Heading.
‘For the Chief Musician. A Psalm. A Song of David.'
The heading is brief noting the regular dedication to the Chief Musician. It is described both as a Psalm, and as a song of David. ‘Song' is the more ancient term and refers to a song intended to be sung at public worship. This double ascription occurs also in the three Psalms which follow. (The two following Psalms have no ascription to David confirming that the words ‘of David' were not included casually, otherwise they would have been added to those Psalms. This supports the idea that where Psalms are ascribed to David this should be taken seriously, indicating Davidic connection, even if not Davidic authorship).
The Psalm does not appear to have arisen out of any particular situation in life, but rather appears to be a Psalm celebrating the fruitfulness of the expected harvest (Psalms 65:9-13). This may suggest that it was written to celebrate the gathering of the firstfruits at the Passover (Leviticus 18:10-14). That it is a Festal Psalm (Psalm to be sung at one of the great feasts) is suggested by Psalms 65:4.
However, some see in it an indication that God has recently given His people a great deliverance so that they are now at peace (Psalms 65:5-8) and anticipating an abundant harvest (Psalms 65:9-13). If so, this could have been celebrating any one of David's great victories, through which he brought Israel into a settled peace. Continuing peace would then introduce good harvests as men were able to give their whole time to the land.
The Psalm divides naturally into three parts:
1) The Psalmist Informs God That His People Have Gathered to Bring Him Praise And Perform Their Vows, And, Admitting Their Sinfulness, He Expresses Their Confidence In God's Forgiveness, A Forgiveness Which Will Enable Them To Approach God And Spend Time Before Him In His Courts (Psalms 65:1-4).
2) Having Approached God In A Personal Way David Now Gives A Description Of His Mighty Power Exercised Over All Creation, And Over All Peoples. He Emphasises The Fact That God's People Are Safe Under God's Protection Whether The Threat Comes From Land Or Sea (Psalms 65:5-8).
3) As Well As Exercising Iron Control The Almighty Creator Also Makes Full Provision For The Needs Of His Creation Making The Fields And Pasturelands Blossom And Flourish (Psalms 65:9-13).
1). The Psalmist Informs God That His People Have Gathered to Bring Him Praise And Perform Their Vows, And, Admitting Their Sinfulness, He Expresses Their Confidence In God's Forgiveness, A Forgiveness Which Will Enable Them To Approach God And Spend Time Before Him In His Courts (Psalms 65:1-4).
‘Praise waits for you, O God, in Zion,
And to you will the vow be performed.'
On this translation the Psalmist (and the singers) assure God that the people have gathered in Jerusalem to praise Him, and that each will perform his vow to God. The feasts would be a time of great vow making as the people sought to set their hearts, and themselves, right with God.
But the initial words are literally, ‘praise is silent for you'. This may suggest:
o The silence of expectation before their praise begins as they gather in His house, which is then seen as resulting, having performed their vows (Psalms 65:1), which would include offerings and sacrifices, and consequently the receiving of forgiveness where their hearts were true (Psalms 65:2), in all the people coming to Him in praise
o Praising in the silence of their hearts as they wait reverently before Him.
o The congregation approaching in silence because of their awareness of their sinfulness, resulting in the fulfilling of their vows, and their consequent forgiveness, which then results in praise as they all come to Him.
It is a reminder that worship should not be taken lightly. We do not just sweep into His presence and commence worship. We need first of all to reverently consider the state of our hearts before Him, setting right in our hearts any wrong done. It is then that we can obtain forgiveness and enter His presence in praise with the assurance that our praise is acceptable.
Some would revocalise the consonants and translate as ‘praise is seemly for you, O God, in Zion' (as LXX). It is certainly true that it is seemly for us to praise Him, and that He is worthy of such praise.
‘O you who hear prayer,
To you will all flesh come.'
He addresses God as ‘the hearer of prayer'. This is why they have such confidence in their approach, and such a certainty that He will listen to them. And it is as such that to Him will the whole of His people come, as they gather for the feast. The mention of ‘all flesh' may well have in mind the coming expected Davidic kingdom (Psalms 2:8) when all nations would be called on to worship the God of David (compare Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4.
‘Matters of iniquities prevail against me,
As for our transgressions, you will forgive (atone for) them.'
He does not see himself and God's people as approaching God lightly. He is deeply aware of his own sin and failures, and how they have control over his life, and the same applies to the people. He recognises that sin regularly overcomes him in its various forms. But he declares to God his confidence, and the confidence of His people, that He will forgive their transgressions. The YOU is emphatic. It recognises that YHWH is basically a forgiving God. The whole sentence imbues the certainty of God's forgiveness.
Thus the people come with dedication in anticipation of forgiveness, sure that God will welcome them as they come to worship Him in His place of worship.
It is an open question as to whether the ‘me' refers to the Psalmist himself, or to Israel as a whole speaking as one. Such changes from the singular to the plural when the people as a whole are speaking occur regularly elsewhere. See, for example, Numbers 21:21-22.
The word translated forgive regularly means ‘to make atonement for'. God cannot just overlook sin. Atonement has to be made. This would be accomplished in those days by the offering of God-provided offerings and sacrifices. Today we can come through the One Who made full atonement for us at the cross. That is why forgiveness is so freely available, and so certain if we come in true repentance.
‘Blessed is the man whom you choose,
And cause to approach to you,
That he may dwell in your courts.'
We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
The holy place of your temple.'
In consequence the state of those who seek Him truly are ‘blessed' (compare Psalms 1:1). They are happy and content as God acts in goodness towards them. For it is God Who has chosen them (see Exodus 19:5-6), and caused them to approach Him so that they can dwell in His courts and be content in His presence. And as a result they will be fully satisfied with what they enjoy in His house, in the holy place of His Temple which exudes goodness.
So David makes clear that men come to God because God chooses them and works in their hearts, which is why they can be sure of a welcome. He had no illusions about the sinfulness of men, nor doubts about God's willingness to forgive, and to pour blessing on, those who sought Him.
The mention of ‘the Temple' may be an updating, but in fact the Tabernacle was also spoken of as ‘the Temple' (e.g. 1 Samuel 1:9; 1 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 22:7), so that David may well have spoken of it as God's ‘holy temple'.
Whilst Israel were well aware that “even the heaven of heavens cannot contain you” (1 Kings 8:27), they were also aware that God had chosen His Tabernacle/Temple to be the place where He dwelt invisibly on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. That is why they could lift up their voices to God anywhere on earth, but regularly assembled to worship at the Tabernacle/Temple. But notice in 1 Kings 8 that whilst the people ‘prayed towards this place' (1 Kings 8:29), God ‘heard in heaven' (1 Kings 8:30; 1 Kings 8:32, etc). They did not see God as limited to His Temple.