Psalm 66 begins with a call for all the earth to praise God for his power and awe-inspriing deeds. All will bow before him, whether voluntarily or (as in the case of defeated enemies) "cringing" (vv 1-4).
In particular, God controls the seas, and at the Red Sea and Jordan River, he moved the waters so that his people could pass through on dry land, leading the Israelites to praise him (see Exodus 15). God "rules by his might forever" (v 7), as the Song of the Sea proclaims in Exodus 15:18.
In verses 8-12 Israel urges other nations to praise God because of what he has done for his people. God has stayed with them through trials and brought them to "a place of abundance" (v 12).
The imagery in verse 12 is reminiscent of words of Isaiah. "We went through fire and through water" reminds us of Isa 43:1-2, where God promises to be with his people through such trials. "You let men ride over our heads" is similar to Isa 51:22-23, where God promises to punish those who treat his people in this way.
In verses 13-20 an individual praises God for delivering him. He brings sacrifices to thank God for rescuing him from trouble, sacrifices that he had promised to make when he prayed during his trial. One is reminded, for example, of Jonah praying from the belly of the great fish (Jonah 2:9).
At the temple the individual publicly declares what God has done for him. He says that he had come before God in sincerity, not plotting any kind of sin, and that otherwise God would not have heard his prayer (v 18).
Verse 18 may have been the source of the statement in John 9:31 by a man whom Jesus had healed: "We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him."
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