Psalm 65 5

Psalm 65:5 kjv

By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

Psalm 65:5 nkjv

By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, And of the far-off seas;

Psalm 65:5 niv

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,

Psalm 65:5 esv

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

Psalm 65:5 nlt

You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds,
O God our savior.
You are the hope of everyone on earth,
even those who sail on distant seas.

Psalm 65 verses

Psalm 65 5 Meaning

Psalm 65:5 declares that God answers the prayers and needs of His people through majestic and awe-inspiring acts, which are always consistent with His perfect justice and faithfulness. He is revealed as the sole source of salvation and deliverance for His covenant people, but critically, also as the universal and reliable hope for all peoples across the entire world, even to the remotest regions.

Psalm 65 5 Context

Psalm 65 is a song of praise and thanksgiving, likely intended for public worship. The psalm opens with an acknowledgement of the people's privilege to offer praise to God in Jerusalem and receive answers to their vows (vv. 1-2). It transitions to the theme of God's forgiveness of sin and drawing people near to Him (vv. 3-4), connecting personal cleansing with access to God's presence. Verse 5 acts as a pivotal transition point. It extends the understanding of God's nature and power beyond His gracious acts toward His immediate people in the sanctuary to His mighty, worldwide operations. It praises Him not just for salvation in a national or individual sense but for His universal sovereignty displayed through His awe-inspiring and righteous deeds that encompass all of creation, leading into the final section which praises God as the benevolent provider for the earth's bounty (vv. 9-13). Historically, the psalm may reflect a time of great thanksgiving, perhaps after a period of drought or national deliverance, emphasizing God's control over both spiritual well-being and natural elements.

Psalm 65 5 Word analysis

• By awesome deeds (בְּנוֹרָא֗וֹת, bənorā’ōṯ): From the root meaning "to fear, to dread." These are not merely impressive acts, but actions so grand, powerful, and majestic that they inspire profound reverence and awe, even dread, at the display of God's might. They underscore His uniqueness and unmatched power.
• you answer us (תַעֲנֵ֖נוּ, ta‘ănênū): Refers to God's direct and decisive response to human needs or prayers. The "us" indicates the covenant community, God's chosen people, who receive His personal attention.
• with righteousness (בְּצֶדֶק, bətsedeq): Denotes that God's answers are always just, upright, true to His character, and faithful to His promises. His actions are not arbitrary but stem from His inherent holiness and moral perfection.
• O God of our salvation (אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעֵֽנוּ, ’ĕlōhê yiš‘ēnū): Establishes God as the exclusive source of deliverance, rescue, and ultimate well-being for His people. It signifies His identity as the One who redeems and sustains.
• the hope (מִבְטָ֥ח, mivṭaḥ): More than a mere longing, this term signifies "trust," "confidence," "security," or "refuge." God is the secure ground upon which all hope is reliably built, providing stability and certainty.
• of all the ends of the earth (כָּל־קַצְוֵי־אָ֑רֶץ, kol-qaṣwê-’āreṣ): Literally "all corners of the earth." This phrase emphasizes the universal scope of God's reign and influence, extending to the very furthest points of the habitable world.
• and of the farthest seas (וְיָ֖ם רְחֹקִֽים, wəyām rəחōqîm): Literally "and distant seas." Reinforces the concept of universality. Not just the land, but also the most remote and expansive oceans, are under God's dominion, and even their inhabitants can look to Him as their ultimate trust.

Word-group analysis:

• "By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness": This phrase links God's responsiveness to His inherent character and displays of power. His answers are not weak or fleeting, but are manifestations of His grand, terrifyingly great power and unwavering justice, assuring His people of reliable and just intervention.
• "O God of our salvation": This encapsulates the historical and personal redemptive relationship between God and Israel. He is the deliverer who continually acts for their welfare.
• "the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas": This expands the redemptive and sovereign claims from the national "our salvation" to a universal horizon. It asserts God as the singular, dependable object of trust for all humanity, irrespective of their location, underscoring His unique claim as the only true God.

Psalm 65 5 Bonus section

• Polemics: This verse presents a powerful polemic against the polytheistic and localized deities of the ancient Near East. While other cultures believed in gods tied to specific regions or natural phenomena (like Baal for rain), Psalm 65:5 boldly declares Yahweh as the hope for all the earth and the seas, asserting His universal jurisdiction and incomparable power. His "awesome deeds" surpass any perceived miracles or powers of pagan deities, and His answers are always given "with righteousness," contrasting with the often arbitrary or amoral acts attributed to other gods.
• Expanding Scope: The psalm progresses from specific blessings and atonement within Jerusalem (vv. 1-4) to God's universal governance and power displayed in answering prayers with awesome righteousness (v. 5), then to His global control over nature and providing sustenance for all land (vv. 6-13). Verse 5 is the bridge that magnificently broadens the worshipper's perspective from the localized and particular to the global and cosmic.
• Future fulfillment: The "hope of all the ends of the earth" finds ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament, particularly through the person and work of Jesus Christ, who came to redeem people from "every tribe and language and people and nation" (Rev 5:9), demonstrating that God's salvation and universal hope extend to all who believe.

Psalm 65 5 Commentary

Psalm 65:5 beautifully encapsulates both the particularity of God's covenant with His people and the universality of His reign. God responds to His people's petitions with actions that are profoundly majestic and awe-inspiring, demonstrating His absolute power and sovereign authority over all things. These "awesome deeds" are inherently aligned with His righteousness, signifying that every divine intervention is perfectly just, morally pure, and true to His nature. As the "God of our salvation," He has historically proven Himself as the deliverer of His people from both sin and peril. Yet, the verse culminates in the expansive declaration that this same God is also "the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas." This is a bold claim of global sovereignty, asserting that every nation and person, even those in the most distant and inaccessible regions, has God as their sole, trustworthy, and ultimate basis for security and future expectation. This implicitly challenges any limited, regional, or capricious deities, affirming Yahweh as the one true, universal, and unfailing hope for all creation.