PSALM 66
66:1-4
Call to Worship
You can easily image the choirmaster standing in front of the congregation signing these words as he calls them to worship. He calls for everyone to shout for joy. Worship should bring joy because, in worship, we put God and ourselves in the proper place. We exalt God as we recall his mighty deeds. We humble ourselves and appreciate his grace that allows us to have a relationship with him.
So, in joy, we sing the glory of his named give him glorious praise. Praising God and giving him glory are the same thing. It is recognizing and verbalizing God’s greatness. We do not add anything to him, for he lacks nothing, but we acknowledge and rejoice in who he is.
God’s power is so great that his enemies cringe before him. They fear being destroyed. The Old Testament gives us many examples of God defeating his and Israel’s enemies. As they crossed the wilderness and entered Jordan, the Israelites defeated all of their foes, even those who were more numerous and better equipped.
When the Israelites got to Jericho, the fear of the Lord had fallen upon the inhabitants of the land because they had heard of the Lord parting the Red Sea and defeating the Amorite kings. (Joshua 2)
We also know that all of God’s enemies will cringe before him at the end. In Revelation 6, when the sixth seal is opened and there was a great conflagration, the people of earth, rich and poor alike, called to the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of him who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb because it was the day of the Lord’s wrath.
And so the psalmist says all the earth worships and sings praises to his name.
66:5-7
Praise For Redemption
So, we think of God’s awesome deeds in worship in addition to his awesome nature. In Psalm 65, we saw praise for God in creation and in provision of water. In this psalm, we will see praise for God’s redemption of his people.
All through the Old Testament, God’s redemption of Israel is referred to repeatedly. The Lord himself referred to it when he gave instruction or correction to his people. He would say “I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt”, then give his instruction.
We all know about the parting of the Red Sea, which God did to allow the Israelites to escape the Egyptians and then to bring judgment on the Egyptians as they drowned in the sea. The psalmist referred to that in verse 6. Most of us have seen a graphic representation of that in the movie The Ten Commandments.
But, God parted the waters again when the Israelites entered Canaan. The psalmist refers to it here when he says “they passed through the river on foot”. He told the congregation to reflect on God’s awesome deeds in the redemption of Israel, focusing on God parting the waters to allow Israel to go from the land of slavery to the land of redemption.
Joshua 2 tells us the story. As Israel finally arrived to enter Canaan, they had to cross the Jordan River. At the Lord’s instruction, Joshua and the priests carrying the ark, and one man from each tribe walked into the water and God parted it so that the Israelites could walk across on dry ground. Just as leaving Egypt required a work of God’s power, so did entry into the promised land require a work of his power. The Psalmist recalled that event and said they rejoiced when God did it, implying they should continue to rejoice now because it shows God’s might and sovereignty over the nations to save his people.
Christians still use the imagery. For example, we sing a song about Jordan’s stormy banks, written by Samuel Stinnett, a Baptist pastor in the late 1700s. It says:
On Jordan's stormy banks I stand,
and cast a wishful eye
to Canaan's fair and happy land,
where my possessions lie.
66:8-12
Worshipping in Times of Correction
God redeems his people. He redeemed the Israelites. He redeems the church. He also sanctifies his people by correcting them when they stray.
The psalmist said God kept their souls and did not let their feet slip. He tested them and tried them and at times it was very difficult. He referred to refining silver, which requires great heat. He referred to the Lord leading them to be caught in a net and being crushed by burdens. All of these are images and symbols of difficult times, which the Lord used for their correction.
For the Israelites, this often came in the form of invaders. When they strayed, God would let marauders come and raid their towns and villages. If they continued, they would be invaded by armies of foreign powers. If they still continued to stray, God would let them be overrun and defeated. But, when they repented and got back on the righteous path, God brought them back to the place of abundance.
The times of blessing and the times of difficulty were part of the blessings and curses of the old covenant. We do not live under that system today. But, God still desires our sanctification and leads us to grow in that direction. If we stray from that path into disobedience and sin, he will correct us for our benefit.
That correction may come from the reading of his word. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.
Sometimes it comes in the form of discipline. The writer of Hebrews said:
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:4-11)
I truly believe God cares more about your sanctification than your comfort. I have been corrected by reading the Word. I have been corrected by discipline. I recommend the former. It is much less painful.
66:13-15
Performing Vows
We see again the psalmist performing the vows he made when he sought God’s help. He said “that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble”. (14) He vowed to make extra offerings of animals if God would help him. Now he will keep that vow.
Whatever you have promised to God, you should do. Whether it is giving, or attending, or witnessing. Do what you have promised in gratitude for what God has done for you.
This psalm shows us something about our gathering to worship. It is first corporate. The congregation gathers and praises God together. But it is also individual, the keeping of vows and the giving of gifts.
66:16-20
The Invitation
In this section, the psalmist invites all who fear God to come and hear the testimony of the psalmist. He asked God for help and God gave it to him. He did not sink into sin, but raised his prayer to God and God listened and acted in steadfast love.
For a while, our church had testimony time on some Sunday nights. And you found yourself built up as you rejoiced with someone who shared God’s deliverance.
Whatever you struggle with today, lift it up to God in a prayer for help. He will answer and he will help. Pray for others who struggle. Those who share the struggle, share the victory.
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