Psalm 66 begins in the gathered congregation of Israel (vv. 1-12). But then, one man arises, perhaps the king himself, to give testimony to God (vv. 13-20).[1] For all the earth will look upon God’s goodness as his people worship.
Come and Sing (vv. 1-4)
In the first stanza, God’s people come and sing his glorious praises. Over and over, the psalmist commands: Shout for joy. Sing God’s glory. Give him praise. Speak his name. For the God of “all the earth” deserves praises from “all the earth” (vv. 1, 4). “To shout” is to make a joyful noise to the saving God. It is a battle cry of triumph—a thunderous rumble until even the ground begins to shake with shouts of victory (e.g., Josh 6:16; 1 Sam 4:5). In the words of the hymn writer, John Wesley, “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.”[2] Sing like Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail (Acts 16). Sing like Daniel in the den of lions (Dan 6). Sing like Deborah after Israel’s victory over Canaan (Judg 5). Sing like Mary as she was made the mother of God’s Son (Luke 1:46-55). Sing from your soul as an act of worship.[3] Sing with heartfelt praise, but rejoice with trembling (2:11). For as we praise God for who he is and all that he is done, we come before him with a proper sense of awe.
The psalmist commands us to sing with joy, for worship is not an optional activity. So, we sing that all the earth might praise the name of God—his perfect character and his attributes (Ps 66:2, 4). We sing the wonder of his deeds, the greatness of his power, his authority over all the earth (v. 3). We sing the words of God back to God in praise. And we sing to Christ in whom God’s glory is ultimately displayed (John 1:14). For in Christ Jesus, “all the earth” will come and sing of his life, death, resurrection, and exaltation! (Phil 2:6-11).
Come and See (vv. 5-7)
The psalmist continues: “Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man” (Ps 66:5). True wonder draws our attention like a child watching fireworks for the first time: “Daddy, look!” So also, the psalmist delights that God “turned the sea into dry land” (Ps 66:6a; Exod 14-15). He parted the Jordan as his people “passed through the river on foot” (Ps 66:6b; Josh 3). The psalmist aligns himself with God’s people in generations past: “There did we rejoice” in the promised land (Ps 66:6c). We share a history as we praise our God together for his mighty works, his victories in battle, and giving us the land. We praise God “who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves” (vv. 7-8). For the same God who parted the Red Sea would also part the Jordan (see 114:3, 5; Job 40:23). The same God who delivered his people from Egyptian slavery would usher them into the promised land. The same God who demonstrated awesome deeds in history is just as mighty today and forever. The same God who blessed his people, Israel, now invites all of humanity to come and see what he has done. And since we too belong to this people of God, we praise him with the psalmist and with the congregation of Israel and with the Exodus generation because of all that he has done. For this same God has sent his beloved Son to be our Savior (John 3:16). He is a Prophet greater than Moses who leads his people out of slavery to sin (Heb 3:1-6). He is awesome in his deeds as he takes us across the river Jordan to depict our entrance into eternal glory.
Therefore, come and see what God has done, for “there did we rejoice in him” at the cross and resurrection of Christ. Due to our shared history with the people of God, we praise Christ as the Passover Lamb who takes away our sin (1 Cor 5:7). We rejoice that Christ has risen from the grave as we trust the account in Scripture (1 Cor 15:3-4). We study our Bibles with delight, for in Christ Jesus the promises to Abraham and his descendants are blessings for us as well (Gen 12:1-3).
Come and Suffer (vv. 8-12)
The call to suffer seems out of place, yet it forms the center of this psalm: “Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip” (Ps 66:8-9). For as God preserves Israel, all the peoples of the earth will bless him with their praise. So, God delights in Israel, keeping their souls alive and their feet from slipping to the grave (17:5). Though they encounter many dangers, God protects their hearts.
