The Meaning of Psalms 65:12 Explained

Psalms 65:12

KJV: They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.

YLT: Drop do the pastures of a wilderness, And joy of the heights Thou girdest on.

Darby: They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the hills are girded with gladness.

ASV: They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; And the hills are girded with joy.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They drop  [upon] the pastures  of the wilderness:  and the little hills  rejoice  on every side. 

What does Psalms 65:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 65:1-13 - Abundant Favor From Our Gracious God
This joyous hymn was probably composed for use in the sanctuary at one of the great annual festivals. It deals expressly with God's bounty in the fertility of the earth.
The Temple courts, Psalms 65:1-4
God hears our prayer, purges away our transgressions, chooses us, and causes us to approach. Let us ask Him to cause us to approach and to make us dwell in the consciousness of His presence. If iniquities prevail and transgressions shame us, there is provision for these also. God shall purge them away. For such condescending love all flesh shall ultimately come to His footstool.
Terrible things, Psalms 65:5-7
Thunder tones and lightning flashes, inaccessible mountains and roaring seas-such are the darker aspects of nature. But beneath all, like a sweet refrain, we hear Him praised as the God of salvation. Make Him your confidence, by land and sea.
The beauty and order of the world, Psalms 65:8-13
Brimming rivers, soft spring showers, golden harvests, the hum of the bees in mountain pastures, the call of the ewes to their lambs-all bespeak God's goodness. Let us ask Him to visit our hearts with the throb of springtime. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 65

1  David praises God for his grace
4  The blessedness of God's chosen by reason of benefits

What do the individual words in Psalms 65:12 mean?

They drop [on] the pastures of the wilderness and rejoice the little hills on every side
יִ֭רְעֲפוּ נְא֣וֹת מִדְבָּ֑ר וְ֝גִ֗יל גְּבָע֥וֹת תַּחְגֹּֽרְנָה

יִ֭רְעֲפוּ  They  drop 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָעַף  
Sense: to trickle, drip.
נְא֣וֹת  [on]  the  pastures 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: נָוָה  
Sense: .
מִדְבָּ֑ר  of  the  wilderness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
וְ֝גִ֗יל  and  rejoice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גִּיל 
Sense: a rejoicing.
גְּבָע֥וֹת  the  little  hills 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
תַּחְגֹּֽרְנָה  on  every  side 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: חָגַר  
Sense: to gird, gird on, gird oneself, put on a belt.