Psalms 66:20 · Bible study
Psalms 66:20 Commentary: Blessed Be God Who Hears Prayer
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 66:20: a closing doxology praising God for answered prayer and unfailing covenant loyalty and mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist blesses God for hearing his prayer and not withdrawing covenant loyalty.
- Key words: הֵסִ֘יר (hesir), turned aside; חַסְדּ (chesed), lovingkindness/covenant loyalty.
- Main debate: Whether the hearing of prayer is contingent on the supplicant’s integrity (v.18) or is a gracious gift that purifies the heart.
- Theological theme: Prayer as a reflection of covenant relationship; God’s faithfulness despite human failure.
- Best use: A closing doxology of thanksgiving for answered prayer and assurance of God’s steadfast love.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld from me His loving devotion!
WEB World English Bible 2000
Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his loving kindness from me.
KJV King James Version 1769
Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Blessed be God, Who hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his lovingkindness from me.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Blessed is God, Who hath not turned aside my prayer, And His loving-kindness, from me!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his loving-kindness from me!
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Bendito Dios, que no echó de sí mi oración, ni de mí su misericordia.
Bendito seja Deus, que não ignorou minha oração, nem sua bondade se desviou de mim.
Béni soit Dieu,
Gelobt sei Gott, der mein Gebet nicht verwirft noch seine Güte von mir wendet.
Geloofd zij God, Die mijn gebed niet heeft afgewend, noch Zijn goedertierenheid van mij.
Benedetto sia Iddio, che non ha rigettato la mia preghiera, né m’ha ritirato la sua benignità.
Błogosławiony Bóg, który nie odrzucił modlitwy mojej, ani odjął miłosierdzia swego odemnie.
神 是應當稱頌的！ 他並沒有 推卻 我的禱告，也沒有叫他的慈愛 離開我。
Praise be to God who has not taken away his good faith and his mercy from me.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 66:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 66:20 is a doxology of thanksgiving arising from answered prayer. Barnes notes that the praise comes from the sheer condescension of God listening to sinful mortals. Gill observes that God did not turn away the prayer in anger but graciously received it. The phrase “nor his lovingkindness from me” is universally read as inseparably connected: when God hears prayer, he withholds nothing good. Keil and Delitzsch describe prayer and mercy as “call and echo”, if God removes both, he refuses to answer; but here he has deprived the psalmist of neither. The condition of the heart in verse 18 is foundational to this claim: the psalmist’s integrity is confirmed by God’s hearing. Augustine sums up the resulting security: “When you see that your prayer is not removed from you, be secure, because his mercy is not removed from you.” All traditions recognize this verse as a fitting conclusion to a testimony of deliverance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God is blessed because He heard the psalmist’s prayer and did not withdraw His steadfast love.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Prayer and integrity | All traditions agree that a heart cherishing sin hinders prayer (Psalm 66:18). God does not listen to those who cling to wickedness while asking for help. | Protestants tend to emphasize personal holiness and repentance as the context for prayer; Catholics and Orthodox stress sacramental confession and the grace that restores a right relationship with God. |
| Meaning of hesed | The term is universally understood as covenant loyalty, steadfast love, or mercy that God shows to his people. | Some focus on the unmerited character of this love; others emphasize that it is a faithful response to God’s promises as seen in 2 Samuel 7:15. |
| Individual vs. corporate voice | The psalmist speaks from personal experience, yet as part of the worshiping community (vv.16, 20). | Some read the passage as a purely individual testimony; others see the “I” as representative of Israel, with the prayer being the congregation’s cry. |
| God's turning away prayer | The phrase “not turned away my prayer” means God did not reject or ignore the supplication. | A few commentators see it as removing the very desire or ability to pray; most interpret it as God’s refusal to grant a hearing or answer. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 66 moves from a universal call to praise (vv.1, 4) through national deliverance (vv.5, 12) to a personal testimony of answered prayer (vv.13, 20). The historical setting is uncertain. Calvin notes that the deliverance may relate to the destruction of Sennacherib’s army or to the return from exile; he judges the latter more probable. The psalmist speaks for the congregation but also from his own soul, a fact Lange and others affirm against reading the passage as mere personification.
The earlier verses describe a refining “furnace” (Psalm 66:10) and testing by fire and water (Psalm 66:12), suggesting a period of intense national hardship. The individual section (vv.13, 20) describes bringing burnt offerings into the temple (v.13, 15), fulfilling vows made in trouble. The priestly and sacrificial framework belongs to Israel’s temple worship, underscoring that public and private devotion meet in the sanctuary.
Verse 20 draws on covenant language. The term hesed (“lovingkindness”) points to God’s steadfast loyalty to his promises, echoing the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:15). The psalmist’s confidence rests not on his own worthiness but on God’s character. The surrounding context (vv.18, 19) clarifies that God does not hear those who “cherish sin in their heart,” yet the psalmist’s prayer has been heard. This grounding of answered prayer in moral integrity is a recurrent theme in wisdom and psalmody (Psalm 24:3, 4, John 9:31).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant variants in the Hebrew text of this verse. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges speculates that a verb may have been lost to clarify the second clause in translation, but no manuscript evidence supports this.
