Psalms 66:1-12
SS Lesson for 11/07/2010
Devotional Scripture: Ps 47:1-9
The outline of the lesson came from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary. This week's lesson reviews the Awesomeness of God. The study's aim is to show what and how God did to protect His people and how we need to respond. The study's application is to understand that our God is awesome in His actions and to depend on Him when we are in need of protection.
“Awesome God” Story
Some years ago, I was an interim preacher for a church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for about a year. The worship minister also was an interim. We both stayed in the basement of the home of one of the leaders on Saturday evenings. During those times we planned the sermons and the worship services so that a unified biblical theme could be developed and presented for the congregation. On one occasion the worship minister asked me to create a sermon to match a new song he had written just a few weeks earlier. And so I preached a sermon on Isaiah 40:28–31 and called it the same title as the song: “Our God Is an Awesome God!” Yes, it was Rich Mullins who was the worship minister, and little did either of us know that this song eventually would become a classic of Christian music. I chose Isaiah as my text because Rich was in the habit of reading Isaiah once a month for inspiration to write music. Yet I could have preached from a number of biblical texts to match that song title! Indeed, God is awesome, and both Old and New Testaments proclaim his awesome deeds. Psalm 66 is one of those texts that proclaim that God is awesome!
Lesson Background
Psalm 66 is a hymn praising God for awesome deeds in the present as well as in the past. The hymn is divided into two parts. The first part (vv. 1–12) is a communal exhortation to praise God for his awesome works on behalf of his people, even during times of testing instigated by God. The second part (vv. 13–20) is characterized by a representative figure (a king? a priest?) who offers thanksgiving offerings on behalf of the congregation. The two parts are mutually dependent. What is interesting about this psalm is the placement of Selah at various places (at the end of vv. 4 and 7 for part one and at the end of v. 15 for part two). Scholars do not know the meaning of Selah, but here it clearly is used at the logical breaks in the thought of the text. Part one (vv. 1–12) is divided into three stanzas (vv. 1–4, 5–7, 8–12). These are the texts for our lesson. Part two (vv. 13–20) is clearly divided into two stanzas (vv. 13–15 and vv. 16–20), with verse 20 as a benediction.
No one knows what crisis (if any) is the background for this psalm. Most scholars suggest two possibilities. One is the Assyrian crisis of 701 BC, involving Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem and King Hezekiah’s faithfulness to God to trust in his deliverance (Isaiah 36, 37; 2 Kings 18:13, 17–37; 2 Chronicles 32:9–19). Only by the intervention of God was the city of Jerusalem spared. To this end Hezekiah had prayed the words we see in Isaiah 37:16–20. If the words of Psalm 66:13–20 are from Hezekiah’s lips, then we can see their deep significance. The praise and sacrifice offered by the king are not on his own behalf alone, but for the people whom God has rescued. The second possible background is the release from Babylonian captivity. The date under this possibility would have to be after the rebuilding of the temple in 516 BC since Psalm 66:13 refers to that structure. But no one knows which theory (if either) is correct. Yet this uncertainty does not rob this psalm of its power and dynamic. It can be applied to any “deliverance” the people of God experience in any circumstance. Neither do we know who wrote the psalm. Both Psalms 66 and 67 are without a named author, but both are surrounded by “Davidic” psalms. This uncertainty does not, of course, prevent our appreciation for the content of the psalm.
This is a praise psalm. Since there is no historical superscription, we cannot know whether there was any particular event behind its writing. There seems to be some kind of deliverance in mind; other than that, we are left without specifics. The first part of Psalm 66 (verses 1-12) is in the first person plural (we, our, us), appealing to everyone to praise God. Beginning in verse 13, however, everything is in the first person singular (I, my, me). Both group and individual praise are emphasized, and both are still important today. Praise expressed by God's people is such a joyful sound. The music in a church service is a good example. In congregational singing, we corporately lift our voices in praise and express to God and to each other how blessed we are. It is encouraging to occasionally stop singing and listen to the praise offered all around us. When the choir sings, another avenue of praise is opened as the members join in beautiful harmony (or so the choir director hopes!). Individual praise is equally important and equally beautiful in God's ears. Not all of us have beautiful quality in our voices, but God listens to the heart and is pleased. We live in uncertain times, open to attacks by foreign nations. Financial situations change overnight because of things beyond our control. And yet through all kinds of disasters, our God proclaims that He is going to take care of His people and protect them. When we read the book of Psalms in particular, we are reminded that God is a God who is active in history. He will show us His wonderful and awesome works to help us in times of crisis. The third unit of lessons teaches us that God protects His people. In this first lesson we get a glimpse into the mighty acts of God that He did to show how He protected His people. The first five books of the Bible, usually referred to as the Pentateuch, show us that God was always there with His people. He was a God who acted on their behalf and cared for them through all kinds of circumstances. We can take home the same assurance from our study this week.
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
1 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
2 Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious.
3 Say to God, "How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
4 All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name." Selah
33 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
97 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The Lord's right hand has done mighty things!
15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
15 The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
6 "Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy. 7 In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble.
21 Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.
24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God."
11 One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, 12 and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.
3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,
2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5 Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.
6 He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him.
7 He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?
17 "What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention,
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
2 Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
18 You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers' sins into the laps of their children after them. O great and powerful God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, 19 great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve.
3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
8 Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
9 Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.
