Psalm 65 New King James Version
Praise to God for His Salvation and Providence
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
65 Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the [a]vow shall be performed.
2 O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.
3 Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will provide atonement for them.
4 Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.
5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas;
6 Who established the mountains by His strength,
Being clothed with power;
7 You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.
8 They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs;
You make the outgoings of the morning and evening [b]rejoice.
9 You [c]visit the earth and water it,
You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.
10 You water its ridges abundantly,
You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers,
You bless its growth.
11 You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.
12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
And the little hills rejoice on every side.
13 The pastures are clothed with flocks;
The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Whether it’s reading and meditating upon the psalms, writing my own blog musings, or perusing a variety of published collections cover-to-cover — I just love poetry. I’m drawn to its sincerity, depths of vulnerability and imagery.
To me, it’s a medium where humankind is free to reveal unique stories, open windows of wonder, and connect with other souls.
Poets often speak with tenderness and conviction about the astounding beauty of nature. Our heart beats openly in awe and wonderment of all those tiny and towering blessings that grace our daily lives.
As a lyrical poet, King David was also in a deep state of appreciation for God’s provisions from sunrise to sunset.
While creating Psalm 65, he stood in awe of the nourishment that nature freely gives. It is a song of immeasurable gratitude, and several biblical commentaries suggest it was intended to be sung at a special worship and public observance.
It’s likely that a large gathering sang this psalm of praise to God, in celebration of deliverance, abundance, and the beauty of nature.
Whether we sing about it, write it down, or just soak it in, we are all blessed by nature with a symphony of colors (and yes, white as snow is a color) and then soon after with the change of seasons, behold sustenance from seed to harvest.
We can hear the voice of God — in the wind and rain, in a bevy of birdsong… and so much more.
Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 1:20 God’s eternal power is seen in creation.
Romans 1:20 Amplified Bible
20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense.
In this verse, Paul encourages readers to know God by seeking proof of him in the creatures, landscapes, and skies.
There are many examples of God’s spectacular creativity in the Bible.
We continue to see it reflected in the great works of famous photographers, musicians, and artists of all kinds.
And although I try to write poetry sometimes, I’m often distracted by must-dos, social media must-haves, and deadlines just like you.
However, scripture reminds me of the value of seeking God in the smallest feather or faintest whisper.
Simply taking a walk outdoors can rekindle your sense of awe.
It can give you a firsthand taste of God’s love.
When you spend time in nature, you collect a kaleidoscope of natural wonders with your senses or just study a single clover.
The opportunities to be inspired and amazed are endless, every single day.
Nature is always painting, ministering from, worshiping, the living tapestry of God’s wondrous handiwork.
Why bother? Why praise God at all, somebody may ask ?
Christians too often take it for granted that everyone understands that God is worthy of praise.
But non-Christians frequently think that for God to demand praise, worship, of his creatures suggests he is insecure if not egocentric.
Perhaps Christians, too, from time to time, also wonder the same—if not less loudly and less publicly. Why should we praise God?
David here gives us three reasons why “praise is due” to God (65:1).
First, it is because of his gracious salvation.
“When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions” (65:3).
What a great reason and motivation for us to praise God!
Yes, we are sinners.
Yes, our sins “prevail against” us; they enslave us, trouble us, and—unforgiven—ultimately damn us.
But God has found a way to “atone” for our transgressions!
Surely this means we should praise God.
Surely the one who in the end found a way to bring us back to himself washed, cleansed, and righteous deserves the praise of those he saved.
Surely that this salvation was in the end wrought at such a great cost—the cost of the sacrifice of the Son of God—means that God deserves our praise.
Praise God, first, because of his gracious salvation!
Second, praise God because he answers the prayers of his people.
“By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation” (65:5).
What a great reason and motivation to praise God!
Our God is a prayer-hearing God!
He answers our requests and moves in response to our pleas.
He is the “hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.”
God is able and willing to respond with what is best to those who ask, seek, and knock persistently in prayer!
Therefore, praise God!
Remember the times that he has answered your prayers in the past and praise God for answered prayer!
Write in your journal in the future the times that he answers your prayers as a testimony to the goodness of God.
So praise God, second, because he answers the prayers of his people!
Third, praise God because of his constant creation care.
“You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it” (65:9).
The Christian doctrine of creation is not that God made the world in the beginning—and then left it to its own devices.
The Christian doctrine of creation is that God is constantly upholding all of the universe by the continual exercise of the power of his word.
Every good and perfect thing we see—every sunset and sunrise, every moment of beauty and mountain of grandeur—is a testimony to the greatness of God!
So praise God because of his constant creation care!
Would you then this morning spend time praising God?
It is easy to begin our days with a shopping list of prayer requests.
Would you instead begin to day with a joyful expanse of singing and praise!
So, today — if you’re feeling a tiny bit stuck, underwhelmed, or overworked — I urge you to plan a pause in nature.
Psalm 46:10-11 Amplified Bible
10
“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”
11
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah.
Let yourself slowly consider the beauty of a snowy landscape, the intricacy of a single snowflake, the sturdiness of a stone or a forest of tall majestic trees, the architecture of an ocean shell, or the simple dances of a butterfly.
Find a moment to savor the impeccable detail and devotion of our Lord, in a leaf, a creek, or a picturesque view.
Then stop striving so hard and permit a sense of awe to cleanse your spirit.
Making space to be awestruck will remind you that God weaves the most fragile of miracles, and a masterpiece of infinite stars that can take your breath away.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ….
Praying ….
Psalm 19 Amplified Bible
The Works and the Word of God.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
19 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.
2
Day after day pours forth speech,
And night after night reveals knowledge.
3
There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars];
Their voice is not heard.
4
Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth,
Their words to the end of the world.
In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun,
5
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6
The sun’s rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7
The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;
The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8
The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.
10
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed];
In keeping them there is great reward.
12
Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.
13
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins;
Let them not rule and have control over me.
Then I will be blameless (complete),
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 