Psalm 65:3
New International Version
When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.

New Living Translation
Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.

English Standard Version
When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.

Berean Standard Bible
When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.

King James Bible
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

New King James Version
Iniquities prevail against me; As for our transgressions, You will provide atonement for them.

New American Standard Bible
Wrongdoings prevail against me; As for our offenses, You forgive them.

NASB 1995
Iniquities prevail against me; As for our transgressions, You forgive them.

NASB 1977
Iniquities prevail against me; As for our transgressions, Thou dost forgive them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Words of iniquity prevail against me; As for our transgressions, You atone for them.

Amplified Bible
Wickedness and guilt prevail against me; Yet as for our transgressions, You forgive them [removing them from Your sight].

Christian Standard Bible
Iniquities overwhelm me; only you can atone for our rebellions.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Iniquities overwhelm me; only You can atone for our rebellions.

American Standard Version
Iniquities prevail against me: As for our transgressions, thou wilt forgive them.

Contemporary English Version
When our sins get us down, you forgive us.

English Revised Version
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Various sins overwhelm me. You are the one who forgives our rebellious acts.

Good News Translation
on account of their sins. Our faults defeat us, but you forgive them.

International Standard Version
My acts of iniquity—they overwhelm me! Our transgressions—you blot them out!

Majority Standard Bible
When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions.

NET Bible
Our record of sins overwhelms me, but you forgive our acts of rebellion.

New Heart English Bible
Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.

Webster's Bible Translation
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.

World English Bible
Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Matters of iniquities were mightier than I, "" Our transgressions—You cover them.

Young's Literal Translation
Matters of iniquities were mightier than I, Our transgressions -- Thou dost cover them.

Smith's Literal Translation
The words of iniquities were strong above me: our transgressions thou wilt cover them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and thou wilt pardon our transgressions.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Words of iniquity have prevailed over us. And you will pardon our impieties.

New American Bible
with its burden of wicked deeds. We are overcome by our sins; only you can pardon them.

New Revised Standard Version
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The words of the wicked have prevailed against me; as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The words of the evil are stronger than I; you will cover my sins.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The tale of iniquities is too heavy for me; As for our transgressions, Thou wilt pardon them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The words of transgressors have overpowered us; but do thou pardon our sins.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Praise Awaits You, O God, in Zion
2O You who listen to prayer, all people will come to You. 3When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions. 4Blessed is the one You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts! We are filled with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple.…

Cross References
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 3:23-24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, / and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 53:5-6
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. / We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Micah 7:18-19
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion? / He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!

Romans 5:8-9
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. / Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!

Isaiah 43:25
I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.

Colossians 1:13-14
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, / in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Jeremiah 31:34
No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”

Matthew 26:28
This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Acts 10:43
All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

Daniel 9:9
To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him

1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”


Treasury of Scripture

Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, you shall purge them away.

Iniquities [heb.

Psalm 38:4
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Psalm 40:12
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

2 Samuel 12:7-13
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; …

transgressions

Psalm 51:2,3,7
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…

Psalm 79:9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

Isaiah 1:18,19
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool…

Jump to Previous
Account Atoned Command Cover Evils Forgave Forgive Heavy Iniquities Matters Mightier Overcome Overwhelmed Pardon Prevail Prevailed Purge Sins Tale Transgressions Wilt
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Account Atoned Command Cover Evils Forgave Forgive Heavy Iniquities Matters Mightier Overcome Overwhelmed Pardon Prevail Prevailed Purge Sins Tale Transgressions Wilt
Psalm 65
1. David praises God for his grace
4. The blessedness of God's chosen by reason of benefits














When iniquities prevail against me
The word "iniquities" in Hebrew is "עֲוֹנוֹת" (avonot), which refers to moral perversity or sin. This term often conveys a sense of guilt and the burden of wrongdoing. The phrase "prevail against me" suggests a sense of being overwhelmed or overpowered by sin. Historically, the Israelites were acutely aware of their sins and the consequences that followed, often leading to a sense of helplessness. This phrase captures the human condition of struggling against sin, a theme prevalent throughout the Bible. It reflects the universal experience of believers who recognize their own moral failings and the power sin can have over their lives.

You atone
The Hebrew word for "atone" is "כָּפַר" (kaphar), which means to cover, purge, or make reconciliation. In the Old Testament, atonement was often associated with sacrificial rituals, where the blood of animals was used to cover the sins of the people. This act of atonement was a foreshadowing of the ultimate atonement through Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice on the cross provided a permanent covering for sin. Theologically, this highlights God's mercy and grace, emphasizing that it is God who takes the initiative to reconcile humanity to Himself, despite their iniquities.

for our transgressions
The term "transgressions" in Hebrew is "פֶּשַׁע" (pesha), which implies rebellion or a breach of trust. It is a stronger term than "sin," indicating a willful deviation from God's law. The use of "our" signifies a collective acknowledgment of sin, recognizing that transgressions are not just individual but communal. This communal aspect is significant in the context of Israel's history, where the nation's collective disobedience often led to divine judgment. In a broader scriptural context, it underscores the need for communal repentance and the shared responsibility of believers to seek God's forgiveness.

(3) Iniquities.--Literally, Words (or, things) of iniquities, i.e., details of crime, or instances of wickedness. (Comp. Psalm 35:20; Psalm 105:27; Psalm 145:5.)

Prevail.--Better, have prevailed, have overcome me, been too much for me. No doubt, though the pronoun is singular, we are to think of Israel at large here, confessing, by the mouth of the poet, its unworthiness of that Divine communion for which still (see next verse) God had chosen them. This is more in keeping with the general tone of the psalm than to refer the confession to an individual. The LXX. and Vulg. give the pronoun in the plural.

There appears in this verse an antithesis between iniquity and transgression. The latter certainly sometimes seems to be applied in distinction to the violation of the covenant, and possibly the distinction is present here. The frailty and sin common to all flesh has not exempted Israel; but the chosen people have to mourn besides transgressions of their own law. These, however, will be by sacrifice purged away, and then, brought back into full covenant privilege, the offenders will approach the earthly dwelling-place of the Divine, and dwell there.

Verse 3. - Iniquities prevail against me. Not so much, perhaps, his own iniquities, as these of his nation. Compare the expression, "our transgressions," in the next clause. As for our trangressions, thou shalt purge them away; or, cover them.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When iniquities
דִּבְרֵ֣י (diḇ·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

prevail
גָּ֣בְרוּ (gā·ḇə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1396: To be strong, to prevail, act insolently

against me,
מֶ֑נִּי (men·nî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

You alone
אַתָּ֥ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

atone for
תְכַפְּרֵֽם׃ (ṯə·ḵap·pə·rêm)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel

our transgressions.
פְּ֝שָׁעֵ֗ינוּ (pə·šā·‘ê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 6588: Transgression


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OT Poetry: Psalm 65:3 Sins overwhelmed me but you atoned (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 65:2
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