Reception History
Augustine’s comment on this verse became a touchstone for Christian assurance: “When you see that your prayer is not removed from you, be secure, because his mercy is not removed from you.” The verse has been used in liturgical settings as a doxology after testimonies of deliverance. The Septuagint titles Psalm 66 a “resurrection psalm,” possibly reflecting early Christian interpretation of God raising the faithful from trouble and death. Across traditions, the pairing of prayer and mercy has comforted believers that God’s hearing is never separated from his love.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The foundation of praise: God has heard the prayer of his servant. The psalmist’s first move is to bless God for not turning away his plea.
- The evidence of integrity: The prayer is not a hypocritical cry. The psalmist affirms that he did not cherish sin in his heart (v.18). Answered prayer validates a life of genuine faith.
- The scope of blessing: In hearing the prayer, God also withholds nothing of his covenant love. The two gifts, audience and mercy, cannot be separated.
Five-point outline
- Prayer that is heard (vv.16, 17): the psalmist invites the congregation to hear his testimony.
- The condition of the heart (v.18): those who cherish sin cannot expect God to listen.
- The certainty of God’s attention (v.19): God has heard, a settled fact.
- The response of blessing (v.20a): “Blessed be God”, praise is the only fitting reply.
- The assurance of steadfast love (v.20b): God’s lovingkindness remains with the one who prays.
Illustration hooks
- A parent who hears a child’s cry through the noise of a busy day and stops to respond.
- A friend who remains loyal when everyone else walks away, proving that love does not turn aside.
- A spouse who forgives and listens after a conflict, showing that relationship endures beyond a misstep.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God hear every prayer, or only the prayers of people who are “good enough”?
- What should I do when I feel my prayer is bouncing off the ceiling?
- How can I know that God’s love is still with me when my situation feels dark?
Leading a Discussion
The psalmist calls those who fear God to hear what he has done for his soul. His testimony moves from confession of integrity to celebration of answered prayer. This passage invites reflection on the connection between the posture of our hearts and the confidence we carry into prayer.
Discussion questions
- What does the psalmist say God has done for his soul? List the key actions in verses 16, 20.
- Why does he invite others to “come and hear”? What does this reveal about the purpose of personal testimony?
- How does the psalmist describe his prayer in verse 17? What does the phrase “he was extolled with my tongue” suggest about his attitude even while crying out?
- Verses 18, 19 set up a contrast. What condition does the psalmist state, and why is it significant that he admits he did not cherish sin?
- How does verse 20 connect prayer and God’s mercy? Why are they paired together in a single verse?
- In what ways does this passage challenge or comfort individuals who struggle to believe their prayers are heard?
- How can this psalm shape the way your group prays together and testifies to God’s work?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 7:14 | I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men; |
| II Samuel 7:15 | but my loving kindness will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. |
| Psalms 22:24 | For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard. |
| Psalms 51:11 | Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. |
| Psalms 68:35 | You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries. The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people. Praise be to God! |
| Psalms 86:12 | I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forever more. |
| Psalms 86:13 | For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke reads the psalmist's blessing of God as a testimony to others, not just private praise. The point is that the speaker tells those around him what God has done for his own soul, turning answered prayer into public witness.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes the sheer wonder of God listening to the prayers of human beings at all. Given our sinfulness, ignorance, and the infinite distance between the Creator and his creatures, the fact that God hears our cries for mercy is an act of astonishing condescension that deserves endless praise.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator insists that the phrase "from me" belongs only to the clause about mercy, not to the earlier statement about prayer. He rejects as forced any reading that would have God removing both prayer and lovingkindness from the worshiper. A missing verb may have been lost, so the line likely means God did not withdraw His mercy.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that the psalmist thanks God for not rejecting the prayer that was offered. The phrase "put back" pictures God actively receiving the petition rather than turning it aside. For this commentator, the praise arises specifically from the certainty that both the prayer and God's mercy were accepted together.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws a contrast with times when saints have complained that God covered Himself with a cloud and shut out prayer. Here God graciously heard the prayer and did not withdraw His mercy, which endures forever on those who fear Him. This calls for thankfulness and praise.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlights the psalmist's confident assurance that God heard his prayer because his heart held no hidden evil. They stress that a hypocritical prayer from an insincere heart goes unheard, while here the psalmist's praise was already ready on his tongue before the answer came. The closing thought presents prayer and mercy as call and echo: God's listening ear proves His favour remains.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists the psalm is a single unified composition, not two separate songs. He argues the speaker is an individual speaking from personal experience as a member of the congregation, not a personified nation. The psalmist presents his own story of prayer, testing and deliverance as a testimony for all who fear God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to David's personal commitment to go beyond merely calling others to praise. While others might hold back, David resolves to worship God with costly, public sacrifices, offering the best he has rather than what costs him nothing.