Psalm 66

From: Short Meditations on the Psalms: Chiefly in Their Prophectic Character By: John Gifford Bellett

Psalm 66 • 1 min. read • grade level: 9

Here the praise anticipated and waited for in the preceding Psalm breaks forth in Zion. Jehovah has answered the prayer by terrible things in righteousness. (Psa. 65:5; 66:3,5⁵By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: (Psalm 65:5)
³Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. (Psalm 66:3)
⁵Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalm 66:5).) The vows made are here paid. (Psa. 65:1¹<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David.>> Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. (Psalm 65:1); Psa. 66:13-14¹³I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, ¹⁴Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. (Psalm 66:13‑14).) When they were afflicted they prayed, now being merry they sing psalms.

But this Psalm appears to have a very exact structure marked by Selahs. The Psalmist (the Spirit of Christ in the Remnant) calls on all lands to praise God for His judgments (Psa. 66:1-4¹<<To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm.>> Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: ²Sing forth the honor of his name: make his praise glorious. ³Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. ⁴All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. (Psalm 66:1‑4)), and then invites them to look at those judgments (Psa. 66:5-7⁵Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. ⁶He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him. ⁷He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah. (Psalm 66:5‑7)). He then calls on the people to bless God for His mercies to them (leading them himself in that worship, Psa. 66:8-15⁸O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: ⁹Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. ¹⁰For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. ¹¹Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. ¹²Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. ¹³I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, ¹⁴Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. ¹⁵I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah. (Psalm 66:8‑15)), and then invites them to hearken to the story of those mercies (Psa. 66:16-20¹⁶Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. ¹⁷I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. ¹⁸If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: ¹⁹But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. ²⁰Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. (Psalm 66:16‑20)).

Observe “come and see” in Psalm 66:5,⁵Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalm 66:5) “come and hear” in Psalm 66:16¹⁶Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. (Psalm 66:16); for the manifested works, or works in the earth (the operations of His hand), are proposed to sight, the hidden works, or works in the soul (the operations of His Spirit), are proposed to the ear. The whole Psalm is an utterance of great liberty and joy of heart, and savors richly of the gladness of God’s chosen in the days of the kingdom, remembering the judgments of the wicked and the discipline of the righteous which had ushered it in.

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