Psalms · 20 verses
Psalms 66
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
The ordeal is so severe that men ride over the singers’ heads, while the same God keeps their feet from slipping—a psalm with no interest in tidying the tension.
A summons to the whole earthvv. 1–7
The song opens by putting the entire earth on choir duty: joyful noise, glorious praise, bowing, and a repeated name. Then the congregation points towards the works of God, especially the sea turned into dry land, where the people crossed on foot and rejoiced. His power rules forever, His eyes watch the nations, and the rebellious are given a stern little warning not to make themselves grand.
Through the net and into abundancevv. 8–15
The peoples are summoned to bless God, who preserves life and keeps feet from slipping. Yet the road to that preservation runs through testing: refinement like silver, a net, burdens on backs, men riding over heads, fire, and water. At the far side stands abundance, followed by a promise to enter God’s house with burnt offerings and fulfil vows first spoken in distress. The offering list is impressively well-stocked: fatlings, rams, bulls, and goats.
The private prayer becomes a public accountvv. 16–20
Now the speaker gathers those who fear God and offers the personal story behind the song. The mouth cried out and the tongue praised; the heart did not cherish iniquity, and the prayer was heard. The ending is not a victory speech so much as a careful report of attention received: God did not reject the prayer or withhold loving devotion.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
Ps 66:1For the choirmaster. A song. A Psalm. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth!
Ps 66:2Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.
Ps 66:3Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cower before You.
Ps 66:4All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You; they sing praise to Your name.” Selah
Ps 66:5Come and see the works of God; how awesome are His deeds toward mankind.
Ps 66:6He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.
Ps 66:7He rules forever by His power; His eyes watch the nations. Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
Ps 66:8Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of His praise be heard.
Ps 66:9He preserves our lives and keeps our feet from slipping.
Ps 66:10For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.
Ps 66:11You led us into the net; You laid burdens on our backs.
Ps 66:12You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance.
Ps 66:13I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You—
Ps 66:14the vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke in my distress.
Ps 66:15I will offer You fatlings as burnt offerings, with the fragrant smoke of rams; I will offer bulls and goats. Selah
Ps 66:16Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me.
Ps 66:17I cried out to Him with my mouth and praised Him with my tongue.
Ps 66:18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Ps 66:19But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer.
Ps 66:20Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld from me His loving devotion!
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 208 passages were voted onto 20 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 18John 9:31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
- 18Proverbs 28:9Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
- 18Proverbs 15:29The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
- 18Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
- 18Isaiah 1:15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- 18James 4:3And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
- 11 Chronicles 16:23–24Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation day after day.
- 10Isaiah 48:10See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
- 18Job 27:8–9For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
- 18Proverbs 21:13Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
- 1Psalms 100:1A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
- 12Isaiah 43:1–2But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!
- 19Psalms 116:1–2I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice—my appeal for mercy.
- 3Psalms 18:44When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.
- 9Psalms 121:3He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber.
- 10Psalms 17:3You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.
Onward