Psalms 66:4
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
Original Language Analysis
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
1 of 9
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
יִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ
shall worship
H7812
יִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ
shall worship
Strong's:
H7812
Word #:
3 of 9
to depress, i.e., prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or god)
יְזַמְּר֖וּ
thee and shall sing
H2167
יְזַמְּר֖וּ
thee and shall sing
Strong's:
H2167
Word #:
5 of 9
properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e., play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in so
יְזַמְּר֖וּ
thee and shall sing
H2167
יְזַמְּר֖וּ
thee and shall sing
Strong's:
H2167
Word #:
7 of 9
properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e., play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in so
Cross References
Psalms 22:27All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.Psalms 117:1O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.Revelation 15:4Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.Malachi 1:11For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.Daniel 7:14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Historical Context
Written during a period when Israel experienced God's deliverance, this psalm reflects the covenant community's responsibility to be a light to the nations, testifying to Yahweh's supremacy over all false gods.
Questions for Reflection
- How does your worship reflect the honor and glory due to God's name?
- In what ways are you called to testify to God's glory among those who don't yet know Him?
- What specific attributes of God's character should shape the content and manner of your praise?
Analysis & Commentary
The invitation to all nations to sing praise to God reveals the universal scope of His glory. This echoes the Abrahamic covenant's promise that all nations would be blessed through Israel (Genesis 12:3). The call to 'sing forth the honour of his name' emphasizes that worship must be fitting to God's character—not casual or flippant, but dignified and reverent, bringing glory to His name alone.