Psalms 66:6

Psa 66:6 He turned the sea into dry [land]: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

Ver. 6. He turned the sea into dry land] A mercy much celebrated, and not without cause, in all later ages.

They went through the flood on foot] That is, through the river Jordan, when it had overflowed the banks; and met with no enemy on the other side to forbid their landing.

There did we rejoice in him] We who were then in the loins of our forefathers, and so shared in their joy. See Hos 12:4. {See Trapp on "Hos 12:4"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. (Psa 66:6) He turned the sea into the dry land ; through the river they shall pass on foot; there will we rejoice in him. There is an obvious allusion to the crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan, not as mere historical events, but as types or samples of God's extraordinary interpositions on behalf of Israel, such as might be realized again in their experience. Hence the promiscuous use of preterite and future forms, as if to say, the God of Israel will again turn the Red Sea into dry land for the passage of his people; if need be, they shall again cross the Jordan dry shod; there, on the scene of these miraculous events, shall we again rejoice in him. The combination of sea and river seems to show that by the latter we must understand Jordan, and not, as some interpreters suppose, the Euphrates, which is commonly so called. But see Isa 11:15-16, Zec 10:11.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 6. He turned the sea into dry land] This was a plain miracle: no human art or contrivance could do this. Even in the bed of the waters THEY did rejoice in him. WE have not less cause to praise and be thankful.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(6) Flood.—Hebrew, nâhar, which generally stands for the Euphrates, but here, as in Psa_74:15, for either the Jordan or the Red Sea.

There did we rejoice.—The verb is properly optative—there (i.e., in those works) let us rejoice, and thus rendered is more in keeping with the first verses of the psalm. The LXX. and Vulg. have the future, “There we will rejoice in him.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. The passage of the Red Sea and the crossing of the Jordan are referred to as the most notable of His terrible acts (Psa_65:5). Cp. Psa_74:13; Psa_78:13; &c. Flood, as in Jos_24:2-3; Jos_24:14-15, is an archaism for river (R.V.).

there did we rejoice in him] At the Red Sea and the Jordan. The Psalmist can thus identify himself and his contemporaries with the Israelites of ancient time, for he regards the nation as possessing an unbroken continuity of life. This rendering is grammatically justifiable, and it suits the context better than the alternative of R.V. marg., there let us rejoice in him, whether this is understood to mean, “There—on the spot where those old historical events occurred,—there let us take our stand, and renew our praise to Him, our wondrous Benefactor” (Kay); or, “There, pointing as it were to the field in which God had made bare His arm, and where the past history had been repeated in the present, there let us rejoice in Him” (Perowne). For the Psalmist is addressing the nations, not his countrymen, and a historical reference to the rejoicing which took place after the passage of the Red Sea is more natural than an invitation to join in celebrating either that or the recent deliverance. Moreover mention of the recent deliverance appears to be reserved for the next stanza, to which Psa_66:7 forms the appropriate transition. Bp. Perowne’s explanation would at any rate require the adoption of the LXX reading, ‘who turneth the sea into dry land, they go through the river on foot’; i.e. He is ever doing as He did at the Red Sea and the Jordan, opening ways of escape for His people.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He turned the sea into dry land,.... The Red sea, or sea of Zuph, as the Targum; by causing a strong east wind to blow, which made it dry, so that the children of Israel passed through it on dry ground, Exo 14:21. Or, "he turneth" (y); for though the allusion is to the making the Red sea dry land, when the Israelites passed through it; yet it refers to something to be done in the times of Christ and the Gospel dispensation. So Christ might be said to do this literally, when he walked upon the sea of Galilee as on dry land, and enabled Peter to do so likewise, Mat 14:25; and figuratively, when he makes his people walk through the sea of this world, and the waters of afflictions in it, without overflowing them. He with them, bears them up, and upholds them with his right hand; so that they pass on, as on dry land, till they come safe to the shores of bliss and happiness;

they went through the flood on foot; or "river" (z); the river Jordan, as the Targum: for this alludes not to the passage of the Israelites through the sea, but through Jordan, when they entered into the land, of Canaan, Jos 3:17. The words may be rendered, according to Kimchi,

"they shall pass through the river on foot;''

the Targum adds,

"the children of Israel;''

so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions. Such things are said in prophecy concerning the people of God in future times; see Isa 11:15. So the river Euphrates shall be dried up, to make way for the kings of the east, Rev 16:12;

there did we rejoice in him; still alluding to the above cases, when Israel passed through the Red sea, and sung praise to God; and went through Jordan, and set up stones of memorial, Exo 15:1. Or "there shall we rejoice in him": so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, Syriac, and Arabic versions; only the latter reads in the singular, "he shall rejoice." The Targum is,

"I will lead them to the mountain of his holiness, there shall we rejoice in his word:''

in the essential Word, the Messiah, as the saints do rejoice in him in his house, under his word and ordinances; when they see the salvation wrought out by him, and their interest in it; the righteousness he has brought in, and themselves clothed with it; pardon procured by him, and that applied to them; and when they are favoured with a sight of him, and communion with him; so will they rejoice in him when the marriage of the Lamb is come, and the bride is ready; when antichrist shall be destroyed, and they shall have got the victory over him; then they shall stand on the sea of glass, and there shall they sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, Rev 19:7; and when they shall have come through all their difficulties safely to heaven; there shall they rejoice in Christ, and with him to all eternity.

