Psalm 66 6

Psalm 66:6 kjv

He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

Psalm 66:6 nkjv

He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him.

Psalm 66:6 niv

He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot? come, let us rejoice in him.

Psalm 66:6 esv

He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him,

Psalm 66:6 nlt

He made a dry path through the Red Sea,
and his people went across on foot.
There we rejoiced in him.

Psalm 66 verses

Psalm 66 6 Meaning

Psalm 66:6 recounts specific acts of divine intervention in Israel's history, namely the miraculous parting of the waters that allowed His people to pass safely. This verse vividly points to God's unparalleled power to transform natural barriers into pathways of salvation. It refers primarily to the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14) and potentially also encompasses the Jordan River crossing (Joshua 3), establishing a foundational reason for Israel's worship and a call for all the earth to acknowledge His might. The verse culminates in the joy and thanksgiving experienced by those who witnessed and benefited from His mighty works.

Psalm 66 6 Context

Psalm 66 is a communal psalm of thanksgiving, encompassing both a call for universal praise of God (verses 1-7) and a personal expression of praise for the psalmist's own deliverance (verses 13-20), interspersed with a reflection on Israel's national history of divine deliverance and testing (verses 8-12).

Verse 6 falls within the section describing God's awesome deeds for His people. It serves as a historical anchor, pointing back to the foundational acts of salvation in Israel's history – specifically the miraculous crossings of the Red Sea and potentially the Jordan River. These events demonstrated Yahweh's supreme power over creation and His faithful provision for His chosen people, solidifying the basis for their praise and joy. In its ancient Near Eastern cultural context, this declaration would have implicitly countered polytheistic beliefs, asserting Yahweh's singular authority over forces of nature often associated with other deities or chaotic mythological beings. The drying of the sea and river proclaimed His ultimate sovereignty over all creation, not merely a regional god.

Psalm 66 6 Word analysis

• He turned (הָפַךְ, haphaḵ): A strong verb meaning "to turn," "overturn," "change," or "transform." It conveys a powerful and definitive action of God, highlighting His sovereign ability to alter the very fabric of nature according to His will. It's an active and immediate divine intervention.
• the sea (יָם, yam): Refers primarily to the Red Sea, the great barrier to Israel's freedom during the Exodus. In ancient Near Eastern cosmology, "sea" often symbolized chaotic forces; God's turning it into dry land demonstrates His mastery over all such power, a theme repeated in scripture.
• into dry land (לַיַּבָּשָׁה, layyaḇbāšâ): Emphasizes the completeness of the transformation. What was impassable became a firm, walkable path. This specific term also harks back to creation where God gathered waters to let dry land appear (Gen 1:9-10), signifying a re-creation or new beginning.
• they passed through (יַעַבְרוּ, yaʿabə́rū): Indicates the action of the Israelite community, but enabled entirely by God's prior act. It shows their physical journey facilitated by a divine miracle. The Hebrew is in the imperfect tense, suggesting continuous or repeated action, linking past events to their ongoing significance.
• the waters (בַּנָּהָר, bannāhār): Literally "through the river" (from נָהָר, nahar, meaning "river" or "stream"). While the primary event in view for "the sea" is the Red Sea, the inclusion of "river" strongly suggests an allusion to the crossing of the Jordan River into the Promised Land (Josh 3). This highlights God's consistent power over all waters and extends the historical scope of His mighty deeds, demonstrating ongoing faithfulness to subsequent generations. It can also broadly mean "flowing water."
• on foot (בְרָגֶל, bərāḡel): Signifies that the passage was direct, unhindered, and without need for special equipment. It emphasizes the ease and safety of the journey, under God's protection. They walked as if on ordinary land, not wading or struggling.
• there (שָׁם, šām): A specific adverb pointing to the place where the miracle occurred, on the other side of the transformed waters. It anchors the rejoicing to the concrete reality of God's intervention.
• we rejoiced (נִשְׂמְחָה, niśməḥāh): The verb is plural, indicating a communal, corporate joy. The shift from "they" (Israel in the past) to "we" (the psalmist and contemporary Israel) highlights a continuous identification with past deliverance, creating a shared experience of gratitude across generations. It's a natural and heartfelt response to salvation.
• in him (בּוֹ, bô): Explicitly identifies God as the object and source of their rejoicing. Their joy is not in the mere escape but in the delivering God who performed the impossible.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "He turned the sea into dry land": This phrase encapsulates God's absolute sovereignty and power over creation, emphasizing His ability to completely reverse natural order. It is a powerful declaration of miraculous intervention where barriers become paths.
• "they passed through the waters on foot": This segment underscores human participation enabled by divine action. It speaks of the safety, ease, and immediacy of the deliverance, illustrating the security found under God's protection during what would otherwise be an insurmountable trial.
• "there we rejoiced in him": This concluding part connects the historical act of salvation to the appropriate and perpetual response: profound joy and worship directed toward God. It establishes a theological link between God's saving work, the specific location of His demonstration, and the communal praise of His people throughout generations.

Psalm 66 6 Bonus section

The specific choice of "river" (נָהָר, nahar) alongside "sea" (יָם, yam) can carry a prophetic nuance. While referring directly to historical events, God's repeated demonstration of controlling water (a symbol often used for chaos, hostile nations, or overwhelming challenges in prophetic literature) foreshadows His ultimate sovereignty over all opposition and His power to make a way where there seems to be no way, pointing to future deliverance for His people and the ultimate reign of His Kingdom.

This verse serves as a profound liturgical memory, where the community's worship is continually fueled by rehearsing God's mighty deeds in their collective past. It is a historical testament used to inspire faith and worship in the present generation, showing that the God who delivered them from literal "waters" continues to deliver them from their trials. The "dry ground" element emphasizes the idea of a new, firm foundation, a secure place found after deliverance from life-threatening situations, applicable both nationally and personally.

Psalm 66 6 Commentary

Psalm 66:6 is a succinct yet potent declaration of God's awe-inspiring power and faithfulness, rooted in specific, monumental acts of salvation history. The initial act, God's turning of the sea into dry land, powerfully evokes the Red Sea deliverance (Exodus 14). This was not merely an act of nature, but a direct divine command that manipulated the very elements. The inclusion of "through the river" then broadens the scope to encompass God's continuous work of leading His people, notably referencing the crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 3) into the promised land. Both instances serve as unshakeable foundations of God's commitment to His covenant people.

The detail "on foot" signifies the effortless and complete nature of the passage. It highlights divine protection and provision, allowing the people to traverse obstacles as if they were everyday paths. This miraculous ease instilled trust and demonstrated God's careful regard for His own. The shift from "they" (referring to the ancestors) to "we" (the psalmist and the worshipping community) is crucial. It creates a continuity of experience, bridging the gap between past acts of God and present worship, implying that the same God who acted mightily in history continues to be present and powerful for His people. "There we rejoiced in Him" identifies the appropriate and immediate response to such salvation. The joy is not in the escape itself, but entirely in God, recognizing Him as the author of their freedom and life. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that all true joy in salvation is ultimately directed back to the Deliverer.