We don’t know the specific suffering, of course,[4] but God’s deliverance compels their praise: “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water” (66:10-12b).[5] The victors might trample them with horses and chariots, then capture others as prisoners of war. This section, though, concludes with hope: “Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance” (v. 12c). God has provided “the way of escape” (1 Cor 10:13). He is testing his people—proving their character like precious metal (1 Pet 1:6-7). For in ancient times, the silversmith would thrust the ore into the furnace at just the right heat.[6] With a practiced eye, he waits for the exact moment when the impure dross separates from the silver to be skimmed from the surface. And in this way, the precious metal is refined. Likewise, God often throws us in the fire—not like straw to reduce us to ashes, but like silver to cleanse our impurities—not to punish us, but to purify us by the fierceness of his love. For trials burn off any parts of us that don’t belong to God.
Surely, then, we can endure a little suffering in this present life (2 Cor 4:17-18). We can rejoice in trials as we await eternal glory. We can trust God’s loving hand of discipline (Prov 3:12; Heb 12:11) and find comfort that he walks with us through both the flood and flame (Isa 43:2). For God’s testing is a natural part of the Christian life designed to purify and to make us more like Christ. So, the divine Silversmith holds us in the furnace at just the right heat. He patiently watches with expert eye until the dross has been removed and he can see his image reflected in our life. He then restores us as he promised to the place of full abundance (Ps 66:12c).
Come and Sacrifice (vv. 13-15)
We thank God for our deliverance from trials as we bring the sacrifice of praise.[7] As the psalmist steps forward from the crowd, he testifies to God: “I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you, that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats” (Ps 66:13-15). Temple worship in the house of God includes burnt offerings to the Lord—the animal sacrifices of rams and bulls and goats. Yet these offerings are extravagant—fit for a king or for the entire nation.[8] They pour out tremendous wealth to thank God for his deliverance (see 65:1).
The musical notation, Selah, then pauses us to meditate on God’s goodness. For the psalmist’s testimony of exodus, wilderness, and blessings of the promised land describe the story of every believer today. For we were once captive to our sin—slaves to a harsh master, but Christ has set us free (Rom 6:17-18). We were once wandering in the wilderness of our own rebellion, but Christ has purified us through that time of suffering. Even now, we are still sojourners in this weary land, but Christ has promised us eternal life in a place of great abundance (1 Pet 2:11-12). So, in the psalm, we hear the words of Christ—our King of kings, who leads us into praise and testifies of God’s deliverance. For in Christ Jesus, our guilt is covered by his extravagant atonement. Christ Jesus keeps the vows we made by bringing the sacrifice of himself. Thus, we no longer need the blood of bulls and goats since Christ has shed his blood for us: the Lamb of God who takes away our sin (see John 1:29; Heb 10:1-14).
Come and Savor (vv. 16-20)
Finally, our joy leads us to savor God’s steadfast love: “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul” (Ps 66:16).[9] The psalmist tells what God has done for his soul: “I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue” (v. 17). He recalls a time when he urgently sought God’s help, expressing confidence in God’s deliverance. Yet he would have understood had God remained silent: “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (v. 18).[10] If he had been coddling sin in his heart, God would not have listened to his prayers. For God ignores the unrepentant and humbles the proud when our iniquities separate us from him (Isa 59:2). God will only listen to our prayers once we look away from sin and look to Christ (1 John 3:21-22). Thus, the psalmist delights that he’s been heard: “But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer” (Ps 66:19). Answered prayers are the evidence of his right standing before God. Yet instead of boasting that his conscience is clear, he turns to praise: “Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!” (v. 20). He savors the loyal, committed love of God who will never leave us nor forsake us. Even when we wander for a time, God does not turn aside his love. For we who have died to sin have been raised with Christ and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:1-4).
In John Bunyan’s spiritual biography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, he referenced Psalm 66: “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (v. 16, KJV). So also, you have a testimony which must be shared: a story of God’s deliverance from troubles, salvation from sin, answered prayers, and comfort in suffering. Your story compels you to share with others how to savor God’s love:
- First, remember his awesome deeds. Delight in the Scriptures. Recall your own testimony. Then, direct your worship to God as you testify, “Come and see what God has done” (Ps 66:5).
