Psalm 66:12
New International Version
You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

New Living Translation
Then you put a leader over us. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance.

English Standard Version
you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

Berean Standard Bible
You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

New American Standard Bible
You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water. Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.

NASB 1995
You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.

NASB 1977
Thou didst make men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; Yet Thou didst bring us out into a place of abundance.

Legacy Standard Bible
You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.

Amplified Bible
You made men (charioteers) ride over our heads [in defeat]; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a [broad] place of abundance [to be refreshed].

Christian Standard Bible
You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us out to abundance.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us out to abundance.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
You sent war chariots to crush our skulls. We traveled through fire and through floods, but you brought us to a land of plenty.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You let people ride over our heads. We went through fire and water, but then you brought us out and refreshed us.

Good News Translation
You let our enemies trample us; we went through fire and flood, but now you have brought us to a place of safety.

International Standard Version
You caused men to ride over us. You brought us through fire and water, but you led us to abundance.

Majority Standard Bible
You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance.

NET Bible
You allowed men to ride over our heads; we passed through fire and water, but you brought us out into a wide open place.

New Heart English Bible
You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You have caused man to ride at our head. We have entered into fire and into water, "" And You bring us out to a watered place.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Smith's Literal Translation
Thou didst cause men to ride upon our head; we went through fire and through water: and thou wilt bring us forth to abundance.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
thou hast set men over our heads. We have passed through tire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a refreshment.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You have set men over our heads. We have crossed through fire and water. And you have led us out to refreshment.

New American Bible
You let captors set foot on our neck; we went through fire and water; then you led us out to freedom.

New Revised Standard Version
you let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thou hast caused us to be in servitude; we went through fire and through water; finally thou didst bring us out into a comfortable place.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You have made a man to ride over our head; you have brought us into fire and into water, and you have brought us out unto an expanse.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But Thou didst bring us out unto abundance.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou didst mount men upon our heads; we went through the fire and water; but thou broughtest us out into a place of refreshment.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Make a Joyful Noise
11You led us into the net; You laid burdens on our backs. 12You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance. 13I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You—…

Cross References
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Exodus 14:29
But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

Isaiah 48:10
See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Zechariah 13:9
This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”

1 Peter 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials / so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 3:25-27
“Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!” / Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, / and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, / because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. / Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Job 23:10
Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; / persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3
Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments. / He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

Malachi 3:3
And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. / Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead. / He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,

Isaiah 30:20-21
The Lord will give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but your Teacher will no longer hide Himself—with your own eyes you will see Him. / And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”


Treasury of Scripture

You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but you brought us out into a wealthy place.

caused

Psalm 129:1-3
A Song of degrees. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: …

Isaiah 51:23
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

through

Isaiah 43:1,2
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine…

Acts 14:22
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

1 Thessalonians 3:3,4
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto…

but thou

Psalm 33:19
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Psalm 40:2,3
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings…

Job 36:16
Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

wealthy [heb.

Psalm 107:35-37
He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings…

Isaiah 35:6,7
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert…

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Abundance Allowed Broughtest Cause Caused Driving Entered Fire Forth Heads Ride Spacious Water Watered Wealthy
Psalm 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














You let men ride over our heads;
This phrase reflects a time of oppression and subjugation, where enemies or oppressors had significant control over the people. Historically, Israel faced numerous invasions and periods of captivity, such as the Egyptian bondage, Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. The imagery of "riding over our heads" suggests a position of dominance and humiliation. Biblically, this can be connected to the experiences of Joseph, who was sold into slavery, and later, the Israelites under Pharaoh's harsh rule. It also echoes the trials faced by early Christians under Roman persecution. This phrase can be seen as a type of Christ, who endured suffering and humiliation at the hands of men, ultimately leading to His crucifixion.

we went through fire and water,
The imagery of "fire and water" symbolizes severe trials and testing. Fire often represents purification and judgment in the Bible, as seen in passages like Malachi 3:2-3, where God refines His people like a refiner's fire. Water can symbolize chaos and overwhelming circumstances, as in the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and the Jordan River (Joshua 3), where God delivered His people through seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This phrase suggests that the people endured extreme hardships but were preserved through them. It also points to the baptism of Jesus, who went through the waters of baptism and the fire of temptation and suffering, emerging victorious.

but You brought us into abundance.
This phrase highlights God's deliverance and provision following a period of trial. The transition from suffering to abundance is a recurring theme in Scripture, seen in the Israelites' journey from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land, a land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8). It reflects the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises and His ability to transform dire situations into blessings. This abundance can be seen as a type of the spiritual abundance found in Christ, who offers eternal life and spiritual riches to those who believe in Him (John 10:10). The ultimate fulfillment of this promise is found in the New Heaven and New Earth, where believers will experience eternal abundance and peace (Revelation 21:1-4).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Men
Represents oppressors or adversaries who have caused suffering or hardship.

2. Fire and Water
Symbolic of trials and tribulations, representing severe testing and purification.

3. Abundance
The place of blessing and prosperity that God brings His people into after trials.
Teaching Points
Understanding Trials
Trials are a part of the Christian journey and are used by God to refine and strengthen our faith.

God’s Sovereignty
Even when adversaries seem to prevail, God is in control and uses these situations for our ultimate good.

Promise of Deliverance
God promises to bring us through trials into a place of abundance, reflecting His faithfulness and provision.

Endurance and Faith
Believers are called to endure hardships with faith, trusting in God’s plan and timing for deliverance.

Gratitude for Growth
Recognize and give thanks for the growth and maturity that come from enduring and overcoming trials.(12) Ride over our heads.--For the figure comp. Isaiah 51:23.

We went through fire and water.--A figure of extreme danger. (Comp. Isaiah 43:2.)

A wealthy place.--The LXX. and Vulg., "to refreshment," which is certainly more in keeping with the figures employed, and may perhaps be got out of the root-idea of the word, "overflow." But a slight change gives the frequent figure "a broad place."

Verse 12. - Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads. See the Egyptian and Assyrian sculptures passim, where the king in his chariot gallops over the bodies of his dead and wounded enemies. We went through fire and through water; i.e. through dangers of every kind - a proverbial expression (comp. Isaiah 43:2). But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place; or, "a place of refreshment" (εἰς ἀναψυχήν, LXX.). Dr. Kay renders, "a place of rich comfort;" Professor Cheyne, "a place of liberty" (comp. Psalm 23:4 and Jeremiah 31:25).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You let men
אֱנ֗וֹשׁ (’ĕ·nō·wōš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

ride
הִרְכַּ֥בְתָּ (hir·kaḇ·tā)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7392: To ride, to place upon, to despatch

over our heads;
לְרֹ֫אשֵׁ֥נוּ (lə·rō·šê·nū)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 7218: The head

we went
בָּֽאנוּ־ (bā·nū-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

through fire
בָאֵ֥שׁ (ḇā·’êš)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

and water,
וּבַמַּ֑יִם (ū·ḇam·ma·yim)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

but You brought us
וַ֝תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נוּ (wat·tō·w·ṣî·’ê·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

into abundance.
לָֽרְוָיָֽה׃ (lā·rə·wā·yāh)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7310: Satisfaction


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OT Poetry: Psalm 66:12 You allowed men to ride over our (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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