Psalm 66
"For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs."
(PSALM 66:10-11)
While the imagery of imprisonment resonates with me in particular, Psalm 66 is a beautiful call to all the earth to turn to God. It is a vignette in which the psalmist speaks of God's work in creation, our redemption, and our response to this work. In verse 10, the psalmist writes that God tested the people and refined them like silver. The refinement came in the form of imprisonment.
Friends, do you think of your afflictions in these terms? Do you recognize them as coming from God as part of your refinement? What a comfort it was to know that my incarceration was from God and that what I had meant for evil God meant for my good.
Know that your burdens are from the Lord, and there is not one anguish you will ever experience that He has not already experienced for you. The good news is that He "brought us out to a place of abundance" (v. 12). This is the truth for every believer, whether it is here on earth or in glory for eternity. For God has promised it!
INSIGHT
THE ONE WHO LAYS BURDENS ON OUR BACKS ALSO BORE ON HIS BACK ALL THE PUNISHMENT FOR OUR SINS, BRINGING US TO A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 27-28
Psalm 39
Luke 3
Psalm 66
For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”[a]
5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 66:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.
LEARNING TO LOVE [PART 5]
with Gary Chapman
Love can easily be defined - it is patient, kind and gracious. But true Christian love cannot be proud, self-seeking and rude. How can we love others in the way that God first loved us?
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