Psalm 66 19

Psalm 66:19 kjv

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalm 66:19 nkjv

But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalm 66:19 niv

but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.

Psalm 66:19 esv

But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalm 66:19 nlt

But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.

Psalm 66 verses

Psalm 66 19 Meaning

Psalm 66:19 is a declarative statement of confident assurance and grateful testimony. It expresses the psalmist's firm conviction that God has not only listened to his prayer but has actively given ear and attended to it. This verse concludes a personal testimony within a broader song of praise, affirming the intimate and responsive nature of the Living God in contrast to silent idols. The psalmist acknowledges God's faithful action as the very reason for his thanksgiving and worship.

Psalm 66 19 Context

Psalm 66 is a psalm of communal and personal thanksgiving. The opening verses (1-7) are a universal call to worship God for His awesome and powerful deeds in history, particularly His deliverance of Israel from the Exodus through the Red Sea. Verses 8-12 recount Israel's experience of refining trials and God's sustaining hand through them. This corporate praise then transitions to a personal testimony of deliverance from a significant crisis (verses 13-20). The psalmist recounts fulfilling vows made in distress (verses 13-15) and invites others to hear his personal story of God's intervention (verse 16). Critically, Psalm 66:18 states a conditional principle: "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." Verse 19 follows directly from this, affirming that because no iniquity was cherished, God did listen and attend. This makes verse 19 the climactic declaration, the reason for the entire preceding personal thanksgiving and vow fulfillment. It highlights God's righteous character and His active involvement in the lives of His people.

Psalm 66 19 Word analysis

• But (אַךְ - ʾakh): This particle serves as a strong adversative or emphatic affirmation. Here, it contrasts with the previous verse's conditional statement (v. 18) implying "because I did not cherish iniquity, but indeed..." It introduces a confident declaration of fact, underscoring the certainty of what follows. It can also imply "only," signaling that the subsequent truth is the sole reason for the psalmist's deliverance.

• God (אֱלֹהִים - ʾElohim): The majestic plural noun for God, emphasizing His supreme power, creativity, and ultimate authority. It presents Him as the Creator and Ruler of the universe, who is nonetheless intimately involved and responsive to His people.

• has surely heard (שָׁמַע אָכֵן - shamaʿ ʾakhen):

  • heard (שָׁמַע - shamaʿ): This is the common Hebrew verb for "to hear." In this context, it signifies attentive listening, not just passive reception of sound, but active perception that often implies a readiness to respond or obey. It is in the perfect tense, denoting a completed action with continuing results, a firm reality for the psalmist.
  • surely (אָכֵן - ʾakhen): An adverb meaning "surely," "truly," "indeed." It emphasizes and confirms the truth of the verb shamaʿ, adding a layer of unwavering certainty to God's act of hearing. This reinforces the psalmist's conviction.

• me (לִי - li): A prepositional suffix meaning "to me" or "for me." This is personal, direct, and intimate. God's hearing was specifically directed at the psalmist, highlighting the individual nature of God's care.

• He has attended (הִקְשִׁיב - hiqshiyv): This verb is the Hiphil stem of qashab, meaning "to give ear," "to heed," "to pay attention." While shamaʿ can simply mean to hear, hiqshiyv implies a more deliberate, active, and intent listening. It signifies God bending His ear, fully focusing on the prayer, showing genuine concern and readiness to act. This parallelism amplifies the idea of God's thorough engagement.

• to the voice (בְּקוֹל - beqol): Literally "with/in the voice" or "to the sound of." Qol can mean voice, sound, or noise. Here it points to the vocal aspect of prayer, perhaps uttered aloud, or representing a fervent and clear communication directed towards God. It emphasizes that the prayer was clearly communicated and distinctly perceived by God.

• of my prayer (תְּפִלָּתִי - tefillati): Refers to a specific, intentional act of communication with God. The suffix "-i" means "my," making it intensely personal. This isn't just a cry, but a structured or sincere request, an act of communion or petition.

• "But God has surely heard me": This phrase introduces the resolution and reason for thanksgiving. It directly counters any doubt or previous condition, declaring a settled fact. The "surely heard" combination (shamaʿ ʾakhen) powerfully asserts the certainty of God's hearing, leaving no room for question. The personal pronoun "me" highlights God's specific attention to the individual.

• "He has attended to the voice of my prayer": This phrase elaborates on "has surely heard," intensifying the meaning. "Attended" (hiqshiyv) moves beyond mere audibility to denote focused, deliberate, and compassionate listening. It underscores God's active engagement and empathetic response. The "voice of my prayer" confirms the nature of the communication – a heartfelt and articulated plea. This double affirmation (heard and attended) strengthens the psalmist's confidence in God's perfect receptiveness.

Psalm 66 19 Bonus section

• Perfect Tense: The Hebrew verbs for "heard" (shamaʿ) and "attended" (hiqshiyv) are both in the perfect tense. This denotes completed action in the past with ongoing effects into the present. For the psalmist, God's act of hearing was not a one-time event without consequence but a definitive action that led to his deliverance, the effects of which are still tangible, prompting his thanksgiving. This perfect tense lends a sense of certainty and finality to God's responsive action.
• Contrast with Idolatry: This verse implicitly contrasts the living, hearing God with the silent, deaf idols of pagan worship (e.g., Ps 115:4-7). The psalmist's God is vibrant, dynamic, and intimately involved, actively perceiving the prayers of His devotees. This is a profound polemic against any alternative deity.
• Biblical Pattern: The connection between hearing prayer and divine action is a pervasive biblical theme. God's act of hearing (shamaʿ) often precedes and is inextricably linked to His intervention and deliverance. For example, God heard the cry of the Israelites in Egypt (Ex 2:24) and subsequently acted to save them. This verse reinforces that divine pattern for the individual.

Psalm 66 19 Commentary

Psalm 66:19 serves as the psalmist's resounding affirmation of God's active responsiveness to prayer. Following the principle stated in verse 18—that God does not hear those who cherish iniquity—this verse is a triumphant declaration that the psalmist's heart was pure before God, and consequently, his prayer was effectively heard. It unveils a core attribute of the God of Israel: He is not a distant, impassive deity, but one who actively listens and engages with His people. The doubling of "heard" (shamaʿ) and "attended" (hiqshiyv) powerfully conveys God's deliberate and thorough attention. This verse confirms that authentic, heartfelt prayer, unhindered by cherished sin, reaches the divine ear and prompts divine action. It is the basis for the psalmist's confident praise and fulfillment of vows, establishing God's attentiveness as the very foundation of answered prayer and a reason for perpetual thanksgiving.