling nations will be defeated and made silent (Isaiah 17:13).

Jesus, by whom everything was made (John 1:3), demonstrated His power to quiet the raging waves on the Sea of Galilee. One evening, after a long day of ministry, Jesus was asleep in a boat. Suddenly a great windstorm arose and the waves started to fill the boat. The terrified disciples, who were also in the boat, thought they would die. They awoke Jesus. He then commanded the wind and waters to be still. At His order, the wind ceased and a great calm followed (Mark 4:35–41).

Psalm 65:5–8 describes how God gives Gentile nations witness to His existence and power. He is the hope of all the nations, not merely a benefactor to Israel. The signs mentioned in this passage are part of what is known as natural revelation (Romans 1:18–20; Psalm 19:1).

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.