Psalm 66:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name." Selah

NIV: All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name."

NASB: All the earth will worship You, And will sing praises to You; They will sing praises to Your name.' Selah

CSB: The whole earth will worship you and sing praise to you. They will sing praise to your name." Selah

NLT: Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.' Interlude

KJV: All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

NKJV: All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah

The psalmist indicates that the whole world worships God and sings praises to Him. This is phrased in the present tense. Of course, when the psalm was written, only Israel consistently worshipped the One True God. To an extent, all worship reflects the sense that God exists and is worthy of praise (John 4:22). More likely is that this verse is looking to the future.

Though nations oppose God's rule now, this situation will be resolved. During the chaotic period following Jesus' removal of the church from the world, a remnant of Jews will believe in Christ. That group will herald the gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 7). At His return to earth Jesus will judge the nations. The nations that rejected the saved Jews' message will be consigned to eternal punishment, but those who accepted their message and believed on Jesus will be accepted into His kingdom (Matthew 25:31–46).

Despite the broad language, these judgments are made at the individual level. Heaven includes ransomed people of God from every tribe, language, people, and nation (Revelation 5:9–10; 7:9; 21:26).

Psalm 66:1–9 opens with a call to praise extended to the entire world. The psalmist declares God's awesome might. He reflects on the Lord's incredible acts of power. Among these are His provision for Israel's safe passage through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–22). God is watching the whole earth; no one should arrogantly think they can defy Him. God's people should be particularly worshipful for the ways God has preserved them.

This psalm appeals to the entire world to worship the Lord. His great works, such as giving Israel safe passage through the Red Sea, should be praised. Because God watches the world, no one should presume they can rebel without consequences. God tested Israel heavily but brought the nation to an abundant place. The psalmist declares that he will fulfill his vows and offer sacrifices, because God answered his prayer. Verses 1–9 speak to the nations of earth; verses 10–15 are spoken to God; verses 16–20 are addressed to the congregation.

This is a psalm of thanksgiving, but the occasion that prompted it is unknown. It may have been written after the Lord defeated the Assyrians (Isaiah 36—37). Another possibility is that it was recorded following the return from Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:2–3).

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.