Psalm 65-67

Live a Life of Praise

“The Christian ought to be a living Doxology” Martin Luther

The Israelites lived outdoors. They   slept under the stars and they walked in the beauty of all that God had created.   They loved to sing and their thoughts were often captured in song to be sung and shared in their worship.   These three are songs written to praise God for Who He is, What He has done and the joy of being His child. A Psalm that remembers their deliverance from Egypt.

The Jews had three harvests:

   1 .   Passover (March-April). This was the first harvest, when they brought in barley grain to make bread.

   2 .   Pentecost (May-June). This was the second harvest, when they brought in wheat grain also to make bread.

   3 .   Tabernacles (September-October). This was the last harvest, when they harvested grapes to make wine.

These harvests remind us of the bread and wine that Jesus said were his body and blood. Paul also reminds us that because Jesus died at Passover He was the first harvest of the new people of God! ("The first fruits of them that slept", 1 Corinthians 15:20. “B ut the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.”

  Psalm 65 is a harvest psalm, and is used at Passover. It is remembering what God had done for them and prophetic anticipating the day when Jesus will reign on earth-a song for all nations.

   •    verses 1 - 4 God saves us-Praise God for His Grace

   •    verses 5 - 8 God’s power is over all- Praise God for protection/deliverance

   •    verses 9 - 13 God’s provision is more than enough, You are all we need

vv 1-4   God has the plan – His Grace!

When David wrote this psalm, he had not built the temple, Solomon, his son would do that. David looks prophetically into the future and sees the millennial temple which will be a place where ALL people will come to worship.   All tribes and tongues will be drawn to God, to dwell with Him and   to share in the harvest He has prepared for ALL people. It is not a temple as in David’s time that would say, this far and no closer.   We are no longer restricted to the courtyard or from the Holy of Holies by the veil. God’ s grace is His gift for those who will receive it.

vv 5-8 God has the power and He is in Control

Pharaoh wanted to kill the Israelites   BUT God intervened

Herod wanted to kill the King of the Jews as a baby and on the cross BUT                                                                 God intervened.

In the millennium there will be another attempt to kill the Jewish people and the believers BUT God will intervene

David sees prophetically that Jesus will bring both Jews and Gentiles in faith to Himself.

v v 6-8 God has the power/is the creator/He is in control

He is not an impotent, make believe God. He fills space with galaxies, yet He holds them in space and tells them where to shine. He formed the mountains, gives force to the wind and the ocean and yet He quiets them with a word.

You created man/the nations and You call for our praise.

vv 9-13   God provides it all!

At this great time of harvest as David looks forward to Heaven.

·       You water the land and you have it in Your control

·       You bless our crops

·       You clothe our hills

·       You cover the meadows

·       You fill our valley

David sees into the future as he looks at what God is doing now and trusts Him to do that which needs to be done. David the shepherd looks and sees God hand in all creation.

Psalm 66 – Live a Life of Worship

“Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.”  

  John Wesley

Every year the Jews Celebrate Passover. They have done it now for nearly 3 500 years. This Psalm is about a special Passover. Many think that it is the one after God saved them from the Assyrians. This was about 2700 years ago. Their king at that time was Hezekiah. Yet it is prophetic.   It looks to Christ reign in the Millennium

It begins with Shout to the Lord,   Shout joyful praises to God, ALL the earth.

We have something to sing about, Shout about. We have been redeemed, delivered.

God you are awesome.   The enemy trembles. The earth is telling about what you have done.

Come, let me tell you what the Lord has done, let’s recall His awesome miracles to us.

·       He made a dry path through the Red Sea

·       Our people walked across on foot

·       We rejoiced because of what He had done

·       He was in charge of everything going one. No rebels rose against us.

v 8   So Let the whole world bless our God and Loudly sing His praise.

Because He’s got our world in His hands.

v 9 You take care of us,

v 10 – 11 You hold us accountable for our sin – You will hold us accountable for our sin. You protect us and refine us for our actions keeping us from falling into the grave.

vv 12 – We went through the trial and You brought us to the place of GREAT abundance.

vv 13 -15   So NOW- I have just come to praise You Lord.

·       I come with burnt offerings

·       I come to fulfill the vows I made to YOU

·       I bring the best of what I have to say thank YOU

vv 16 -18   What You have done for me has changed my life, the way I live.

I want to tell my story to all who will listen

·       I cried out to Him   for help, knowing He would listen if my heart was right before Him.

·       God listen! He heard my prayer

·       He paid attention to my prayer

·       He did not ignore my prayer

·       He did not with draw His love from me.

True worship of God is to let go of yourself and reach out to Him   and offer Him yourself “because of all He has done for you. Be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind He wil find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.”   Romans 12:1   (my translation)

Shout to the Lord . He is worthy of our praise and Worship.

And so      Psalm 67   Share His Word to the World

“Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions…The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God”   John Piper

Oh we have been blessed.

            v 1   God bless us, be merciful,   smile with favor on us

The Psalmist understands how awesome is our God and the more he understands this, the more he wants the World to know of   his God. Missions comes out of Worship

The author is unknown but his passion is revealed as he prays for the people of the world.

vv 2-7

Lord

·       Reveal Your ways throughout the earth

·       Your saving power among people everywhere

·       May the nations praise You

·       Cause them to sing for joy

·       You govern the nations with justice

·       You guide the people of the whole world, not just some

·       May the nations praise YOU

·       Then, they will be like us, living under the benefits of   YOUR love

·       Then we too will be blessed   and all nations will fear YOUR name

·        

This will happen in the Millenium   oh that it could happen now!