(y) "convertit", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c. (z) "per fluvium", Gejerus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He turned the sea into dry land - The Red Sea, when he brought his people out of Egypt, Exo 14:21. This was an illustration of his power, and of his ability to defend and deliver his people. The terror in that case, or that which was “terrible,” was the overthrow of their enemies the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea - thus showing that he had power to destroy all the enemies of his people.

They went through the flood on foot - literally, “through the river.” It is probable that the reference here is to the passage of the river Jordan, when the Israelites were about to pass into the promised land Jos 3:14-17; thus combining the two great acts of divine interposition in favor of his people, and showing his power over streams and floods.

There did we rejoice in him - We, as a nation - our fathers - thus rejoiced in God. See Exo. 15.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The flood, or river, to wit, Jordan. We, i.e. our nation, or our ancestors, in whose loins we then were, and the benefit of which ancient deliverance we at this day enjoy. See the like expressions Psa 81:5; Hos 12:4. The whole people of Israel are oft considered as one body, continued through all succeeding generations, united in the bond of the same covenant and worship, and in the possession of the same promises, and privileges, and blessings, and acted by one and the same spirit; and therefore several and contrary things may reasonably be ascribed to them, in regard of their several parts and ages, and what was done in one age may be imputed to another by virtue of their strict conjunction with the same body.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 6. He turned the sea into dry land. It was no slight miracle to divide a pathway through such a sea, and to make it fit for the traffic of a whole nation. He who did this can do anything, and must be God, the worthy object of adoration. The Christian's inference is that no obstacle in his journey heavenward need hinder him, for the sea could not hinder Israel, and even death itself shall be as life; the sea shall be dry land when God's presence is felt.

They went through the flood on foot. Through the river the tribes passed dry shod, Jordan was afraid because of them.

"What ailed thee, O thou mighty sea?

Why rolled thy waves in dread?

What bade thy tide, O Jordan, flee

And bare its deepest bed?"

"O earth, before the Lord, the God

Of Jacob, tremble still;

Who makes the waste a watered sod,

The flint a gushing rill."

There did we rejoice in him. We participate this day in that ancient joy. The scene is so vividly before us that it seems as if we were there personally, singing unto the Lord because he hath triumphed gloriously. Faith casts herself bodily into the past joys of the saints, and realises them for herself in much the same fashion in which she projects herself into the bliss of the future, and becomes the substance of things hoped for. It is to be remarked that Israel's joy was in her God, and there let ours be. It is not so much what he has done, as what he is, that should excite in us a sacred rejoicing. "He is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."

Ver. 6. He turned the sea into dry land. The psalmist refers to the passage through the Red Sea and the Jordan, not as to transactions which took place and were concluded at a given period of time, but as happening really in every age. God's guidance of his people is a constant drying up of the sea and of the Jordan, and the joy over his mighty deeds is always receiving new materials. E. W. Hengstenberg.

Ver. 6. There did we rejoice in him; where those things have been done, there have we rejoiced in him, not taking any credit to ourselves as if they were our acts, but rejoicing and glorying in God, and have praised him, as may be seen in Exodus 15 and Joshua 3. The prophet uses the future for the past, unless, perhaps, he meant to insinuate that these miracles would be succeeded by much greater ones, of which they were only the types and figures. A much greater miracle is that men should pass over the bitter sea of this life, and cross the river of mortality, that never ceases to run, and which swallows up and drowns so many, and still come safe and alive to the land of eternal promise, and there rejoice in God himself, beholding him face to face; and yet this greater miracle is so accomplished by God, that many pass through this sea as if it were dry land, and cross this river with dry feet; that is to say, having no difficulty in despising all things temporal, be they good or be they bad; that is to say, being neither attached to the good things, nor fearing the evil things, of this world, that they may arrive in security at the heavenly Jerusalem, where we will rejoice in him, not in hope, but in complete possession for eternity. Robert Bellarmine.

Ver. 6. Great difficulties, unexpectedly overcome, made the theme of joy.

Ver. 6. (last clause). Our share in the past deliverances of the church.

Psalms 66:7*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. He turned the sea… the flood—That is, the sea and the river. The allusion is to the crossing the Red Sea and the river Jordan by the Israelites.

There did we rejoice in him—There let us rejoice, or, there will we rejoice in him. The address now is to the congregation, to rejoice that the God of ancient Israel is the same to his people in all ages, as he has reassured them by his recent acts. The adverb “there” should here take the sense of therein, as in Hos_6:7, and read, Therein will “we rejoice in him.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot; there did we rejoice in him. The passage of the Red Sea at the time of the Exodus was one of the most wonderful of God"s works. To the Israelites it was altogether a matter of joy and rejoicing. (see Exo_15:1-21) But how terrible a thing was it to the Egyptians! "The waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them". (Exo_14:28)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We - Our nation, or our ancestors, in whose loins we then were.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

He turned the sea into dry land The Sea of Reeds.

there it rejoiced with it I found: There was a thing with which the sea rejoiced, i.e., that the sea saw the Holy One, blessed be He.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.