10 For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.
11 You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs.
12 You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
4 Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;
9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—
19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Indeed, our God is an awesome God, and his works are awesome! Creation itself testifies to this characteristic of God. But bending nature to his will seems easy compared with shaping a people for God’s purposes. A slave-nation in Egypt, the Hebrews were to become a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, and God’s most prized treasure. God led his fickle people through the wilderness and across the Jordan River to conquer the promise land. Eventually, a nation became a kingdom with eternal and unconditional promises given to David. That kingdom thrived until sin divided it. Yet a remnant returned from exile, and God’s awesome deeds were recognized by a renewed people. Finally, the Messiah came. It is the resurrection of Jesus that causes us to declare most completely that our God is an awesome God! Even the Jewish scholars who translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek about 200 years before Christ entitled Psalm 66 as “a song of resurrection.” Our God is an awesome God.
Children often urge their parents to come see something. They are excited to show them things they have found or maybe something they have done. Perhaps it is a bug or the ability to ride a bike with no hands. The wise parent will stop at such a moment to take his son's or daughter's hand and see what is so exciting. The unknown psalmist urges us to see God's works. What follows in the text is a list of the amazing things He did for His people Israel. Why should we care what God did for Israel? How could these things matter to us in the twenty-first century? The answer is quite simple. The fact that God did awesome things for His people in the past shows how He will act on His people's behalf now. We can count on that today and in the future! The writer goes on to say that God is "terrible in his doing" (Ps 66:5, KJV). That does not mean terrible in the sense that we often think of. The word "terrible" translates a Hebrew verb that means "to fear." But it can also mean "to reverence," and that is clearly the idea here. We are to realize that the amazing things God does should make us stand in awe at His power. God brought the world into existence out of nothing. Who could not be in awe of that! These doings are "toward the children of men." This is simply a way of referring to human beings, not just men. There is a song called "God Loves People More Than Anything." That is certainly true. Jesus made this clear in the Sermon on the Mount: "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matt. 6:26). The obvious answer is yes, we are. Christ died for us; He did not die for the birds or any other animals. What are some of the wonderful things God has done in your life lately? If you have to stop and think a long time, perhaps you do not pray enough. Certainly, we all could pray more, but the fact is that we get so caught up with life that we do not spend the time we should in communion with the Lord. Prayer is something God has commanded us to do. But if God will do what He will do, why does it matter if we pray? I think that at least one reason is that when we pray and God answers prayer, it brings glory to Him. And that is certainly what all our lives should be geared toward: bringing glory to God. Another reason we should pray is that it changes us. Sometimes we may begin praying for something a certain way, but God works on our heart and we pray a different way. It has been said that you cannot hate someone you are praying for. That is true. What happens is that you begin to love that person or you stop praying for him. As we read God's Word (something we should endeavor to do every day), we see God's amazing and wonderful works. That makes us praise Him and pray for Him to continue to work in our lives. What could be better?
1. God's power is worthy of praise, for it is always directed toward good ends (Ps. 66:1-3)
2. The glorious acknowledgment of God in the future is reason for us to praise Him now (vs. 4)
3. By remembering God's past works, we bring Him praise in the present (vs. 5-6)
4. Let us not be deceived by the triumph of the ungodly now; God is still in control (vs. 7)
5. When we praise God, we should do it openly and vocally (vs. 8-9)
6. Trials will make us stronger when we allow God to work through them (vs. 10-12)
People all too flippantly say, "That is awesome!" While something may be amazing or impressive, real awe is a more overwhelming and arresting emotion. Perhaps we should limit our use of the words "awe" and "awesome" to the works and personality of God.
God's works in the natural world are awe-inspiring. The beauty of a sunrise or sunset, the glorious flowers, the beautiful birds and their songs, all are awesome. The huge and powerful effects of earthquakes, tidal waves, and great storms are overwhelming. All these gigantic displays of power and beauty can be breathtaking. Unless a person is disposed to ignoring God or hating Him, he is drawn to praise God for the sheer magnitude and scope of His creation and activities. What a magnificent Person He is to think of all these things and to perform all He has conceived! His miracles surround us daily.
God is constantly involved in the lives of people and especially so in the lives of believers. We see this in the large, sweeping works of God, such as His parting of the Red Sea. You and I can rejoice also in the way He blesses our country. He keeps us free and blesses us materially. He keeps other nations from becoming dominant over us. He allows us to bless other nations with the spread of the gospel and with humanitarian acts. We need to keep these things in mind and continually praise Him and speak of His awesome greatness.
There are many personal things God constantly does for us. He has given us the gospel and has drawn us to Himself in salvation. He upholds us and gives us a sense of security in life because of His presence with us and what He is doing for us. He also trains and disciplines us. He molds our character to be more like His as we obey Him. God is awesome in the way He thinks of everything about our lives and makes provision for us. We should always be praising Him and encouraging others to praise and thank Him. Our God is magnificent! Our sweetest response to God is because of the awesome things He does for us personally. We can do nothing for God physically. He had no needs. We cannot create anything for Him. He is self-sufficient and enjoys His creation and great eternal plan as it unfolds. He is delighted with the fellowship He has within the Godhead. We can, however, bring God praise and worship in many ways. We can praise Him by means of testimony. Giving testimony is not preaching to others but sharing with them in a praising way what God has done for us personally. God has thought of you and blessed you in so many ways. How awesome! You can savor it over again and draw others to praise and thank Him as you share spiritual experiences with them. God delights to hear you do that. Others are then blessed and encouraged to trust Him, and they grow in hope that He will bless them too. The great Creator and Sustainer of the universe has loved you with an everlasting love. He has sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be your Saviour. Jesus is now preparing an eternal place with Him for you. He loves you and guides your life daily. Set aside time each day to reflect on our awesome God.