The Meaning of Psalms 66:7 Explained

Psalms 66:7

KJV: He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

YLT: Ruling by His might to the age, His eyes among the nations do watch, The refractory exalt not themselves. Selah.

Darby: He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes observe the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

ASV: He ruleth by his might for ever; His eyes observe the nations: Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He ruleth  by his power  for ever;  his eyes  behold  the nations:  let not the rebellious  exalt  {08675;07311:08686} themselves. Selah. 

What does Psalms 66:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 66:1-15 - "come And See The Works Of God"
Some of the old expositors speak of this psalm as "the Lord's Prayer in the Old Testament."
A summons to praise, Psalms 66:1-4
The devout soul cannot be glad alone. It demands sympathy in its raptures. All the earth is not too great for an orchestra, nor all mankind for a choir. God's love may compel a feigned obedience, Psalms 66:3, R.V., margin, but the divine Spirit changes the heart.
Divine deliverance, Psalms 66:5-12
Come and see. Compare John 1:39-40. Let us never forget the great past. The Red Sea and the Jordan have their counterparts in all lives. How often God has turned our seas into dry land, and cleaved paths through our rivers! Through the flood on foot is a miracle of daily experience. The rebels exalt themselves, but we are unmoved. We are tried in the fire, but no atom perishes. We go through persecution and oppression, but we come forth into abundance.
The payment of vows, Psalms 66:13-15
Let us pay under bright skies what we vowed under dark ones. Pay your vows; declare what God has done for you; offer not beasts, but offer yourself, as a living sacrifice unto God! Romans 12:1. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 66

1  David exhorts to praise God
5  observe his great works
8  to bless him for his gracious benefits
12  He vows for himself reverent service to God
16  He declares God's special goodness to himself

What do the individual words in Psalms 66:7 mean?

He rules by His power forever His eyes the nations observe the rebellious not - do let exalt themselves Selah
מֹ֘שֵׁ֤ל בִּגְבוּרָת֨וֹ ׀ עוֹלָ֗ם עֵ֭ינָיו בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם תִּצְפֶּ֑ינָה הַסּוֹרְרִ֓ים ׀ אַל־ ירימו [יָר֖וּמוּ] (לָ֣מוֹ) סֶֽלָה

מֹ֘שֵׁ֤ל  He  rules 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מָשַׁל  
Sense: to rule, have dominion, reign.
בִּגְבוּרָת֨וֹ ׀  by  His  power 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּרָה  
Sense: strength, might.
עוֹלָ֗ם  forever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
עֵ֭ינָיו  His  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם  the  nations 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
תִּצְפֶּ֑ינָה  observe 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
הַסּוֹרְרִ֓ים ׀  the  rebellious 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: סָרַר  
Sense: to rebel, be stubborn, be rebellious, be refractory.
ירימו  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
[יָר֖וּמוּ]  do  let  exalt 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
(לָ֣מוֹ)  themselves 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.