- Second, praise God in times of both suffering and abundance. Praise God for refining you through your trials (vv. 10-12b). But praise him also when he restores you to the place of full abundance (v. 12c).
- Lastly, trust God to answer your prayers and to always hold you tight. For even when you stumble, God’s steadfast love will never fail (1 John 3:19-22). In difficult trials, we might start to doubt our faith: “God, are you still good? Are you still powerful? Are you still God? Am I even still a Christian when I have such doubts?” Then, God comes to us in love: “Yes, my child, I am still good. I’m still all powerful. I’m still your God. And even though your heart may doubt, I know your heart. I see your faith and you are mine. You belong to me and I will never let you go.” Surely, that’s a faith we can rejoice in.
Life Application Study
- What reasons does Psalm 66 present that we should sing God’s praises? How do you obey God’s command to sing for joy even when you don’t feel like worshiping?
- How do God’s awesome deeds in the past strengthen us for present difficulties? What meaning does Israel’s exodus from Egypt and conquest of the promised land hold for believers today?
- Why does God ignore the prayers of those who love their sin (Isa 59:1-2; John 9:31)? How can you keep your conscience clear before the Lord (1 John 3:19-22)?
- Describe your testimony of the many ways God has purified you in his refining fire (1 Pet 1:6-7). Share your insights with a fellow believer.
- Savor God’s steadfast love as you think deeply on the gospel truths you sing in worship. How do these lyrics help you reflect on God?
- Pray Psalm 66 back to God:
- O God, teach me how to joyfully worship you (vv. 1-3).
- May all the earth one day sing your praises (v. 4).
- Remind me of your awesome deeds (vv. 5-9, 16-17).
- Teach me to trust your promises even in my trials (vv. 10-12).
- Lord, make my life a living sacrifice (vv. 13-15).
- Turn away my eyes from sin and keep them firmly fixed on you (vv. 18-20).
[1] These two sections are further sub-divided by the musical notation, selah, thus resulting in five stanzas inviting listeners to come and worship.
[2] John Wesley, “Directions for Singing,” published in his 1761 preface to Select Hymns: with Tunes Annext.
[3] “Sing praises” is recorded twice for emphasis and set in parallel with “worship” (v. 4). So, we sing with full hearts and musical instruments.
[4] Some attribute this psalm to King Hezekiah as he leads his people in worship after God’s miraculous deliverance from Sennacherib, king of Assyria (see 2 Kgs 18-19; Isa 36-38).
[5] “Through fire and through water” is a merism expressing all kind dangers (like “day and night” represents all the time or “heavens and earth” describes the entire universe).
[6] “Sterling silver melts at a temperature of 1,640 degrees Fahrenheit. An additional 338 degrees is necessary to allow the metal to be poured without freezing and not so hot that a destructive crystalline structure forms or alloys are dissipated before the metal cools. . . . The refining process requires expertise and an intimate knowledge of the tools and metals involved” (John H. Walton, et.al., The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament [Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2000], 566).
[7] The psalm transitions from the plural voice (vv. 1-12) to the singular (vv. 13-20). The Hebrew alliteration in verses 12-13 links these two sections together, showing that corporate worship for God’s deliverance is related to the psalmist’s personal testimony.
[8] Such animal sacrifices would have incurred tremendous cost (see Num 7; 1 Kgs 8:62-64; 1 Chr 29:20-22; 2 Chr 29:31-33; 35:7-9). This lavish offering cannot be mere hyperbole which would make the psalmist’s words seem disingenuous.
[9] The call to “come and see” (v. 5) is now to “come and hear” (v. 16). In both cases, “come” (halak) is a Hebrew idiom expressing urgency (i.e., “Hurry up and get over here!”)
[10] The word, “iniquity,” is brought forward for emphasis: “If iniquity I had cherished.” The verb means “to look upon with enjoyment, to not avert one’s eyes.”
