Reflections on Psalms 66

 Psalms 66(Contemporary English Version)

1. (A song and a psalm for the music leader.) Tell everyone on this earth to shout praises to God!
   
2. Sing about his glorious name. Honor him with praises.
   
3. Say to God, "Everything you do is fearsome, and your mighty power makes your enemies come crawling.
   
4. You are worshiped by everyone! We all sing praises to you."
   
5. Come and see the fearsome things our God has done!
   
6. When God made the sea dry up, our people walked across, and because of him, we celebrated there.
   
7. His mighty power rules forever, and nothing the nations do can be hidden from him. So don't turn against God.
   
8. All of you people, come praise our God! Let his praises be heard.
   
9. God protects us from death and keeps us steady.
   
10. Our God, you tested us, just as silver is tested.
    
11. You trapped us in a net and gave us heavy burdens.
    
12. You sent war chariots to crush our skulls. We traveled through fire and through floods, but you brought us to a land of plenty.
    
13. I will bring sacrifices into your house, my God, and I will do what I promised
    
14. when I was in trouble.
    
15. I will sacrifice my best sheep and offer bulls and goats on your altar.
    
16. All who worship God, come here and listen; I will tell you everything God has done for me.
    
17. I prayed to the Lord, and I praised him.
    
18. If my thoughts had been sinful, he would have refused to hear me.
    
19. But God did listen and answered my prayer.
    
20. Let's praise God! He listened when I prayed, and he is always kind.

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This psalm, not necessarily a psalm of David, is another psalm of praise to God, probably written for a special occasion, though none is identified. In it, the whole earth is called upon to praise God and is told to say to Him, "How awe-inspiring are Your works! Your enemies will cringe before You because of Your great strength. All the earth will worship You and sing praise to You. They will sing praise to Your name." (66:3-4) Then the psalmist encourages the whole earth to "see the works of God," for "His acts toward mankind are awe-inspiring." (66:5) As an example, he tells how God "turned the sea into dry land, and they crossed the river on foot." (66:6) Furthermore, the psalmist tells the whole earth that God "keeps His eye on the nations," and "does not allow our feet to slip." But with His watchful eye He also notices and deals with the rebellious.

Next the psalmist turns his attention to God. Speaking to God he says, You have tested us and have "refined us as silver is refined." (66:10) God, he says, had taken them through the fire to refine them as silver is refined. In doing this, he says, God "lured us into a trap" and "placed burdens on our backs." (66:11) He is not suggesting, though, that God tempted them to sin. For God does not tempt anyone as is pointed out in James 1:13, "No one undergoing a trial should say, "I am being tempted by God." For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn't tempt anyone." Instead, the psalmist said that God "tested" them. This was a testing of their faith. Would they believe what God had said to them about caring for them? Would they trust in this when circumstances seemed to say otherwise?

Faith is not just a mental exercise. Because we say we have faith does not mean we do. True faith demonstrates itself by trusting God even though circumstances seem to go contrary to what God has told us. And this testing, to which the psalmist refers, is not for God's sake but for ours. God knows before we are tested whether or not our faith is more than words. But we need to see for ourselves that His word is true regardless of life's circumstances, and we need to learn to depend on Him and trust Him no matter what happens. We need also to learn that the outcome in these times will not necessary be what we expect. They will be better than what we expect! This is what the psalmist speaks of in verse 12: "we went through fire and water, but You brought us out to abundance."

Looking beyond the time of testing, the psalmist says, "I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows that my lips promised and my mouth spoke during my distress." (66:13-14) During his time of testing when he was in distress, he vowed certain things to God in return for His deliverance. Now he will honor his vows. Then he says to the congregation that was gathered in the Lord's house, "Come and listen, all who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for me." (66:16) And he tells them of how he cried out to God and God listened and paid attention to his prayer. Then he said that God "has not turned away my prayer or turned His faithful love from me." May God be praised!