Psalms 66:20

Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld from me His loving devotion!

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses the community at the conclusion of a personal testimony, marking the moment after God attentively heard his prayer (Psalms 66:19).

The words — The Hebrew חַסְדּוֹ (chas.D/o) translates literally to covenant loyalty, while הֵסִיר (he.Sir) means he has turned aside. The text states God has not turned aside from the speaker's prayer or withheld this covenant loyalty.

The thread — This declaration of divine faithfulness and the resulting blessing runs through Psalms 68:35, which closes with "Blessed be God," and Psalms 86:12, where the psalmist vows to praise God with his whole heart. The contrast between God's attentive presence and the fear of abandonment echoes the plea in Psalms 51:11.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to acknowledge that answered prayer rests on God's covenant loyalty rather than human merit. It demands a response of concrete praise when divine attention is confirmed.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בָּר֥וּךְba.Rukh[be] blessed אֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.HimGod אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwho לֹֽא־lo'-not הֵסִ֘ירhe.Sirhe has turned aside תְּפִלָּתִ֥יte.fi.la.T/iprayer/ my וְ֝חַסְדּ֗וֹve./chas.D/oand/ covenant loyalty/ his מֵאִתִּֽי׃me./'i.T/ifrom/ with <the>/ me

King James Version

Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

Cross-references

Psalms 86:12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.
Psalms 68:35 O God, You are awesome in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!
Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
2 Samuel 7:14 I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
Psalms 22:24 For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.