The Meaning of Psalms 66:12 Explained

Psalms 66:12

KJV: Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

YLT: Thou hast caused man to ride at our head. We have entered into fire and into water, And Thou bringest us out to a watered place.

Darby: Thou didst cause men to ride over our head; we went through fire and through water: but thou hast brought us out into abundance.

ASV: Thou didst cause men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou hast caused men  to ride  over our heads;  we went  through fire  and through water:  but thou broughtest us out  into a wealthy  [place]. 

What does Psalms 66:12 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 66:12 mean?

You have caused to ride men over our heads we went through fire and through water but You brought us out to rich [fulfillment]
הִרְכַּ֥בְתָּ אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְרֹ֫אשֵׁ֥נוּ בָּֽאנוּ־ בָאֵ֥שׁ וּבַמַּ֑יִם וַ֝תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נוּ לָֽרְוָיָֽה

הִרְכַּ֥בְתָּ  You  have  caused  to  ride 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָכַב  
Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
אֱנ֗וֹשׁ  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
לְרֹ֫אשֵׁ֥נוּ  over  our  heads 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בָּֽאנוּ־  we  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בָאֵ֥שׁ  through  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
וּבַמַּ֑יִם  and  through  water 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וַ֝תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נוּ  but  You  brought  us  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
לָֽרְוָיָֽה  to  rich  [fulfillment] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: רְוָיָה  
Sense: saturation.