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).