Devotional Short Note to Psalm 66: No
poet’s name appeared at the header but there is a fingerprint left: it is rare
to read “a song, a Psalm” since the popular form is “a Psalm, a song”. Asaph in
Psalm 83 used it once in this format of Psalm 66. My vote is on Asaph. Asaph
wishes people, in fact, “all the earth” (66:1b) to shout, sing, make praise and
say to God how great He is (66:1b; 2a; 2b; 3a). God is awe-inspiring (66:3a and
66:5b). What is awe-inspiring is His work (66:3a) and His doing upon the sons
of man (66:5a). Asaph cited two eschaton scenarios regarding the evil and the
good saying “in the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies come cringing to
You” and at the same time-zone “all the earth shall worship You and shall sing
praises to You, they shall sing praises to Your name” (66:3b; 4a-c). The Second
Coming of the Lord is in mind here by Asaph. The citation mark Selah appears
and Asaph will turn to another matter. Asaph now exhorts people to “come and
see the works of God, He is awe-inspiring in His doing upon the sons of man”
(66:5a-b). If (:) existed in those days, it would have been after this verse.
Now Asaph is going to explain what he means by great works. At the Exodus in
1450 BCE at the Red Sea, God “turned the sea into dry land” and in 1410 BCE “they
went through the river on foot” when they arrived at the Jordan. “There let us
rejoice to Him” (66:6c). In that weak moment God was their strength. Ellen
White also said “We are to keep our minds stayed upon God; and in our weakness,
He will be our strength; in our ignorance, He will be our wisdom; in our
frailty, He will be our enduring might” (Ellen White, Sons and Daughters of
God, 27). The second reason Asaph wants to cite as
example, is that “God rules by His might forever, His eyes keep watch upon the
nations. Let not the rebellious exalt themselves” (66:7). The citation mark
(Selah) appears again and Asaph is going to change the subject matter again. From 66:8a-66:12c Asaph is using the
first person plural many times. In fact he cannot speak without mentioning “we”,
“us” or “our”. People (plural) should bless “our God” (66:8a). A series of
hiphils follow also in this section. A hiphil is a verb that has a causative format
and one can see it in the Hebrew. “Cause the voice of His praise to be heard
[hiphil format]” (66:8c). If (:) existed in those days, it would have been
after this verse. Asaph now explains why God needs to be praised. “Who caused to set [hiphil format] our
soul in life” (66:9a). God is Creator of us human beings and thus our voice of
praise should be heard. A second reason is that He “did not give to be moved
our feet” (66:9b). A third reason for praising God is that “in
causing us to be taken [hiphil format] O God” and in tribulation “You have
refined us as silver is refined” (66:10a-b). It was a faith-testing experience.
As prisoners God caused to bring them
into “the net” (66:11a) and for medical ailments “You have placed constraints
in our loins” (66:11b). Ellen White remarked: “Many are suffering from maladies
of the soul far more than from diseases of the body, and they will find no
relief until they shall come to Christ, the wellspring of life” (Ellen White,
Mind, Character, and Personality, Vol. 2: 403.2 and 403.4). In persecution God “You have caused [hiphil
format] men to ride to our heads” (literally 66:12a). In war sometimes the
chariots drove over people’s heads lying wounded. During the persecution they
went “in fire and in water” (66:12b). Through it all, God “caused us to be led
out to abundance” (66:12c). Ellen White also observed that “Our hope is an
anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast when it entered into that within the
vail, for the tempest-tossed soul becomes a partaker of the divine nature. He
is anchored in Christ. Amid raging elements of temptation he will not be driven
upon the rocks or drawn into the whirlpool. His ship will outride the storm”
(Ellen White, That I May Know Him, 79). As Hengstenberg rightly observed, one
should expect a Selah here. He changed the subject matter from here. Asaph then described personally although
Hengstenberg thinks it is not personal but rather typical or general although the
personal form is used. Asaph used from 66:13a-20b either “I” or
“me” or “my”. “I will come into Your house with burnt-offerings” and also “I
will perform to You my vows” (66:13a-b). Until the citation mark of the Selah
after 66:15c, he repeated a number of offerings that he is planning to bring:
he made vows to God when he was in distress and now he is going to keep his
promises (66:14). Fatlings will be his burntofferings, sweet smoke of rams and
bullocks with goats (66:15a-c). After the citation mark he changes the subject
again. Asaph exhorts people that “to them that
hear and I will recount all that fear God what He has done to my soul”
(literally 66:16). For Asaph it is a soul issue. It is not about his property,
or material gain, or capital, or relatives, but his soul. Ellen White also said
“Food, clothing, station, and wealth may have their value; but to have a
connection with God and to be a partaker of His divine nature is of priceless
value” (Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church Vol. 4: 357.2). If (:) existed
in those days, it would have been found after verse 16. Firstly, he cried to God with his mouth
and his tongue (66:17). It is the recipe for success. The rule of this kind of
approach to God is given in verse 18. Foul-play in worship is when a person
cherishes sin in the heart, then God will not answer the prayer (66:18). Asaph
passed the test since he said “If I had regarded iniquity in my heart the Lord
would not hear”. Ellen White reminded us also “Through defects in the
character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if
these defects are cherished, he will succeed….Let none, then, regard their
defects as incurable” (Ellen White, The Faith I Live By, 203). “Verily, God heard, He has caused to
attend [hiphil] in the sound/voice of my prayer” (66:19). Answer to prayer
means true worship for Asaph and serves as a guide that he is not playing
religion with God. He is not playing church.
Asaph ends the psalm as he started it: “blessed be
God Who has not caused to turn away my prayer, and His mercy from me” (66:20).