Psalm 66:6 - Make a Joyful Noise

Audio Bible

Context

Make a Joyful Noise
…5Come and see the works of God; how awesome are His deeds toward mankind. 6He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him. 7He rules forever by His power; His eyes watch the nations. Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah…

Cross References

Exodus 14:21-22
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, / and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.Joshua 3:14-17
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them. / Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, / the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. ...Nehemiah 9:11
You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.Isaiah 43:16
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,Psalm 106:9
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert.Psalm 136:13-14
He divided the Red Sea in two His loving devotion endures forever. / and led Israel through the midst, His loving devotion endures forever.Hebrews 11:29
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.1 Corinthians 10:1-2
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. / They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.Exodus 15:19
For when Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.Joshua 4:23
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as He did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.Isaiah 51:10
Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?Psalm 77:16-20
The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and swirled; even the depths were shaken. / The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth. / Your thunder resounded in the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. ...Psalm 78:13
He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.Revelation 15:3
and they sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are Your works, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!Exodus 14:29-31
But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left. / That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore. / When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.

Psalm 78:13
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

Psalm 106:8-10
Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known…

Psalm 104:5-7
Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever…

they

Joshua 3:14,16
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; …

there

Psalm 106:11,12
And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left…

Exodus 15:1
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Revelation 15:2,3
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God…

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Psalm 66

He turned the sea into dry land;
This phrase refers to the miraculous event of the parting of the Red Sea, as recorded in Exodus 14:21-22. This event is a pivotal moment in Israel's history, symbolizing God's deliverance and power. The transformation of the sea into dry land demonstrates God's control over nature, affirming His sovereignty. Geographically, the Red Sea is a significant body of water, and its parting would have been an awe-inspiring sight. This miracle is a type of Christ's power over creation, as seen in the New Testament when Jesus calms the storm in Mark 4:39. Theologically, this act prefigures the believer's passage from death to life, from bondage to freedom, through the waters of baptism.

they passed through the waters on foot;
The Israelites' passage through the Red Sea on foot signifies their transition from slavery in Egypt to freedom. This act of walking on dry ground amidst parted waters is a testament to their faith and God's faithfulness. Historically, this event marks the beginning of the Exodus journey, a foundational narrative for the Jewish people. Culturally, it underscores the theme of pilgrimage and journey, which is prevalent throughout Scripture. This passage is echoed in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, where Paul draws a parallel between the Israelites' experience and Christian baptism, emphasizing the continuity of God's redemptive plan.

there we rejoiced in Him.
The rejoicing mentioned here reflects the Israelites' response to God's deliverance. After crossing the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites sang a song of praise, recorded in Exodus 15, celebrating God's triumph over their enemies. This joy is not merely emotional but is rooted in the recognition of God's salvation and provision. In a broader biblical context, rejoicing in God is a recurring theme, seen in passages like Philippians 4:4, where believers are encouraged to rejoice in the Lord always. This joy is prophetic of the ultimate rejoicing in Christ's victory over sin and death, as believers anticipate the eternal joy of God's kingdom.

Persons / Places / Events

1. God
The central figure in this verse, demonstrating His power and faithfulness by performing miracles for His people.

2. The Sea
Refers to the Red Sea, which God miraculously parted for the Israelites during the Exodus.

3. Dry Land
The path God created through the sea, symbolizing His provision and deliverance.

4. The Israelites
God's chosen people who experienced this miraculous deliverance.

5. Exodus Event
The historical event where God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, a foundational account of faith and trust in God's power.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty Over Nature
God has absolute control over the natural world, as demonstrated by His ability to part the sea. This should encourage believers to trust in His power over any situation in their lives.

Faith in God's Deliverance
Just as the Israelites trusted God to lead them through the sea, believers today are called to trust in God's deliverance in their own lives, even when the path seems impossible.

Rejoicing in God's Works
The Israelites rejoiced after witnessing God's miracle. Believers should also cultivate a heart of gratitude and worship in response to God's faithfulness and provision.

Remembering God's Past Faithfulness
Reflecting on past instances of God's deliverance can strengthen our faith and trust in Him for future challenges.

God's Presence in Trials
The crossing of the sea was a trial for the Israelites, yet God was with them. Believers can be assured of God's presence and guidance through their own trials.

(6) Flood.--Hebrew, n?har, which generally stands for the Euphrates, but here, as in Psalm 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."

Verse 6. - 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 Exodus 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" (Exodus 14:28). Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

He turned
הָ֤פַךְ (hā·p̄aḵ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert

the sea
יָ֨ם ׀ (yām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

into dry land;
לְֽיַבָּשָׁ֗ה (lə·yab·bā·šāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3004: Dry land, dry ground

they passed through
יַֽעַבְר֣וּ (ya·‘aḇ·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

the waters
בַּ֭נָּהָר (ban·nā·hār)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity

on foot;
בְרָ֑גֶל (ḇə·rā·ḡel)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

there
שָׁ֝֗ם (m)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

we rejoiced
נִשְׂמְחָה־ (niś·mə·ḥāh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 8055: To brighten up, be, blithe, gleesome

in Him.
בּֽוֹ׃ (bōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

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Psalm 66:6 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Psalm 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land (Psalm Ps Psa.)