Psalms 66:20 Meaning: When God Doesn’t Turn Away Your Prayer
Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his loving kindness from me.
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Blessed be God, Who hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his lovingkindness from me.
Blessed is God, Who hath not turned aside my prayer, And His loving-kindness, from me!
Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his loving-kindness from me!
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 66:20 means blessing God for not rejecting prayer or withholding His lovingkindness. It connects answered prayer to a heart that does not cherish sin.
Context
Psalm 66 moves from a call for all the earth to praise God (verses 1, 4) to remembering how He tested His people like silver in a furnace (verses 5, 12). Then the psalmist shifts from “we” to “I” (verses 13, 20), offering the sacrifices he vowed in trouble and telling what God has done for his soul. He insists that if he had cherished sin in his heart, the Lord would not have listened (verse 18). But God did listen. So he ends with this burst of praise: blessing God who did not turn away his prayer or remove His merciful presence.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this verse. The verb hesir (turned away) pictures God pushing something aside or removing it, the opposite of what happened. The psalmist’s prayer was not shoved aside; it was received.
The word chesed (lovingkindness) is richer than any one English word can hold. It means God’s loyal, covenant love, the kind He promised David and will never break (2 Samuel 7:15). This is not a fleeting feeling but a steady commitment.
And barukh (blessed) comes from a root that means to kneel. To bless God is to bow before Him in praise. The psalmist kneels in gratitude because the King of heaven bent low to hear a mortal’s cry. That is the posture of answered prayer: not bargaining, but worship.
How Christians Read This Verse
Reformed readers, from Calvin to the Geneva Bible, have seen in this verse the assurance that God hears the prayers of the upright, the psalmist’s integrity (verse 18) is the ground of his confidence. Baptist expositor John Gill focuses on the permanence of God’s mercy, which endures forever toward those who fear Him.
Catholic tradition, as Augustine noted (preserved in the Cambridge Bible), finds comfort here: “When you see that your prayer has not been removed from you, be secure, because His mercy has not been removed from you.” Across traditions, this verse calls believers to examine their hearts and then praise the God who stays near.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse as a promise that God will always give them exactly what they ask. In fact, the psalmist has just said that if he cherished sin in his heart, the Lord would not have listened (verse 18). His confidence rests on a life that does not harbor wickedness. The blessing is not that he got what he wanted, but that God remained near, His lovingkindness never withdrew.
Living This Out
This week, before you rush into a prayer request, pause as the psalmist did. Ask God to show you anything you are holding onto that would block your communion with Him. Not to earn His hearing, but to clear the line. Then, when you see an answer, even a small one, do not just move on. Echo his words: “Blessed be God.” Let the fact that He listened become the reason you bow. The deepest gift is not the answer you wanted, but the relationship that remains.
Main takeaway: When God does not turn away your prayer, it is a sign that His lovingkindness remains with you forever.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God always hears you when you pray. He loves you so much that He never goes away. You can say “Thank You, God, for listening to me!”
For ages 9, 12
The psalmist knew that God hears people who want to follow Him. He checked his own heart first, he didn’t hold onto sin. Then he praised God for not turning away his prayer. You can do that too. When you pray, remember God’s love for you never stops. Even if you don’t get what you asked for, His lovingkindness is still with you.
Questions People Ask
What does “turned away my prayer” mean in Psalm 66:20?
The Hebrew verb hesir means to remove or push aside. The psalmist is saying God did not reject his prayer or shut it out. Instead, He received it and responded. This is a picture of God bending low to hear a human cry.
What is the “lovingkindness” (chesed) mentioned here?
Chesed is God’s steadfast, covenant loyalty. It is the faithful love He promised to His people, especially through the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:15). It does not waver based on our performance; it endures forever toward those who fear Him.
How does verse 18 relate to verse 20?
In verse 18 the psalmist says that if he cherished sin in his heart, the Lord would not have listened. Verse 20 is the joyful conclusion: because he did not harbor wickedness, God did hear and did not withdraw His mercy. The two verses together show that integrity matters in prayer.
Does Psalm 66:20 promise that God will always answer my prayers the way I want?
No. The psalmist is not claiming God gave him everything he asked for. He is praising God for not turning away his prayer, meaning God listened and remained near. The greater gift is God’s presence and mercy, not a specific outcome.
Who wrote Psalm 66?
The psalm is anonymous. Commentators have suggested various settings, such as the return from Babylon or the deliverance from Sennacherib’s army in Hezekiah’s reign. But the writer identifies himself simply as one who feared God and experienced answered prayer.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study